It is important to remember that whatever you put into your home's septic system needs to come back out in one way or another. Any solid matter introduced into the tank such as food scraps, human waste, and toilet paper will be partially dissolved by the bacteria in the septic tank but also requires periodic pumping out to remove it. Water is processed through the septic tank and sent out to the leach field. However, your septic tank needs time to process water, and too much flowing through the system can cause problems.
To keep your septic tank healthy, keep these things in mind:
Use a Limited Amount of Septic-Safe Toilet Paper
When your home uses a septic system, you need to be mindful of how much toilet paper you introduce into its tank each day. The more toilet paper that builds up in the septic tank, then the more often it will need to be pumped out. Since septic tank pumping is a pricey job, using limited amounts of septic-safe toilet paper prevents the need for premature pumping.
In addition, since wet wipes, feminine hygiene products, and medicated hemorrhoid pads are not biodegradable and will sit in your septic tank until they are pumped out, you should make sure everyone using your toilets is aware of this issue and does not flush any of these items.
Don't Use a Garbage Disposal With a Septic Tank
Just as solids from your bathroom will slowly buildup inside of the septic tank, so too will solids introduced from your kitchen. To lessen the amount of solids in the tank, you should never use a garbage disposal with a septic tank. The ground up food and bones will not be digested well by the bacteria in the tank and the solids will build up and require early pumping.
Never Pour Cooking Oils or Grease Down the Kitchen Drain
You should never pour cooking grease or oils down the drain in your kitchen sink. These substances combine with detergents and form a nasty slime inside of the septic tank. To avoid this problem, pour oil and grease into an empty vegetable or soup can and dispose of it in your household trash once cooled.
Be Mindful of the Amount of Water Entering the System
Just as you need to watch the amount of solid materials you introduce into your home's septic system, you also need to be careful with how much water you send through the system at any given time. By spacing out your family's showers, laundry, and dishwashing, you can prevent the system from becoming overloaded with water. Finally, you should also install low-flow faucets and toilets to further restrict the water flow into the septic system.
For more tips on maintaining your septic system, work with plumbers like DAN'S ALL AMERICAN PLUMBING LLC.
Share5 June 2017
Hello and welcome to my blog. My name is Heather, and a few years ago, my partner and I got a very cheap property up in the mountains practically in the middle of nowhere. I knew we had to build, but there were many elements that I overlooked. I never even considered the idea that we wouldn't be connected to a town sewer system for example. However, I learned quickly as we built our septic tank. Through the process, I also researched a lot of alternatives to ensure we got the perfect septic system for our needs. If you are building on a new property and you don't have the option of sewer, this blog has everything you need to know about septic systems. I truly love to help others, and I hope these posts help you.
