Will A Flooded Septic Tank Fix Itself?

A flooded septic tank is nothing to mess around with. Your septic tank is responsible for draining all the wastewater from your home, so a flooded one poses a problem. A flooded septic tank can cause sewage to back up into your home’s drains and emit a foul odor. This is a stinky problem you’ll have to deal with sooner rather than later.

There is a very small chance that your flooded septic tank will fix itself. As soon as you notice it has flooded, call a professional to diagnose the problem. Once the ground around the septic tank and drainfield has dried a bit, the tank will need to be pumped.

To understand why septic tanks flood, it’s essential to understand how a septic tank works. Otherwise, it can get a little confusing when words like “effluent,” “sludge,” and “anaerobic bacteria” are thrown around by a professional.

Septic systems are underground drainage and wastewater treatment systems that are present mostly in rural areas. A septic system usually consists of a septic tank, drainfield, and various pipes.

A septic system filters wastewater in your home. After a flush, shower, or other water-based activity, wastewater flows out of your home and into the tank. Solid waste, also known as sludge, settles to the bottom of the tank.

Anaerobic bacteria break down this sludge and release various byproducts to the top of the tank. Greases, oils, and fats, known as scum, also float to the top.

The leftover wastewater, known as effluent, is now free of sludge and scum. The effluent flows out of the pipes and into the drainfield. There are perforated pipes throughout the drainfield that introduce the effluent into the soil. Once the effluent enters the soil, harmful bacteria are filtered out.

During heavy rain, the ground around your home absorbs a great deal of moisture. The good news is this helps prevent your home from flooding. But, if you have a septic tank, the drainfield and soil around it will likely absorb water during a bad storm.

The drainfield’s main job is to provide a space for the effluent to filter through the soil. This process already lightly saturates the ground above and around the drainfield. During heavy rain, the soil meant for wastewater becomes heavily saturated with rainwater.

When this saturation happens, effluent can no longer drain properly through the drainfield’s soil. This can pose a significant problem for your septic system.

Once your septic tank has been pumped and your drainage system is back to working order, you should consider making some changes to help reduce the risk of future flooding problems. For example, make sure that your system has a backflow preventer installed. The backflow preventer will help to keep waste water out of your home in the case of a septic emergency.

Also, swap out fixtures in your home such as toilets, faucets, and shower heads for new, low-flow models that use less water. This will we make the risk of overflow much less likely.

Finally, ensure that your yard’s storm drainage does not empty into your drainage field and tank area. Instead, you should have the water diverted to a different area of your property.

Related Questions

How long does it take for a flooded septic tank to drain?

Most drainfields are between two and four feet below ground. Depending on how many inches of rain your area received, a drainfield can take anywhere from one week to a month to drain completely. Continue to monitor the depth of the water table near the drainfield as the area drains. You can check the depth by digging with a soil probe or an auger about 10 feet from the septic tank. 

Will a flood damage your septic tank?

A flood should not damage your septic tank if the system was installed correctly. However, if you pump the system before the water has dried up, this can cause a problem. Pumping too soon can cause your tank to float on the remaining groundwater. 

Can rainfall cause a septic tank backup?

It is relatively common for septic backup to occur after or even during heavy amounts of rainfall. With significant rain, water can quickly flood the ground surrounding the soil absorption area, or drainfield, causing it to become saturated. This makes it nearly impossible for water to efficiently flow out of your septic system.

After particularly heavy rains, you may notice that your septic tank isn’t functioning as it should. Your septic tank has likely flooded. There is a very slim chance your flooded septic system will fix itself.

Your septic system consists of a septic tank, drainfield, and pipes. Wastewater flows from your home and into your tank. Scum and sludge are separated from the water, and the remaining wastewater flows into your drainfield for filtering. After a flood, your drainfield gets too saturated to drain properly, causing a flooded septic tank.

Your septic tank may be flooded if you notice settling, soggy soil, standing water, a foul odor, or sewage backing up into your drains. To deal with a flooded septic tank, you should reduce water usage, check appliances for leaks, and wait for the drainfield to dry.

Once it has dried, call a professional to have your septic tank pumped. Once you’ve tackled these steps, you’ll have a dry drainfield and an odor-free yard!