Septic Repair vs Replacement: What's the Difference in Armonk and Croton-on-Hudson NY Areas

February 6, 2021 Halstead Media Group

How do you know whether your Armonk and Croton-on-Hudson, NY, areas septic system just needs repair or replacement? Since the cost difference can be significant, understanding the difference between what is something that can be repaired and what requires replacement can help you make the best choice.

A Septic System

When a home has no access to a municipal sewage system, which can often happen in rural areas, the answer is a septic system. Since removing the waste from your home can be a critical function, you want to ensure that your septic system is working at peak performance.

Operated by only gravity and environmentally friendly, a septic system consists of an airtight tank that is buried under the ground usually at the end of your backyard. When you flush anything down the drain, flush the toilet, take a shower, and wash a load of clothes, the waste flows into the tank where it separates into three levels.

The bottom layer is composed of solids that sink and are decomposed by beneficial bacteria and microorganisms while the middle layer is the water and other liquids that slowly filter out through a pipe to the drainfield. There, it seeps back into the earth where the pollutants and particles are caught in the dirt and the water ends up back in the deep water table. The top layer is sludge composed of grease and oils that will not decompose.

When a System Needs Repair

Slow drains: When the drains are emptying slower and slower, this can indicate a problem in the system that needs the attention of your septic expert. If your pipes are clogged, this can prevent the water and other waste from passing through the pipe unhindered. Clogs can occur when you pour grease down the drain when it should be emptied in the trash instead. Other things that can cause clogs when flushed are feminine products, kitty litter, cigarette butts, and coffee grounds to name a few.

Overflowing toilets: When the waste backs up and overflows as you flush the toilet, this can be another way to know that your septic system needs repair. When a pipe has a tiny crack in it, many times tree roots can grow toward the crack in search of water, grow into the crack, and clog the drainage. Your septic specialist may have to dig up the affected area to repair the pipe.

Stinky smells outside: A septic system should not produce any odors at all so when you smell something bad outside or inside, this is a definite need for service.

When a System Needs Replacement

Frequent Repairs: Your septic specialist will most likely advise you to have the tank replaced when you are experiencing the need for frequent repairs. A septic system is designed to last many years but sometimes the tank has been damaged from having cars parked on top or other action that has compromised the tank’s integrity.

Wrong Tank: When a septic expert chooses a tank for a home, it is most often based on the allowance of two people per bedroom. If you have more people using the showers, washing machine, and toilets, the tank can be too small for your needs and your septic expert will recommend installing a larger tank to service the needs of your family.