If you're smelling a foul odor and noticing that the ground around your septic tank is damp, you need to call for septic repair immediately. Septic tank leaks, even small ones, need to be fixed quickly because they can become much worse. And even if they don't, they're still going to stink up your yard. Once you realize something is wrong with the septic system, it becomes a race against time and failing tank materials as you call a repair company.

Waste Needs to Go Through a Process Before Being Released

A leak isn't good because it can let the waste in the tank flow out too early in the process. When waste enters a septic tank, it eventually breaks down into three layers. The effluent layer is the one that moves through pipes to a drain field, and it needs to be separated from all the scum and solids. You don't want small bits of the solids or scum escaping the tank if the leak has gotten fairly large.

The Tank Is Not on the Drain Field

If the tank were leaking effluent into the drainfield, you'd still need to fix the leak, but at least you'd know the waste was going where it was supposed to go eventually. But septic tanks aren't on drain fields. The tank is near your home, with the drain field farther away, fed by pipes from the septic tank. That means that anything leaking out is leaking in an area where it is not supposed to be. You could experience bad odors in your home or find the soil near the home is now contaminated.

The Leak Could Get Worse and Create a Sewage Flood Near Your Home

The leak may start off small, but it can quickly become worse as more of the tank deteriorates over time. Not only can that send solids into the ground instead of containing them in the tank, but if the worst happens and the leak suddenly grows in size, that can release a flood of sewage. Given that the tank is usually close to your home, that is not a pleasant thought and could adversely affect your home and nearby landscaping. You've got to fix these leaks when they're as small as possible, and if you're already finding signs of a leak, that means the leak is likely getting worse by the day.

If you see signs of a septic tank leak, call a residential septic tank repair company as soon as you can. You will save yourself a lot of trouble and money by taking care of the leak now.