If your septic tank is acting sluggish, it might be inundated with water. Your septic system is designed to filter sewage through slowly, a little at a time. Once waste leaves your home, it flows through to the first tank. This is the containment unit for the solids. The solid waste will drop to the bottom of the tank and the liquids will filter through to the secondary tank. The purpose of the secondary tank is to filter out particles of debris that shouldn't pass through to the seepage pit.

Excess liquid will then pass through to the seepage pit, where it will eventually be absorbed into the ground. However, if too much water passes through to the tanks at one time, the system won't be able to process it. As a result, you may experience sluggish drains, sewage backups into your bathtubs, and finally, brown water seeping up into your backyard. Here are two ways to prevent your septic tank from being overwhelmed by excess water.

Avoid Big Laundry Days

If you have a large family, or a couple of teenagers, you may see your fair share of laundry buckets. If you try to save up your laundry for one day a week, you may overload your septic tank and create a catastrophic backup. To protect your septic system, try to do several smaller loads each day, or several times a week. This will spread the water usage out over a course of several days.

Secure Your Clean-Out Drains

If your home is like most, there are several plumbing clean-out drains located around the perimeter of the foundation. Those clean-out drains are designed to provide easy access for plumbers to take care of occasional clogs and other plumbing problems. Unfortunately, those clean-out drains lead straight to the septic system. If the caps are not on tightly enough, or are missing completely, rain water can drain right into the septic system. If that happens, your septic tanks are going to fill up quickly and your system is going to fail. Before the next big rainstorm comes through, take a look around the house and make sure that your clean-out drains are securely closed.

If you have a septic system, you need to protect it from excess water. Use the tips provided here to prevent septic system overload. For other suggestions on how to prevent problems with your septic system, be sure to speak to your plumber or septic service company, such as Zeb Watts Septic & Underground, Inc.