Is Your Septic Tank a Danger Zone?

The weather sure has been weird, hasn’t it? Air quality warnings that we always thought only West Coasters have to deal with. Hotter temperatures then we have seen in what is being called the hottest year our planet has ever seen.

Now there is so much rain, we are seeing flash flooding so bad that one poor woman was swept away in the run off, may she rest in peace.

The weather has affected our septic systems too, creating even more potential for tragedy. The Herrings have pulled out dogs and deer from septic tanks in past years.

These kinds of issues happen because the ground is holding so much water that an aging tank in bad condition can’t support it and simply collapses under the weight of the waterlogged ground. 

Herring has been thinking about lots of old memories, as we celebrate 50 years of septic work in the Hudson Valley. I remember a call we got from a customer claiming that her feuding neighbor stole her septic tank.  But no!  It had collapsed in this type of weather. 

So this is a word of warning for those of you that let your dogs run around your yard…play with your children in the yard…mow your lawn - be careful and look for these warning signs to stay away from the spot in your yard where your septic is buried.

• Your tank is old and your pumper has told you to replace it
• There are sags in your yard
• Sink holes or a hole where there was not one last week