There are many reasons to clean your septic tank, most importantly to keep sludge from entering your drainfield. Frequently an underestimated risk, overgrown roots can wreak havoc on a septic system if they aren’t monitored. Shown are two giant piles of roots that were pulled out of a tank just the other day. They were so thick and heavy that our two technicians could barely pull them out!

Small feeder roots can make their way into the tank through many places: lids, baffles, and tank seams. Roots most commonly enter through the seam of a lid. Once tiny feeder roots find water inside the tank, the connected family of roots go wild! We’ve seen feeder roots through seams lead to 2” thick roots inside the tank because the tank was never cleaned. If the roots enter through the lid, they usually can be cut off and removed from the tank. Sometimes the roots are so thick and heavy that they are unmovable. They can also intertwine themselves with heavy sludge in the tank, adding to the challenge of removing them. Roots have been known to find their way into the inlet baffle or pipe, which can eventually cause a major clog and backup into your house.