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It is important to ensure your cesspool doesn’t overflow, as this can cause any number of smelly problems! Here are the signs to look out for to tell if your cesspool is getting too full.
Actually, before we declare these glaring issues it is important we outline the difference between a cesspool and a cesspit:
- Cesspool: A watertight tank installed and buried underground acting as a storage for sewage. They are usually made out of resistant plastics to endure being beneath the surface.
- Cesspit: A single chamber containing gaps between brickwork acting as a collection pit. Cesspits cannot be used as an off mains drainage system due to the high risk of pollution.
Toilets are slow to drain
A telltale sign of your cesspool being full is that your toilets, as well as sinks and showers are draining more slowly than usual. When a cesspool reaches full capacity, the wastewater has nowhere to go, which will slow down the drainage. This is because the cesspool is struggling to absorb any more liquid.
If only one of your pipes is draining slower, this could be a sign of a simple pipe blockage, but if all of your toilets, showers and sinks are draining slower, it is likely a cesspool issue.
Bad smells and odours
You might imagine cesspools always smell, but this isn’t necessarily the case. Cesspools only start to smell in certain instances, such as when they begin to reach full capacity, when they get damaged or the drains start to get blocked.
Whichever way is causing the bad smell, it is not a good sign. Either your cesspool is overflowing, or you have a blockage somewhere in your network.
Whilst there are products available to help reduce the smell, your best bet will be to keep your cesspool emptied and maintained regularly with a quality repair service.
Soggy ground
If the ground around the cesspool is soggy (whilst the rest of the ground is not), this could be an indication that the cesspool has reached full capacity.
This is because the full cesspool might cause the excess wastewater to seep to the surface, creating soggy patches on the grass. In extreme circumstances, it could also lead to standing water.
If the ground is soggy, it indicates that the cesspool is no longer properly absorbing and filtering waste, meaning it is time to get it emptied.
If there is an area of sunken turf, this could indicate a structural failure of a certain part of the cesspool, which will require professional attention from a local sewage and drainage expert such as Peachy Services.
The sound of gurgling drains
When fully operational, you shouldn’t often be able to hear your cesspool. If you can hear gurgling sounds coming from your drains, it is often as a result of air being trapped within your pipes.
Not only does this make the unappealing noise, it can also indicate that your cesspool is nearing full capacity. This is because the wastewater is struggling to move through the plumbing network.
If you can hear gurgling drains, it is time to get your cesspool emptied.
Items coming back up
Plumbing should be a one-way operation, no one wants to see their waste items making a reappearance in their toilet, drain or bath tub.
In circumstances of a full cesspool, wastewater and sewage could be forced back up the network, back into toilets, sinks and even floor drains, causing a horrible, smelly mess.
This is certainly not something anyone wants to experience, especially as raw sewage represents a serious health risk and will require immediate professional intervention.
On a lesser scale, regularly having to pump your cesspool could be a sign that it needs emptying.
Properly functioning cesspools only require pumping periodically, sometimes as infrequently as every few years depending on usage. If you are having to pump it more often, it could show that the system is not properly draining, or that the soil is not absorbing the liquids efficiently.
What to do if you have any of these problems?
You don’t want to take any risks when it comes to wastewater and sewage; the potential risks are smelly, dirty and unhygienic. If you suspect your cesspool is reaching full capacity, it is time to call in the experts.
The Peachy Services team will confirm the issue you are having with your cesspool, checking to see whether it is a capacity issue or whether there are other issues such as blocked pipes.
Depending on the issue, our team will handle everything, ensuring your drainage and sewage systems function as intended without issue.
During the cesspool emptying process, our team is often asked about modern alternatives such as upgrading to a modern septic tank system. Whilst not right for every situation, the new models represent an excellent opportunity to improve the efficiency and environmental impact of your sewage systems.
If you are considering one for your property, contact us and our team will be happy to talk you through your options.
