How Weather Can Affect Your Septic Tank

items that can cause issues with your septic tank. What you may not hear about is how the weather conditions can affect your septic tank and cause costly repairs. As a septic tank owner, you should be aware of these weather conditions and what you can do to reduce damage to your septic system during these conditions.

Cold Weather

There is a major issue cold weather can cause with your septic tank and system. The first issue deals with drastically falling temperatures. Pay attention to area freeze warnings from your local weather broadcaster. The freeze warnings are the times when the cold weather temperatures drop to or below freezing. This means your septic tank system is at greater risk for frozen and damaged components.

Some of these components include the interior of the tank itself. If the waste and water in the tank are too cold or frozen it prohibits new waste from properly breaking down. This can cause backups in the system and into your already weather strained pipes and home plumbing. There are insulation techniques and products that help protect your tank from freezing and below-freezing temperatures. Blankets, tarps, and covered awnings are all suitable options depending on the location of your tank.

Extreme Rain and Flooding

Heavy rains can lead to one of the leading issues people have with septic tanks. Heavy rains can cause pressure and flooding to the ground. If the ground is extremely dry or already overloaded with rain, the area can flood. This flooding water will saturate the area around and over your septic system.

When the soil floods it leaves no room for drainage from your septic tank to occur. This means that the septic tank will back up and overflow. The overflow can happen in the soil above and around your tank. In severe cases, you will see the overflow come into your home's pipes and work into your home. This overflow can contaminate your showers, tubs, sinks, and water-based appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines.

There are two main steps you can take to reduce the chances of this type of overflow. The first is to make sure the drainage on your property is in good working order. This includes the drainage from gutters as well as overall drainage around your home. Remember, water should flow easily away from the home and to neighborhood drainage ditches and systems. The second step to take is to reduce the use of water during heavy rains when flooding is already visible.

Hurricanes and Tornadoes

When you think of hurricanes and tornadoes, you may not think of your septic tank. This is due to the vast majority of damage being above ground. The truth is, both of these storm conditions can cause damage to your septic tank system. Flooding is one of the ways these types of storms can damage your tank.

Strong winds from tornadoes and hurricanes can cause downed power lines, trees, and debris that can block drainage. When drainage is overloaded or blocked, it can cause the drainage in your own property to back up. This leads to overflow and saturation to the ground. Proper drainage to your property is vital to reduce the chances of these issues. You can also make sure to remove any debris or blockages as soon as it is safe to do so.