Those who have a septic system should have a basic understanding about how it works because this will be helpful when it comes to things like preventative maintenance. There are two main parts that have different jobs to keep everything running efficiently and these include the actual septic tank and the drain field that works with it.
Taking a Look at the Septic Tank
The septic tank is the primary component of your septic system and waste water will leave your home and travel to this tank, according to EdenFlo. Heavy solids will settle to the tank’s bottom and waste water is retained. Sludge is formed from solids that bacteria partially decomposes and you will see things floating and these include light particles and grease which will be on top of the water in the form of scum. Solids and scum are not able to get out of the tank due to outlet and inlet baffles and each baffle may have its own manhole cover. There may be a border in the centre of the septic tank that will divide it into two separate compartments so that sludge cannot get in into the drain field.
Learning More About the Drain Field
This is going to be a pipe that is between the distribution box and the septic tank. The waste water goes into the distribution box and then more pipes come out that are perforated and found within gravel trenches. This is how the water drains from the tank so that it does not get filled constantly and need to be manually drained and the water drains into the soil. The waste water will evaporate once it is in the soil and it is purified so there is no need to worry about microorganisms floating around the yard.
