Signs You Need a New Septic System

Septic systems safely and effectively treat organic waste, as long as they're working properly. Defective septic systems can be highly hazardous. Improperly treated liquid flows can be harmful to both the homeowner's and the environment's health. Vermin, bugs and other disease-carrying pests may be attracted to the leaking sewage.

Very Healthy Lawn

• One sign of a leaking septic system is that the lawn has patches of very healthy-looking grass over the drainfield. Excessive water flow into the septic tank from overused or broken toilets, sinks, and cleaning appliances will cause sewage sludge on the bottom to be disturbed and it will begin to surface. Raw sewage contains nitrates and will act as a fertilizer upon the lawn as sewage leaks out to the surface.

Soggy, Wet Surface Areas

• Take note of any soggy areas with gray water on the surface, or sewage puddles that show up on or near the drainfield. Sewage will likely be seeping above into the ground or lawn. Fluid from the septic tank can also collect as puddles on the ground. The grass above the drainfield may even be wet, even during dry weather. This may also be a sign of clogged filters or lines, a broken pipe connecting to the septic tank, or problems with the drainfield. Overuse of toilets, dishwashers, clothes washers, and sinks may fill the tank with water, causing dirty water to surface through the drainfield.

Back-up Flow

• With this symptom, sewage will begin to back up in the toilet and drains and when showering, mucky smelly water comes in through the drain. Toilets may run slow or need to be flushed more than once; showers and sinks will drain more slowly. If inorganic items have been flushed through the toilet or through a garbage disposal, any non-degradable pieces may resurface along with sewage. Some food particles from garbage disposals may not have degraded totally, and may be released to the surface or the plumbing system may begin to gurgle. Excessive toilet paper or paper items may also clog pipes causing back-ups.

Odor

• When there's sewage odor over the area of the drainage field it's possibly due to sewage leaks or the presence of nitrates or coliform bacteria. Odors may also be present in shower drains, toilet bowls, and other pipes. Chemicals, food or grease that may have been disposed of through garbage disposals or other drains may not have degraded properly, and may also resurface, causing odors. These chemicals may have also eliminated much of the beneficial bacteria necessary to process waste, so odors may be present due to incomplete processing of organic waste.