A properly maintained septic tank should be odor-free, but what if you wake up someday and notice a bad smell inside your home? This is a sign that there is a problem. The first rule is to think about your options. It would be best to determine whether the smell is inside or outside your home and consider possible reasons why this happens. Maybe the first thing that will come to your mind is that your septic tank should be pumped. We need to disappoint you, but having a full septic tank is not the only cause of the smell problem. If you are interested in the factors that can affect your septic tank and how to avoid septic tank smell, continue reading.
Why Does My Septic Tank Smell Bad?
You probably know that a septic tank works on the inlet and outlet pipe principle. Their primary function is to collect all wastewater from your sink and bathroom. When it’s collected, wastewater comes to your septic tank, where it’s separated into a few layers. The lightest or, better say, top layer consists of oils. In the middle is wastewater, and the bottom layer is full of massive particles. When your tank receives these substances, the decomposition process begins. It’s followed by the presence of a different type of bacteria. If their number is disturbed by using some of the chemicals, they won’t be able to do their part of the job, which usually causes clogging and unpleasant smell.
Also, the odor can develop from too much acidic pH level. You would probably recognize it by the rotten eggs smell. As we mentioned earlier, microorganisms are here to digest organic matter. Still, if there is a large quantity of hydrogen sulfide, methane gas, or carbon dioxide, they’ll stop the digestion process and release hydrogen sulfide instead.
How to Avoid Septic Tank Smell?
For solving this problem, you’ll need to determine where the odor is coming from. Depending on location, various issues can lead to this unpleasant smell in the leach field, near the septic tank, or even in your house. Here are just some of the common causes and solutions for septic tank odor:
Septic Tank Odor in Your Home
The leading cause of this problem can be the floor drain trap in your basement. Most people usually forget about it, but there is a high chance of allowing gases to come back to your house if it’s dried out. Not to mention that inhalation of these gases can be hazardous. Try to fill your floor drain trap with water periodically to prevent this problem. It would be great if you checked your plumbing vent on the roof from time to time. Its primary function is to regulate the air pressure and allow fresh air to enter the house. When you notice the gurgling sound in the toilet, sink, or tub, there is an excellent chance that the vent is clogged. Removing the cause of the problem can be a difficult and, at some point, dangerous job, so you’ll definitely need to be careful.
Finally, if you have done the septic tank cleaning, but the odor is coming out of the toilet, there is a chance that bacteria in the tank are dying off. If you are asking yourself how to avoid septic tank smell and if you want to stimulate their multiplication, flush a cup of the sugar down the toilet and repeat it once a week for 6-8 weeks.
Odor Near Your Septic Tank Outside of the Home
The odors from outside can indicate something’s wrong in the septic tank area. Try to walk around that place and look for any unusual holes in the septic tank lid. A septic tank utility hole can be made from plastic or even metal, and there is a rubber seal that should keep odors inside the tank. But, remember that you need to consider other options- for example, your drain field, also called distribution trenches. It’s usually mistaken with the septic tank because it has a similar function in collecting the wastewater from your septic tank and grey water tank. Take a look at your yard and look for the wet places where the grass is constantly growing. That could indicate that your trenches are blocked or even failed; in such a case, the best solution is detailed field cleaning.
Can Septic Tank Smell be Prevented?
The best answer to how to avoid septic tank smell is to take care of the septic tank regularly. Every septic tank needs to be pumped out every four years on average. In the meantime, try to keep it maintained as well as you can. It would be best if you didn’t let feminine hygiene products, diapers, oils and fat, cigarettes, or any trash go down the drain. Also, pay special attention to the chemicals you use for cleaning your bathroom and kitchen. They can be too aggressive for your septic tank and, by killing bacteria inside, tanks lose their function. In case you need some more information about us and our services, feel free to call septic tank maintenance Miami.