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If you have a septic tank, then you know just how important the little things are when it comes to maintaining the condition of the tank. All septic tanks have effluent filters, also known as outlet filters. These filters protect the entire septic system by filtering out effluent as it leaves the tank. It’s responsible for preventing the pipes in the drainfield from clogging.

If the effluent filter is clogged, sewage could easily back up into your home. In these scenarios, you’re going to want to call an emergency plumber immediately to fix the problem. These problems are definitely not problems that you’ll want to sit on, as they’ll get worse and worse the longer that you wait.

If the effluent filters are clogged or if they need to be cleaned, consider calling a plumber from Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth. Our contractors can get the job done efficiently!

How Often Should the Effluent Filter Be Cleaned?

Much like with the rest of the septic tank system, the effluent filter needs to be cleaned and maintained regularly. In general, most effluent filters will work perfectly for at least several years after the septic tank has been installed. After several years, you will want to call a professional to clean the filter to ensure that there aren’t any major blockages that could wreak havoc on your septic tank system or home down the road.

Most plumbers recommend getting the effluent filters cleaned whenever the tank is pumped. For some families, this may be as often as once a year or several times a year. However, this may not always be possible for some families. At the very least, the effluent filters should be cleaned every 3 to 5 years depending on the size of the septic tank and how often the septic system is used.

What’s Involved in an Effluent Filter Cleaning?

Cleaning the effluent filter is not an afterthought. The plumbers will need to deliberately look for the filter and remove it from the septic tank. Once the filter is removed, the plumbers will clean the filter and remove all of the solids that can be found clinging onto the filter. As these filters can be health hazards, the professional will need to wear appropriate protective gear. This isn’t something that most homeowners can do on their own. They really shouldn’t attempt it either.

Once the effluent filters are cleaned and look like new, they will need to be re-installed back into the correct place. Most plumbers will also take a look at the effluent filters to make sure that they are working properly. They may do a quick run through of the septic system.

Top 8 Reasons Why Effluent Filters Get Clogged

Surprisingly, it’s not uncommon for effluent filters to get plugged or clogged. When they do, you’ll need to call a plumber to help you fix the problem. This isn’t one of those problems that you’ll be able to find a DIY solution online. You not only won’t have the expertise needed to diagnose and assess the situation, but you also won’t have the equipment and tools needed to fix the problem.

It’s important to note that it’s also never a good idea to handle septic tank issues yourself due to the possible health hazards that could come from handling the septic tank. You will have much better luck leaving any repairs or jobs related to the septic tank to one of our plumbers in Mansfield, TX. They’ll be able to walk you through the entire process and help you figure out the reason behind why your effluent filters are clogged in the first place.

There are many different reasons why the effluent filters may be clogged. We’ll look at 8 of the most common reasons below.

#1. Too Much Wastewater Is Being Generated In Too Short of a Time Period

The most common reason for why the effluent filters are clogged is that there is too much wastewater being generated in too short a period of time. If this happens, the abundance of wastewater will create some type of turbulence within the septic tank. This will reduce overall retention time, which can cause some solids to clog the effluent screens.

In general, this only happens if there is a leak somewhere in the system or if you’re hosting a huge party and a lot of people are using the washroom in a short period of time. You should always be mindful of your septic tank’s capacity. Take this factor into consideration before you host too large of a party. As for leaks, you’ll be able to keep an eye on the leaks if you receive regular septic tank maintenance from one of our professionals in Mansfield, TX.

#2. It’s the Natural Discharge from the Water in Your Home

There’s a good chance that the water in your home contains some type of minerals and chemicals. If you use some type of filtration device or water treatment device, like water softeners or iron filters, make sure that the water that leaves these devices are rerouted away from the septic systems.

More often than not, water that comes from these devices will contain a lot of minerals and extra solids. This can have a huge effect on how the wastewater settles in the septic tank. Removing these solids from the filter can be really difficult. The minerals are often very hard for the eye to see, and these solids will cling onto the filter. Some of the particles may even be small enough that they’ll be wedged in between the meshes.

If you’re wondering how you can reroute the water from the treatment devices, speak to one of our plumbers today. Our licensed contractors can take a look at how the plumbing system in your house is set up to help you come up with several solutions. They can reroute the water, so that it has as little effect on the septic system as possible.

