4 Tips for Maintaining Your Septic System

If you have a septic system, you know that using it and taking care of it properly are important factors in how well it functions.

You also know that owning a home or business with a septic system can be more difficult than if your home or business was hooked up to a public sewage system. Maintaining a septic system takes some thought and care, but if you follow the four tips below, you’ll have an efficient septic system with very few issues.

Pump Regularly

Regular pumping doesn’t really need to be completed all that often. Depending on the size of your household and the amount of use the system gets, pumping should be completed every 2-5 years. Consistent pumping clears out the excess sludge buildup and makes room for several more years of accumulation.

It also allows your system to work at maximum efficiency. Consider scheduling a system inspection simultaneously, as this would allow the service technician to ensure that your system is working properly and identify any repairs that need to be made.

Use Water Efficiently

Nearly every drop of water that a household uses ends up in the septic system. The more water that enters the system, the harder it has to work. Water conservation is another practice that allows a septic system to work at its best. Some water conservation ideas include:

• Install high-efficiency toilets that use less than half the amount of water used by older fixtures.
• Install high-efficiency showerheads and shower flow restrictors that reduce the amount of water used during each shower.
• Use EnergyStar certified washers, which use up to 50% less water than standard machines.
• Select the appropriate load size when washing to avoid excess water use.
• Spread out loads of laundry across several days to avoid overwhelming the septic system and possibly flooding the drainfield.

Dispose of Waste Appropriately

There are many things that should never make their way down your drain and into your septic system. If it isn’t toilet paper or human waste, it shouldn’t be flushed or rinsed down the drain. Some common household items that should never enter the septic system are:

• Diapers, baby wipes, paper towels, napkins
• Tampons
• Condoms
• Coffee grounds
• Household cleaning products
• Paint thinners, paint, drain cleaners, pesticides
• Oil or cooking grease

Allowing these and other products to enter your septic system could cause serious blockages or damage the bacterial environment necessary for the breakdown of solid waste.

Protect the Drainfield

The drainfield must function properly in order for the liquid released from your septic tank to be properly decontaminated and diffused into the soil. Some important considerations in preserving the drainfield are:

• Keep other sources of excess water away from your drainfield. Over-saturation of the drainfield can slow down the water treatment process.
• Trees and plants with deep, sprawling roots should not be planted too close to the drainfield as roots can grow into and interfere with septic system piping.
• Never park on your drainfield.

Affordable Sanitation’s professional team is the reliable choice for all your septic system needs. Whether your system is ready for maintenance pumping or is in need of serious repairs, Affordable Sanitation can tackle the job quickly and at a reasonable price. Call us today and keep your septic system running smoothly!