Septic tank keeps filling up with water? (Possible Causes and Solutions) | Improved Home (2023)

The septic tank is the kind of facility you don't think about too often. It does its job in the background, allowing your household to function as usual. That's why it can be so surprising when your septic tank suddenly encounters problems.

Various types of problems can affect a household septic tank. Wear and tear will eventually reach them, while accidental damage can cause the tank to fail sooner than expected. Unfortunately, some households can also be burdened with septic tanks that fill up far too quickly.

If your septic tank keeps filling up with water, it's because your filtered wastewater has nowhere to go. Or sometimes, when it rains heavily, it seeps in and fills up your septic tank. Wait a few days and if it keeps happening you may need to have it pumped before it flows back.

A full septic tank can be problematic for your household in many ways. Find out how to avoid this annoying problem by reading on.

5 reasons your home's septic tank is filling up fast

Septic tanks do not require much maintenance. When your septic tank is the right size for your household, you don't have to worry about frequent maintenance. Septic tanks that fit well in their respective homes only need to be pumpedevery three to five years.

So why is your home's septic tank full just a few months after you last pumped it? Is something wrong with it? The truth is, there are several possible explanations for why your home's septic tank is filling up so quickly. Let's discuss them in more detail below.

1. Your household wastes too much water

A rapidly filling septic tank is not an automatic sign that it is in trouble. It's entirely possible that the capacity of the septic tank has more to do with your habits.

For example, taking a shower causes a lot of water to flow through your plumbing. Now it is not a problem that members of your household take showers several times a day. However, what can be problematic is when huge amounts of water are wasted when showering. Some members of your household may leave the shower running even if they aren't rinsing off yet. In this scenario, the water is running for no good reason.

Water can also be wasted while someone is doing the laundry. Again, the problem could be related to someone leaving the tap on even when the water isn't needed.

Maintaining these wasteful habits can cause your septic tank to fill up faster than expected. Avoid them as much as possible if you don't want to put unnecessary strain on the tank.

2. Improper waste disposal

The way your household handles waste also plays a big part in determining how the septic tank will hold up. More specifically, you can cause real problems for your septic tank if you don't dispose of the waste carefully.

For example, flushing large objects down the toilet is not a good idea. Even if they get past your pipes without clogging things up, your septic tank will have a harder time processing them. These large objects just take up space in your septic tank.

It is also not advisable to pour grease down the drain. Fat is not easily processed by the bacteria in the septic tank. The fat you dump down the drain will just keep building up until it forms a thick layer of foam. Toxic substances like gasoline and paint should also not be poured down your plumbing. These substances can kill the bacteria in the tank. Once the bacteria are eliminated, the wastewater is no longer treated as intended.

Make an effort together to better dispose of the waste in your household. Both the environment and your septic tank will thank you for your efforts.

3. Leaks along your plumbing and septic tank

Leaks could be one of the reasons why your septic tank keeps flooding. You'd think that a leak would actually depressurize the tank, but that's not the case.

Leaks that form at the tank can allow water to escape, but they can also serve as entry points for wastewater. Water can enter the tank faster than it is expelled. This can cause an imbalance to form in the tank and cause flooding.

A leak forming along the tank isn't the only thing to watch out for. Leaks along your pipes can also cause excess water to enter the tank. Any leaks must be repaired immediately. If you don't fix the leaks in time, your septic tank will quickly reach its capacity.

4. Heavy and/or persistent rain

A lot of rain causes flooding, so don't be surprised if this weather phenomenon also affects your septic tank. A sudden and massive downpour can force excessive amounts of water down drains. These drain pipes then direct all the water into the septic tank, causing flooding in the process.

Heavy rain is not the only problem. Persistent rain can also be bad for your septic tank. The problem with persistent rain is that it soaks the ground around your septic tank's outflow field. Wet soil can prevent the drain field from doing its job. Eventually, this can result in liquid that should have been expelled being returned to the septic tank.

5. Drain field problems

Speaking of the drain field, this too can be the reason why your septic tank is flooding. Clogged or damaged drain fields cannot drain the liquid as usual. Because of this, you can expect the septic tank to fill up faster.

Tree roots are notorious for damaging drainage fields. Make sure you consider how the trees in your yard will grow before having the drainage field installed.

The signs that your septic tank is already full

You can't just open your septic tank and check how full it is on a whim. Septic tank inspections are more complicated. Most homeowners even rely on professionals to check their septic tanks.

Is it still possible to tell if the septic tank is full without opening it? Look out for the signs listed below to spot a possible problem.

Slow release

Slow draining will likely be the first sign you'll encounter when your septic tank is full. You can notice this when your bathroom floor gets flooded when you shower.

You can check if the septic tank is the problem by first trying to clear your drain. If the flooding persists even after your attempts at clogging, you probably have a septic tank problem.

Putrid odors arise

With the sewage, the unpleasant odors that accompany the sewage also end up in the septic tank. However, if the tank is already full, these gases will also be denied entry. You must find another escape route.

Sometimes these gases escape through the drain holes in your bathroom or kitchen. You could also escape through the drain field. It's hard to miss these foul smells. Don't ignore them and instead take them as a sign that you need to act ASAP.

Water accumulation in your garden

Too much solid waste in the septic tank can cause drainage problems. If working properly, the tank should drain the water into the surrounding soil.

However, due to the abundance of waste, the water must not exit at the designated points. What you can see instead are puddles of water in certain spots. Examine your yard to see if there are any puddles of water. The pools of water can also be covered by growing plants.

Plants will thrive on the wastewater that is dumped onto the surface of your garden. Because of this, certain patches of grass may appear lighter than normal.

secure waste water

The most unpleasant sign that your septic tank is full is the sight of sewage backing up through your faucets. Hopefully you were able to take action before things even got to this point. You may also need to spend more if your septic tank problems get this bad.

related questions

Will the flooding in your septic tank go away on its own?

In most cases, septic tank flooding needs to be addressed by professionals. You must first pump the tank to get rid of excess waste. From there you can make changes that will prevent the tank from filling up as quickly.

Nonetheless, there is a chance that theSeptic tank floods could clear up on their own. This can happen if the flooding was caused by heavy rain. Once the rain stops, it's possible that the septic tank will return to normal.

If the flooding wasn't caused by the rain, you're out of luck. You need to call the professionals to fix the problem plaguing your septic tank.

What can you do to get rid of the waste in the septic tank?

Homeowners can help their septic tanks decompose solid waste better by using yeast. Once activated, the yeast can help the bacteria in your septic tank process the various elements in your household's wastewater.

You can get the yeast into the septic tank by flushing it down the toilet. Do this every four months to keep the septic tank in good condition.

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