Your septic system is an integral part of your home, and if it fails, you'll quickly notice due to foul odors and a lack of proper waste disposal. Thankfully, there are a couple of early warning signs that you can look out for to determine when your septic system is in need of repairs, so that you can contact a professional, such as Linn Septic Service, before your septic system actually fails.

Bad Smells

As previously stated, a foul smell that seems to pervade your home is a good indication that you need to contact a septic tank professional to take a look at your system. This is usually because waste is clogged and can't actually enter your septic tank, or the tank itself has become damaged and has begun to leak waste. Keep in mind that sometimes the odor can't be smelled indoors, but is fairly obvious outside; in either event (and especially in case both occur), you shouldn't hesitate to contact a contractor.

Poor Drainage

Any form of poor drainage in your sinks, toilets, tubs, and other water using appliances and fixtures is a good sign that there is an issue with your septic system. If the issue is isolated to a single fixture, then it's probably nothing more than a clogged pipe, which is fairly simple and inexpensive to fix, but if all your water fixtures are suffering, then the issue is likely much more serious. You should avoid using your home's plumbing systems until someone has been able to take a look at your septic system.

Standing Water

If there are inexplicable pools of water sitting in your yard, despite the fact that it hasn't rained over the course of the past few days, you may have a leak somewhere in your septic system, or the tank itself is overflowing and needs to be emptied. These leaks will not always smell bad, but more often than not will be accompanied with a foul odor as well, and may come with sewage backing itself up through the drains in your home.

Irregular Plant Growth

If the grass in your yard suddenly blooms and becomes much healthier than the rest of your yard, or goes in the opposite direction and dies seemingly without reason, your septic system is likely to blame. Human waste can act as fertilizer, causing the plants in your yard to grow at a much faster rate, or the chemicals from the septic tank can kill the plant life in your yard.