Traditional septic maintenance is effective for identifying septic tank problems such as performance drops, backups and other issues. However, as effective as traditional septic tank maintenance is, smart septic system monitoring offers even better insight and easier diagnostics.
Both methods of monitoring will extend your septic tank’s useful life and performance, so many are left wondering what the difference really is between the two.
What Does Traditional Septic System Maintenance Include?
Conventional septic tank maintenance is typically scheduled for specified intervals and includes visually inspecting the system. During a septic tank inspection, your septic tank technician will do the following:
- Review any previous maintenance and inspection records – Prior to any detailed maintenance, your septic system technician will first review any relevant performance or service data. These records will help your technician narrow down potential issues and isolate its location.
- Check the septic tank’s structural integrity – Every inspection includes a detailed septic tank inspection, specifically to look for any ruptures, cracks or other structural weaknesses. If the tank is compromised, your septic company will pump it out and perform necessary repairs.
- Assess sludge and scum levels – During routine inspections, your septic system technician will check the effluent in the tank, including liquids (scum) and solids (sludge). To ensure your wastewater system continues to provide reliable performance, the technician will pump out excessive levels of scum and sludge.
- Check the drain field’s status (and the drain lines) – Septic system inspections also include a drain field (and line) check. Effluent can get clogged in the drain lines and cause issues with drainage distribution. Your septic system expert will ensure this isn’t the case with your drain field.
- Inspect the area for any leaks – There are several notable signs of septic system leaks, including water collecting around the tank or drain field, foul odors or loss of performance. Your technician may spot a leak by using their senses or with a dye for tracking flows in and out of the system.
- Verify that the system’s electrical components are properly functioning – Pump components, alarms, the distribution box and other important septic system components are electrically powered and therefore need to be inspected for potential electrical issues.
Following the inspection, your septic system technician will have a clear idea of its condition and performance. In this way, a professional inspection offers a useful snapshot of the health of your wastewater system.
What Does Smart Septic System Monitoring Include?
For maximum septic system protection, property owners need more than a snapshot of the system. They need real-time status updates for every major system component. That’s what smart septic system monitoring offers—a constant stream of useful data that can be used for inspection or diagnostic purposes.
Septilink is a leading example of smart septic system monitoring technology and can evaluate the following in real time:
- The system’s power draw (in amperage)
- Air pressure, if the system includes an aerator
- Pump status, including cycling frequency and running times
- Water level inside the tank
- The status of any included surge protection
- Door/enclosure status – whether it’s open or closed
If any of these performance markers range outside of the ideal zone, smart septic monitoring technology is designed to trigger an alert to the owner’s device. Every alert includes data that your technician can use to quickly and accurately assess any issue.
The Advantages of Smart Septic System Monitoring
Now you know what smart system monitoring like Septilink does, but how does it benefit property owners?
- Advance warning of potential failures – If your septic system is protected by Septilink, it will send out an alert as soon as it falls outside of defined performance boundaries. This could be the first sign that an impending septic tank failure is on its way. For obvious reasons, you’d rather be notified this way, rather than dealing with a sudden tank failure.
- Precision troubleshooting data for other performance issues – Even if your septic system isn’t about to fail, there may be minor problems capping your system’s performance and accelerating its wear. Smart system monitoring gathers performance history data for technicians to analyze and derive better maintenance-related conclusions from.
- Convenient, at-a-glance monitoring capabilities – Smart system monitoring technology is designed for maximum convenience. Just bring up the app on your phone and verify that everything is running as it should. No need to open up the tank or walk the property to check for any issues.
With its mix of convenience and troubleshooting support, smart septic system monitoring provides excellent value to property owners.
Smart Septic System Monitoring Provides Total Peace of Mind
If you’re partnered with an expert septic technician for maintenance, your wastewater system is well-protected from a variety of technical issues and potential failures. However, there’s another layer of defense available for septic systems in the form of smart monitoring.
Smart septic system monitoring provides an array of benefits to property owners, including instant performance alerts, a running record of relevant performance data and better maintenance results from your septic technician.
For property owners, there are few things worse than backups or a ruptured septic tank. With smart system monitoring, you’ll never be caught off guard by a messy septic surprise. Reach out to a reputable septic system company today and see how smart septic system monitoring can make a positive difference for your property.
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