How to Test Septic Tanks for Leaks

A leaking septic tank can lead to health risks for you and your family. According to the Healthy Housing Reference Manual from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diseases such as hepatitis A and salmonellosis can be caught through improper care of leaking septic tanks. Septic tank systems include the septic tank, soil drainfield, leach field, and distribution box. Water spots or unpleasant odor around your home may indicate that you have septic tank leak.

Instructions

• 1

  Check your toilets for backup.

  Check your toilets and drains for backups. For example, do your drains smell awful or do your toilets have a blackish liquid in the bowl with an odor?

• 2

  Check for water pooling.

  Check around your septic system for any leakage. Along the surface of the ground of your septic system will be a flow of wastewater when a septic tank is leaking.

• 3

  Look for signs of an overgrowth of green grass around your drainfield. According to the Healthy Housing Reference Manual from the Centers for Disease Control, if you have an excessive amount of grass, this may "indicate major problems."

• 4

  Test your water.

  Get your water tested through your local health department. Bacteria and nitrates identified in water samples can indicate that your septic tank is leaking.

• 5

  Check your basement.

  Check your basement if you have one. A leaking septic tank can flood your basement.

• 6

  Check for unusual odors around your drainfield and septic tank. If you notice unpleasant odors, your septic tank is leaking.