The home you just purchased is attached to a septic tank. They serviced the tank before you moved in but no one told you what to do after that. Don't worry. If you pay close attention, your septic tank will let you know when it's having problems. Not through verbal words, of course. But, through sights, sounds and smells. Here's a quick guide that will help you understand the language you're septic will use to communicate its needs.

Gurgles

Your septic tank contains all the waste—both liquid and solid—that you flush out of your home. Most of the time, your septic tank will be able to keep up with the waste it consumes. However, if too much waste comes through the pipes on any given day, your tank may not be able to keep up with it.

That's when you'll start hearing gurgles coming from your toilet. That's your septic tanks way of letting you know that that things are backing up. If you notice a gurgling sound each time you flush the toilet, give your septic a rest. Limiting your showers and avoiding laundry for the day will allow your septic tank to empty its surplus liquids into the seepage pit.

Burps

You're hearing a faint sound coming up from your drains followed by a foul odor. That may be a sign that your septic tank needs to be pumped. When your tank is empty, everything can flow through your drain pipes. However, once the tank begins to fill, solid waste may have to back up into the pipes until there is room for it in the tank. This is the time that you should schedule septic maintenance.

Upchucks

If you don't get your septic tank pumped when you start smelling the burps, you might have to experience the final stage in your septic tanks communications. Upchuck occurs when your septic tank is so full there is no room left in the tanks or the seepage pit. Once that happens, there's nowhere for the sewage to go—besides back into your home.

At this stage, you may find raw sewage backing up into your bathtubs or around your toilets. If this happens, you'll need to have your septic tank pumped as soon as possible. You'll also need emergency plumbing services to clean out your drains.

If you understand the language that your septic tank speaks, you'll be able to provide it with the care it needs to function properly. The guide provided above will help you communicate with your septic system, but for more information, contact a local septic tank service like Mr Bob.