Home ownership is an exciting, scary, rewarding and expensive journey. The best way to insure the expenses don’t blow you out of the water is to take some precautionary steps to keep things in working order. Even if your house and property are brand new, they still need some yearly preventative maintenance to continue running properly. One thing that is often forgotten and overlooked is the septic tank. It lives quietly underground working 24 hours a day to keep your most important household necessities working. It is often not until we see it or smell a problem that we take action. Read on for 3 important reasons you should empty your septic tank this year.

1. Constant Use Means Constant Care

Your septic tank is always working, even though you don’t hear it, see it or smell it. Think about how many drains are in your home. Your sink drains, toilets, washing machine, shower water and garbage disposal are all joining together and entering your septic tank. Think about how much liquid waste that delivers to your septic tank to process. The waste creates layers of sludge, scum and other liquids that can create thick layers which cause backup. Unfortunately, with septic tanks, by the time you notice a problem, it’s usually too late for an easy fix. This is why yearly maintenance and service checks by a qualified professional are highly important. According to the UK Environment Agency, septic tanks should be emptied at least once a year.

2. You’ll Save Money in the Long Run

As mentioned, by the time you notice a problem with your tank, it’s often too late for an easy fix. You can end up spending thousands of Euros to fix something that could have been prevented in the first place with yearly maintenance. Do yourself a favour and be sure to make it a yearly task to get it serviced and emptied. You’ll thank yourself later when you don’t run into complicated issues. In addition, your property value is at risk if you have a poorly functioning and poorly cared for septic tank. You’ll gain money in the long run by keeping your property value high with proper septic tank maintenance.

3. Proper Maintenance Protects the Environment

Something most people don’t think about when servicing their septic tank is that it actually helps protect the environment. Proper service can help prevent the spread of disease and help protect surrounding water resources. With many homes across the nation being serviced by septic tanks, the risk of ground-water contamination is very high. Proper care prevents the spread of bacteria and disease to surrounding water, land and people.

While emptying your septic tank might not be the most attractive thing on your to-do list, it is definitely one of the most important things. Properly servicing your septic tank will keep it running well for a long time. In turn, it will keep your property value high and it will not only help protect the environment but also your pockets from much larger, expensive issues. Do yourself a huge favour and set yourself a yearly reminder to get it done.