Septic problems and backups in Suffolk homes

Septic trouble rarely shows up all at once. Most failures send warnings first. Catch them early and the fix is often a pump-out or a minor repair. Ignore them and you may be looking at a new drainfield.

Warning signs

• Slow drains in more than one fixture, especially the lowest ones in the house
• Gurgling in pipes or toilets when water drains elsewhere
• Sewage odors inside or around the tank or drainfield
• Wet, spongy ground or standing water over the drainfield when it hasn't rained
• Grass that's greener and lusher in strips over the drainfield than elsewhere
• Wastewater backing up into tubs, showers or floor drains
• An alarm on a system with a pump or treatment unit

One slow sink is usually a clogged pipe, a plumbing issue. Several slow fixtures at once, or problems at the lowest drains, point toward the septic system.

What to do right now

1. Cut water use. Hold off on laundry, the dishwasher and long showers. Every gallon you send makes a backup worse.
2. Keep people and pets off wet areas over the drainfield or around the tank. Sewage carries bacteria.
3. Don't pour in chemicals or "septic additives" hoping to clear it. They don't fix a full tank or a failing field, and some can make things worse.
4. Don't open the tank yourself. Tank gases are dangerous, and a person who falls into a septic tank can die within minutes.
5. Call a septic professional. If wastewater is backing up into the house, say so. It moves you up the list with most companies.

Common causes

• A full tank. The most common cause and the easiest fix. Solids build up until they block the outlet or overflow into the field.
• A clogged outlet baffle or filter. Some tanks have an effluent filter that needs periodic cleaning.
• A failed pump or float (on systems with a pump tank). Often signaled by an alarm.
• Roots in the pipes between the house, tank and field.
• A saturated drainfield. In much of Suffolk, the seasonal water table rises to within 18 to 30 inches of the surface from about December through April (USDA). A field that's already stressed can stop draining during wet months.
• Drainfield failure. After years of solids escaping from an overdue tank, the soil can clog. This is the expensive one, which is why regular pumping matters.
• Damage from vehicles, construction or new landscaping over the lines.

Repairs and permits

Pumping and routine maintenance don't usually need paperwork. Repairing or replacing a tank, lines or a drainfield is different. In Virginia that work typically requires a permit through the local health department and must be done by appropriately licensed professionals. The Suffolk Health Department (757-514-4751) can tell you what applies to your property.

If you're in a Suffolk pump-out zone, keep receipts from any pump-out done during a repair. They may count toward the city's five-year requirement.

Preventing the next one

• Pump on schedule: at least every five years in Suffolk's program, sooner for busy households.
• Spread out laundry instead of doing it all in one day.
• Keep grease, wipes and paper towels out. "Flushable" wipes aren't septic-friendly.
• Fix leaky toilets and faucets. A running toilet can send hundreds of gallons a day to the tank.
• Keep vehicles, sheds, pools and trees off the drainfield.
• Point gutters and sump pumps away from the field.