Before the Ground Freezes: 5 Things Homeowners Should Know About Their Sewer & Septic System

Fall means cooler temperatures, harvest, football and getting our homes ready for another Midwest winter. While you’re checking the furnace, cleaning gutters and putting away the garden hoses, there’s one part of your home that’s easy to forget: What’s happening underground.

Your sewer or septic system works every single day, and a little attention this fall can help you avoid dealing with a much bigger, and messier, problem when temperatures drop.

Here are five things Pete Howe Sanitation recommends homeowners think about before winter arrives.

 

  1. Pay Attention to Slow Drains

One slow sink may be a simple clog. But if multiple drains in your home are moving slowly, toilets are gurgling or you’ve noticed recurring backups, don’t ignore it.

Those symptoms can be your sewer system’s way of telling you there’s a larger problem developing.

Taking care of it now is much easier than discovering it when you have a house full of guests or when it’s 10 degrees outside.

 

  1. Know Where Your Septic Tank Is

If your home has a septic system, do you know where your tank and access points are located?

Winter isn’t the ideal time to start searching.

Knowing the location of your septic tank, keeping the area accessible and maintaining records of when it was last serviced can save valuable time when maintenance or service is needed.

 

  1. Don’t Wait for a Backup to Think About Maintenance

A septic tank doesn’t need to be overflowing before it needs attention.

How often a tank needs to be pumped depends on factors including household size, water usage and the system itself. If you can’t remember the last time your system was inspected or pumped, fall is a good time to find out.

Preventative maintenance is almost always preferable to emergency cleanup.

 

  1. Watch What Goes Down Your Drains

Your toilet isn’t a trash can, and neither is your kitchen sink.

Wipes, including many labeled “flushable,” paper towels, feminine hygiene products, grease and other materials can create problems in sewer and septic systems.

The habits inside your house have a big impact on what’s happening underneath it.

 

  1. Don’t Ignore the Warning Signs

Recurring clogs. Strange odors. Gurgling toilets. Slow drains. Wet areas around a septic system.

Your home often gives you clues before a major sewer or septic problem occurs.

If something doesn’t seem right, finding out what’s causing it can help you address the problem before it turns into an emergency.

 

A Little Prevention Goes a Long Way

We’ve lived through enough Midwest winters to know that some things are simply easier to deal with before the ground freezes.

Your sewer and septic system should be on that list.

Pete Howe Sanitation has been serving Northwest Iowa since 1939, helping homeowners and businesses with septic pumping and maintenance, sewer and drain clearing, video inspections, root treatment and more.

If you’re noticing warning signs — or simply aren’t sure when your system was last serviced — give Pete Howe Sanitation a call.

It’s much better to find out what’s going on down there now than in the middle of an Iowa winter.