You may have wanted a septic pump-out because you noticed strong odors coming from your septic tank. So why, after the service is complete, might you be asking, “Why does my septic tank smell after being pumped?” Here are some explanations for why that might be.
Foul odors emanating from your septic tank or around your home is among one of the signs that your septic tank is full and needs to be pumped. As septic tanks are used, liquid and solid waste builds up in the interior of the tank. Once your tank reaches capacity, you may notice waste odors in your home and around the opening of the tank. Though it may seem that any previous odor would be eliminated following the pump-out, lingering smells may remain. Acme shares why this may happen and what homeowners can do about it.
Residual Waste
Even though a pump-out removes solid and liquid waste from your septic tank, there may be waste remnants that are left in the pipes connected to the septic tank, or the drain field.
While pump-outs cannot remove every particle of waste, there are steps that homeowners can take to ensure that smells are kept to a minimum. These include:
Requesting a septic cleaning
Installing an effluent filter
A full septic cleaning service removes waste from the walls, floor, and corners of your septic tank. Septic cleanings both reduce septic smells and increase your tank’s efficiency and longevity.
Effluent filters trap and filter out solid particles and debris from the wastewater in your septic tank, preventing them from reaching the drain field. These filters make the pumping process more effective by keeping waste contained in the septic tank.
Septic Tank Damage
If there are cracks or leaks in any part of the septic system, septic gases can escape and cause lingering smells following a pump-out. Following your pump-out, your septic technician will examine the interior of your tank to identify if any damage is present.
Maintaining routine inspections also help avoid the incidence of tank damage and further reduce the likelihood of a bad smell coming from your septic tank after pumping.
Bacterial Imbalance
Pump-outs can disrupt the bacteria that break down waste in the septic tank, leading to odors until the bacterial balance is restored. Bacterial balance restoration can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on factors such as:
Bacteria levels
Household wastewater input
Temperature
Chemical use
Professional septic technicians should be leaving a certain amount of bacteria in septic tanks following the pump-out. This enables repopulation of bacteria and prevents ongoing odors. Household water provides organic material that bacteria feed on. The more consistent the input, the faster the bacteria will repopulate.
Warm temperatures encourage bacterial growth, so recovery may be faster in warmer climates. Excessive use of antibacterial cleaners, bleach, or harsh chemicals can slow bacterial recovery. Homeowners should limit the use of any of these to allow the bacteria in your septic tank to thrive. Septic owners can also add septic-safe enzymes and bacteria to aid in re-establishing healthy bacterial numbers.
Over-Pumping
According to the EPA, septic tanks should be pumped once every 3-5 years. While regular maintenance is key, homeowners should also be aware that it is possible to pump your tank too often. If your septic tank is pumped too often, tank damage or a disruption in the balance of solids and liquids may occur, which may lead to odor issues.
Care For Septic Systems Between Pump-Outs
Regular maintenance, scheduling repairs when needed, and only flushing septic-safe objects down the toilet are just a few ways that homeowners can ensure their septic system continues to function well following a pump-out.
Treating your septic system with care helps to extend its life, increases the effectiveness of septic pump-outs, and helps reduce environmental pollution. We’d say that’s a pretty good trade-off for the cost of an average pump-out.
Contact Acme For A Clean Septic System
Hopefully this information has provided some points to consider if you find yourself wondering, “Why does my septic tank smell after being pumped?”
Contact us today for a pump-out that will leave your tank clean and ready for more.