#3. Keep Solids Out of the Plumbing System

Where do you think most of the solids that come from garbage disposals and dishwashers go?

That’s right! These solids often end up in the septic tank and can cause the effluent filters to easily get clogged up. One of the easiest ways that you can avoid clogging the effluent filters and having to call a plumber is to minimize the amount of solids that go into the septic tank. This means that you should really opt for tossing your food scraps into a compost bin rather than down the garbage disposal.

You should also clean your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher! Rinse off all the solids first! While this may seem like a very small thing to do, it can make a really big difference. In fact, if you keep solids out of the plumbing system, you’ll usually find that you’ll need to call a plumber less often and that the septic system runs much more efficiently even if you don’t get regular maintenance as often as before.

#4. It’s Laundry Day

This might seem surprising to some; however, large laundry days are also some of the main culprits for clogged effluent filters. Large laundry days mean that there’s a lot of wastewater going into the septic tank. This can cause a huge mess, as the amount of water that’s entering the septic system can overwhelm the existing biome.

To avoid laundry days from clogging the effluent filters, try to spread the wash loads throughout the entire week instead of doing all of the laundry in one day. Consider washing the whites on Mondays and underwear and lingerie over the weekends. It’s also important to do laundry on days where not a lot of water is being used in the home. This means that you should avoid running the dishwasher if you’re doing the laundry.

#5. It’s the Lint from Washing Machines

Have you ever wondered where all of the lint in your washing machines go? It usually ends up in your septic tank as well. Over time, the lint can end up clogging the effluent filters and affecting the overall performance and effectiveness of the septic tank. You can avoid this entirely if you install a simple lint filter at the end of an outlet hose! The filter will catch all of the lint and prevent it from clogging up anything in the septic tank.

If you don’t already have a simple lint filter installed at the end of the outlet hose, talk to one of our professionals today. This is a fairly quick fix. Our professionals can take a look at the type of outlet hose that you have, as well as the type of septic system that is installed, to determine what type of filter will work best. Some plumbers may even have a filter already available with them, so you won’t have to wait for the filter to come in.

#6. It’s the Type of Cleaning Chemicals and Soaps That You Use

If you notice that the effluent filters are getting clogged all the time, you may want to consider the type of cleaning chemicals and soaps that you use. Bleach and other antibacterial products and soaps can actually kill the useful bacteria that’s sitting around in your septic tank. If enough of the bacteria is killed, your septic tank won’t be efficient at decomposing solids anymore. This means that a lot more solids will find their way to the effluent filters and wreak havoc.

#7. You Flush Medications Down the Toilet

This is another surprising, yet ridiculously common reason for why effluent filters may clog up. If you regularly flush medications and other chemicals down the toilet, these chemicals may actually end up killing the beneficial bacteria within the septic tank system as well.

Just as we’ve mentioned above, this can slow down the rate of which the bacteria decomposes solid items, and the solids may end up making their way to the effluent filters. Once they do, they’ll clog them and make a mess that only a plumber can fix. This can be a very costly repair job.

#8. You Flush Other Things Down the Toilet

There’s a reason why plumbers tell you that you shouldn’t flush anything down the toilet that’s not toilet paper. If you have a habit of flushing tissues, hygiene products or even cigarette butts down the toilet, the effluent filters are much more likely to clog, as these items won’t degrade in the septic tank. Instead, they’ll bunch up together to clog the filters and other septic tank parts.

Call Our Plumbers in Mansfield, TX to Perform an Inspection

If there is something wrong with your septic tank system or if you suspect that the effluent filters are clogged and need to be drained or cleaned, give our plumbers a call as soon as possible. All of our professionals are licensed and insured and have a lot of experience in dealing with septic tank systems. They receive further education and training on a regular basis, so they are always able to provide high quality services at affordable prices.

Even if your effluent filters are not clogged, our plumbers can perform a professional cleaning that will make them look and perform like new! Most of the time, cleaning the filters is part of regular maintenance. If you’re curious about the condition of the effluent filters, you should ask your plumbers at the next scheduled maintenance. Many professionals can take a video or a photo for you.

To learn more about the type of septic tank services that we offer in Mansfield, TX, give us at Benjamin Franklin a call today. Our licensed plumbers are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. They’ll be able to answer any questions or concerns that you may have about your septic tank, and can help you find a solution that will work for you.