Does Your Restaurant Have A Septic Tank? Regular Inspection And Pumping Is Necessary To Prevent Unhygenic Wastewater Backflow
Having your restaurant's septic system inspected regularly is important; clogs in the baffles or drain lines, root intrusion into the pipes or cracks in the septic tank can all turn into serious problems if left unattended. A faulty septic system that causes wastewater to back up into your restaurant or leaks wastewater into the water table can result in fines or health code violations. Scheduling a regular commercial septic tank inspection with a septic system professional helps prevent very expensive septic system repairs or replacement.
Septic Tank Inspection Catches Problems Before They Become Catastrophic
A thorough commercial septic tank inspection will check the level of sludge (solid waste) in the septic tank and ensure that wastewater flows freely through the baffles and cleanly exits the drain lines carrying no solid waste with it. In addition, the inspector will check that the septic tank has not been damaged by root intrusion and that the septic tank itself is intact with no cracks that may allow groundwater to enter the septic tank or wastewater to flow into the water table. Any of these issues, if left unchecked, can result in the septic tank becoming entirely clogged; not only does this result in backup of wastewater into your restaurant, but it will usually require replacement of the entire septic system. Since commercial septic systems can cost thousands of dollars, regular inspections are an important part of protecting the finances of your restaurant.
Neglecting To Pump Your Septic Tank Causes Hidden Damage
There's no hard and fast rule on how often you need to pump your commercial septic tank; it depends on the health of the bacteria in the septic tank, the size of the septic tank and the amount of wastewater that enters the septic tank on a daily basis. A commercial septic tank inspector can help you determine how often your septic tank needs to be pumped in order to prevent damage.
One of the signs that your restaurant's septic tank needs to be pumped is slow drainage or wastewater backing up through your drains; wastewater backflow is a major health hazard for your business, and you don't want it backing up into your dish pit! However, you should never rely on slow drainage or wastewater backflow to determine when your septic tank needs to be pumped; a full septic tank will cause serious damage to its drainfield before you experience drainage problems. The reason for this is that a full septic tank is no longer able to separate out liquids from solids in the effluent layer of the tank. The solids will flow out with the liquids right into your drainfield, creating clogs that are very expensive to fix. That's why it's important to have your restaurant's septic tank pumped regularly in order to prevent hidden damage that can cause expensive problems later in the life of your septic tank.
To Keep Your Restaurant's Septic Tank Functioning Well, Follow Your Inspector's Recommendations
Your commercial septic inspector will also advise you on proper septic system maintenance and what to avoid flushing down sinks or toilets in order to keep the bacteria in your septic system working efficiently. Healthy bacteria in the septic system will consume solid waste in the septic tank, reducing the rate at which the septic tank fills up. Strong detergents, such as those used to wash dishes in restaurants or commercial floor cleaners, will harm bacteria and should not be flushed into the septic system. Likewise, your employees should avoid flushing a large amount of grease or oil down the sink; while a small amount of grease will not harm a commercial septic tank, large amounts will form hardened clogs of grease that will interfere with normal wastewater flow.
Contact a company, like Rob's Septic Tanks Inc, for more help.