If you have never had a septic tank before or you have never seen one burst, you might not know what that looks, sounds, or smells like (although you could probably guess!). Before you assume that it is just a plumbing problem, you may want to call a septic tank repair service like Sullivan Septic. Keep in mind that you will be asked all kinds of questions over the phone, and the technician will know by your answers if your issue is a busted tank. Here are the four sure signs your underground septic tank has burst, all of which the technician will ask you about.

1. What You Smell

If you smell the worst, overwhelming sewer/toilet smell you have ever smelled, that's a busted septic tank. Because the tanks hold ALL of your human waste, the odor emanating from a busted underground tank will be ten times worse than the pit toilets at campgrounds with no aeration to remove the ammonia and sulfur gases.

2. What You See

A busted underground septic tank seeps all of its contents into the surrounding soil. When these contents start moving upward toward the surface of your yard, they displace the soil and create your own personal cesspool right above the tank's location. When this occurs during a rainstorm, it is more difficult to tell what you are looking at because the displaced soil will help create a lake of rainwater mixed with raw sewage. If you see this mess in your yard on a clear day, with no recent rain, it will be easier to tell.

3. What You Hear

Generally, a busted septic tank will make a rumbling sound right before it busts. Then it will rumble and there might be some vibrations before you start to see anything in the yard or smell something. If there are more vibrations or quakes every time you flush the toilet, take a shower, or run an appliance, stop. You are making the problem far worse.

4.What You Feel Underfoot

Before the sewage surfaces to the top of your yard, you may feel a squish underfoot. Everything will give way, like you are walking into a swamp. Worst of all, as this problem progresses, every step into this area will release sewer gases, making your feet reek with a very skunky odor indeed. Before this goes any further, you better be on the phone calling for septic repair.