Health Risks Related to Septic System Failure

January 27 2024

Health Risks Related to Septic System Failure

If you have a septic system, you may already know that it requires regular maintenance to avoid failures that could cause serious issues for your house's exterior as well as interior. Ignorance of problems with very simple solutions soon becomes costly and intolerable. If your septic system fails, you will end up with a set of issues besides the possible mess that could arise, and one of them is the health risks improper maintenance and repair of your septic system may pose. So, please be aware of the importance of doing routine septic cleaning, inspection, and maintenance.

Drinking Water

When your septic system fails, the first problem you may experience can be related to your drinking water. If the lines from a broken septic system contaminate your drinking water and one of your family members drinks from it, they may become sick. They may experience fever, respiratory problems, and nausea in the acute term. Inadequate hygiene and contaminated water can lead to the spread of illnesses like cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid, and polio in the long term.

Septic Fumes

The second health risk that is associated with a broken sewer system is that septic fumes contain microorganisms. If your septic system breaks down and sewage leaks out with these fumes, bacteria, and disease can also be transmitted. As a result of this, allergies, sinus infections, and other respiratory illnesses can be brought on. For example, methane is a tasteless, odorless, colorless, and combustible gas. Methane is poisonous to both people and animals, in addition to having a terrible smell. It makes your daily activities, like lighting your grill, quite dangerous because it's flammable. Methane has the potential to replace oxygen in a person's body and, as a result, makes a person deprived of oxygen and poison them. Another example is the hydrogen sulfide gas. Rotten eggs are the most prevalent description of this gas. Shortness of breath, a sore throat or cough, fluid buildup in the lungs, and eye irritation can all be the results. Long-term low exposure can result in headaches, exhaustion, pneumonia, nausea, agitation, memory loss, and vertigo.

Leaks

The third health concern is that broken septic systems are associated with leaks, and leaks in your home usually accompany mold spores. These mold spores may keep proliferating in some parts of your house, leading to health issues, including asthma and other respiratory issues. They can be extremely costly and time-consuming to remove, in addition to being a health risk. Luckily, these leaks can also be avoided by regular septic tank pumping.

Preventing Septic System Failures

We hope that with this article, you will further realize how crucial regularly maintaining your septic system is to your house and how much it contributes to your family's safety. With the help of professionals at Septic Blue, performing routine upkeep and septic tank repairs is easier than ever. We are a septic company that offers a variety of septic services, including maintenance and septic tank installation. Give our staff a call if you have any questions or would like more information on how to take care of your septic system.