A concrete septic tank is durable and can last for several years without the need for many repairs. One problem that might develop with the tank is when one of the baffles goes bad. Here's a look at the purpose of septic tank baffles, signs a baffle could be bad, and what a septic tank repair company might do about the problem.

Why Your Septic Tank Has Baffles

The purpose of a baffle in a septic tank is to keep solids from getting in the drainfield where they could cause expensive damage. Your tank probably has a baffle on both sides. One side directs waste from your house into the tank and the other connects your tank to the drainfield.

A baffle is made so water is directed to flow through the system and filter through the soil in the drainfield while solids and fats are directed to stay in the tank and accumulate until they can be pumped out.

How To Tell If A Baffle Is Bad

You may never have a sign a baffle is bad until a septic contractor finds a bad baffle while pumping the tank or inspecting it. However, you might see puddles of sewage in your yard or your toilet might clog or back up in your house.

How A Septic Tank Repair Contractor Fixes The Problem

A few things can go wrong with a septic baffle. Tree roots might invade it and cause clogging. When this happens, the contractor might need to hydro jet the baffle and tank to get rid of roots. If the baffle has a screen, the screen might be clogged, and the contractor can eliminate the clog when possible.

Other times, the baffle might need to be replaced. If you have an old concrete septic tank, the baffle might be made of concrete too, and be part of the tank. When it's bad, the baffle might be cracked, chipped off, or worn away due to exposure to strong sewer fumes.

The contractor can fix this problem by knocking out the remaining parts of the concrete baffle and then making a new baffle out of PVC pipes. A PVC baffle is T-shaped so it can direct water down and out to the drainfield while solids are blocked so they stay in the tank. The new baffle might also have a screen as an added measure for keeping solids from passing through.

Repairing or replacing a bad baffle is an important septic tank repair because solids that drain through to the drainfield can clog the field. This creates problems with the soil and drains that result in the need for expensive repairs to keep sewage from puddling in your yard.