Can Rain Affect My Septic System?

During periods of heavy rain, your drain field can become saturated, making it impossible for water to flow out of your septic system. With nowhere to go, the water can travel backward through the plumbing system and back into drains and toilets and into your home.

As the soil in the drain field becomes saturated, septic water can't soak in, and it may rise to the surface and create an odor. As the condition worsens, water backs up into the tank. Eventually, since the water has nowhere else to go, it ends up in your plumbing. You may notice slow draining or poor toilet flushing and, in some circumstances, overflowing floor and shower drains or toilets.

Before a period of heavy rain hits your area is always the best time to take care of your system. Direct runoff water away from your drain field to keep the surrounding soils from getting too soggy. Make sure your rain gutters are clear and that they drain away from the drain field area. Don't drive any heavy equipment or vehicles over the drain field because they compact the soil which can reduce the drain field's ability to treat wastewater.

If the rain has started and you notice puddles in your drainfield, odors, gurgling sounds in your pipes, or slow flushing toilets, reduce or eliminate water going down the drains until the drain field dries back out. You can do this by flushing the toilet only when absolutely necessary, skipping showers, not running the dishwasher, and refrain from doing laundry until the system has been restored.

Don't wait for a septic emergency to give us a call! At Jeff Angel Septics & Construction, we can get your system in good working order before you have any issues. Give us a call at 812-838-2255 for any of your septic questions.