Liquid Waste Disposal: Why the Septic in 'Septic Tank' Has to Go

Every time you flush, all those "brown bombs" and "yellow cocktails" end up several feet below the ground in a place known as a septic tank. The septic tank is no more complex than a huge concrete or steel tank buried under your home, holding the water and accompanying waste matter that is flushed out of your toilets. It's the heart of your home's liquid waste disposal system.

Septic tanks must be periodically emptied and cleaned by suctioning out the wastewater along with the suspended waste material. Experts from the University of Minnesota suggest checking your septic tank every year or two years, depending on the volume of toilet usage. The university has an online questionnaire to help you determine how soon you should get your septic tank cleaned.

There's a good reason that all that waste has to be banished from the tank. If it continues to settle cozily in the tank, you're inevitably going to have a major sewage problem on your hands.

Return to sender

There's only one way the offensive substance should go – and that's down. Having it come back up the wrong way is a common problem in homes, indicating that the tank is full and can no longer contain additional wastewater. One of the worst things imaginable is having the wastewater back up on you when you're throwing a party and guests need to use your restroom. Septic waste may return to the toilet and sit there unpleasantly until the septic tank is cleaned.

Limited elbow room

According to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the frequency of septic tank maintenance should be set according to the tank's capacity. A 2,300-liter septic tank used by a family of five needs to be serviced every two years. The frequency of your family's use of the house's toilets determines the required frequency of septic tank maintenance.

A septic outbreak

The fact that the septic tank is situated several feet underground does not guarantee that it can't hurt you. Without proper and regular liquid waste removal, your entire neighborhood could be exposed to contaminants that should be confined to the septic tank. Experts from the University of Kentucky warn that exposure to raw sewage can cause diarrhea, hepatitis, and other enteric diseases.

It's highly suggested that sewer maintenance via septic tank cleaning be done often to maintain the proper function of plumbing systems and avert diseases. As long as people need to do their business in the bathroom, septic tank maintenance will remain a necessity.

Get the Emergency Plumber Vancouver Homes Trust to Attack Dirty Drains before Dirt Attacks You

Much of the wastewater going down your drain every day finds its way to a treatment facility somewhere to be recycled and sent back to the municipal water supply system. It's amazing how recycling water is making it possible for us to save on this valuable resource. However, recycling efforts will be for naught if the media it passes through, i.e., your drain and sewers, are tainted with disease-causing filth.

Dirty drain equals dirty water

Dylan Short and his colleagues from the Pennsylvania State University's College of Agricultural Sciences studied around 500 bathroom sink drains from buildings in selected states. Short, the head of the group, says this study was conducted in response to the outbreak of fungal health problems in North America. He and his team had reason to believe that plumbing systems had something to do with the spread of fungal diseases. Results validated what many of the plumbing contractors Vancouver residents usually hired had suspected all along.

Out of around 500 sink drains studied, nearly seven out of 10 were positive for traces of Fusarium culture. The Fusarium is a genus of disease-causing fungi that frequently plague plants and the soil, producing toxins that can affect people and animals once they enter the food chain. Since wastewater ends up being reused, the fungi have an excellent chance at wreaking havoc on your health.

Drain fungi in your eyes

Fungal keratitis is the most common fungal infection associated with the Fusarium species found in contaminated sink drains. Keratitis is the inflammation of the cornea which, up to this day, is still a challenge for doctors to treat. Fungal keratitis can impair your vision just like any other eye disease and, alarmingly, its incidence rates have been on the rise for the past three decades.

Simple solutions to complex problems

Regardless of the complexity of drain contamination, the solution in preventing such incidents is as simple as calling an emergency plumber Vancouver residents are known to trust. If you think that a sink or pipe has a problem, getting in touch with a professional plumber can make a difference. Cleaning the drain regularly can be done with soap and water, or other disinfectants. No matter what kind of disease, an ounce of prevention is still better than a pound of cure.

The results of the above study have made the relationship between dirty drains and health risks as crystal clear as water itself. It all boils down to proper plumbing care. So don't wait for dirty drains to attack you; call now for emergency plumbing Vancouver homeowners highly endorse to keep the spread of fungi and other foreign bodies in check.