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August 12th, 2015

Make Sure Your Septic System is Well Ventilated

It happens. Your yard smells like a septic system but you don’t know why. Septic odors caused by seeping gas can not only be frustrating, but dangerous. Septic system odor is one of the leading causes of calls to septic services in Ithaca.

If you’ve ever been down wind of a septic pumper truck, you know the smell that permeates the air. When this odor invades your home or yard, there can be several reasons that are relatively simple to fix. Your Ithaca plumber, The Drain Brain, can evaluate the system and vents to ascertain what protocol to follow to alleviate the stench.

Septic System Ventilation

Ithaca plumberYour septic system is vented in several ways. The first is via the system itself underground where there are inlet and outlet pipes that allow the gases to discharge hopefully out into the drainage field. The Drain Brain finds that these inlet and outlet pipes can become blocked through non-biodegradable debris or due to a high water level within the tank.

Situations involving the discharge pipes can be sorted out by clearing them out and/or determining why there is a high water level within the septic tank, itself. High water levels can be attributed to either blockages or pump failure.

The inlet pipe is the one that takes the sewage out of your house and into the tank. This pipe is generally open and clear, but can allow gases to flow back into the household system. Have you ever wondered why you have a vent pipe coming out of the roof of your home?

Many people think the vent pipe on their roof is to vent the bathroom steam or something of that type. This is not the case. That vent pipe actually pulls septic system odors up through to above the roof line of the home. Due to the low pressure in the pipe itself, the sewage odors and gases easily find their way out and away from your home.

septic systemIt is important that the roof-top vent pipe be high enough to reach above the roof line. The gases from the septic system are then dispersed into the air and away from the population nearby. The problem with sewage odors occur when there is an obstruction within the septic system. This can cause the odors to be forced up through the tank and through the ground. Thus, you get the horrendous smell in your yard and sometimes within your home.

Most of the time, the venting system is working properly but a down draft resulting from wind blowing across the roof can get blocked by nearby trees and cause the stench to drop down into your yard, window, or air conditioning unit. If this has become a regular problem at your home, septic system services in Ithaca recommend that you install a charcoal vent filter. These filters have become the least expensive go-to fix for people that have not been able to find other ways to fix their stinky vent issues.

The Drain Brain Provides Septic System Services in Ithaca

Around the Ithaca area, The Drain Brain can evaluate your septic system and provide you with answers as to why you might be experiencing the distressing odor emanating from your vent or yard. A comprehensive evaluation of the system, pipes, tank and vents will provide the answers and allow you to make an informed decision as to how to remedy any issues you may be having.

 

 

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