Soakaway Problems

Blocked soakaways?

Soakaway Problems

If you’re experiencing issues with your soakaway or septic tank, the most common reason is that it has become blocked.

When it is blocked, water and waste will have nowhere else to go, and so what goes down will eventually have to come back up.

If you find yourself facing soakaway problems, the first thing you need to do is contact our team here at Hampshire Drainage to help with soakaway installation and maintenance.

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Investigating soakaways blockage

Signs of soakaway problems

There are several tell-tale signs that your soakaway is blocked or – worse still – has failed. These signs include bad odours, water pools or marshy land in previously dry areas, and draining issues for baths, toilets, and other appliances. In cases where you are using a soakaway for a septic tank or sewerage treatment plan, the system will also overflow.

Whether it has failed or just been blocked, the whole thing can become incredibly messy and smelly. In order to repair the problem, you will need to hire experts with the correct equipment quickly to avoid further flooding. Essentially, if your soakaway isn’t, well, soaking away, it’s time to call in the experts.

How a soakaway gets blocked?

Causes of soakaway drainage problems

There are several reasons a soakaway may fail or become blocked. The most common causes include:

  • Flushing sanitary products, nappies, or baby wipes down the toilet.
  • Not regularly emptying the septic tank.
  • Trees and plant roots growing too near or through the pipes.
  • Not washing the soakaway filters regularly.
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What are the signs?

A blocked or failed soakaway

Both blocked and failed soakaways have similar symptoms, but a failed system can cause much larger problems. If the system has failed, further wastewater cannot enter the system, and any holding points, inspection chambers, and open drain points will quickly fill up and overflow.

This may also lead to the leakage of waste into the surrounding areas, with dirty black water and pungent smells.

A soakaway has officially ‘failed’ if it cannot be repaired. In this case, you will need a book a new soakaway installation. In order to determine whether a soakaway is simply blocked or completely irreparable, we are on hand to help.

Ask the experts

What will we do?

Our team of experts will inspect the current system and recommend the best course of action.

First, we will check if filters are blocked and whether the waste is still discharging into the soakaway to be treated. We will also create a small excavation hole within the system to check if water flows freely.

If it doesn’t, the issue is likely a blockage. If the water does flow through, but the soil around the area is black or has a strong smell, the chances are, the soakaway has failed.

Need our help?

Contact our experts today

By regularly maintaining your drains and system, you can easily prevent such failures and save yourself a lot of mess. However, our Hampshire Drainage team can provide soakaway installation, maintenance, and inspection that can give you peace of mind.

Our team of engineers are on hand to ensure there is enough room for your soakaway to discharge treated water without the risk of floods and provide regular maintenance checks to avoid problems later down the line.

info@hampshiredrainage.uk

Alternatively, send us an email or fill the enquiry form.

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