10 Tips to Properly Care For Your Septic System
This article was written for a plumbing company. Please note all mentions of and links to their website have been removed.
Septic systems are a fact of life for many. Across the United States, around 25% of people rely on a septic tank in their homes.
While septic systems are widespread and used by many, not everyone knows how to properly care for one. This has the potential to lead to pretty severe problems.
So, how do you care for a septic system? Keep reading to discover 10 tips that will help you properly care for your septic system.
1. Learn About Septic Systems
One of the most important things to do when you have a septic system is to learn about it. A little knowledge goes a long way when it comes to preventing you from making mistakes.
Reading this article is a great way to start. In addition to this, talk to the service company when you have your tank serviced. They will be able to give you a variety of helpful tips and information.
Try to understand how the system works and how the separate parts work together. This way, if something goes wrong, you may be able to understand what happened.
2. Schedule Regular Inspections and Maintenance
The most important way to care for your septic system is to have it regularly inspected and maintained. Septic systems are not designed to go on indefinitely without service. Without regular inspections and maintenance, it is only a matter of time before something goes wrong with the system.
Specifically, you should have your septic tank pumped every 3 to 5 years. Doing so will prevent it from overflowing, which will cause even more problems.
3. Reduce Water Use
One of the biggest septic tank problems is that they are prone to overfilling. When it comes to overfilling, water is the biggest culprit. All of the water from your home flows into the septic system.
By reducing your water use, you reduce the amount of water being sent to your tank. This will prevent it from filing as quickly.
4. Spread Out Heavy Water Use
If reducing water usage isn’t an option or you have already reduced it as much as possible, spreading out heavy water use is helpful, too.
Water doesn’t sit in a septic tank forever. A residential septic tank will slowly drain the water within it. However, the emphasis here is on slowly, as it takes time for water to make its way out of the tank.
This is why a lot of heavy water use in a short amount of time is dangerous. It fills up the system without giving it enough time to drain at all. Spreading out this usage is safer.
5. Be Careful About What Goes Down the Drain
Many septic tank problems start because something went down the drains that shouldn’t have. This adds unnecessary problems to the tank.
Avoid pouring oils, cleaners, or other chemicals down the drain. In addition, try to prevent food waste from going down as well. All of these have the potential to throw off the effectiveness of your septic system.
6. Watch What You Flush
Another place where problems are introduced to a septic system is the toilet. Many people flush things down the toilet that should not be flushed at all.
A good maxim to keep in mind is that human waste and toilet paper are the only things that should be flushed down a toilet. Everything else should either be thrown away or disposed of properly.
7. Properly Maintain the Area Around the Tank
Your septic tank’s drain field needs to be protected. Otherwise, it will cause problems for the whole system.
Avoid putting anything around this area. Do not park there, as this could damage the system, and do not plant trees around it, as their roots might make it into the system. In addition, do not put any other drainage systems nearby, as this may throw off the way water is processed.
8. Look Out for Problem Signs Indoors
When something goes wrong with a septic tank, there are usually signs that indicate this. Many of these signs are present within the house itself.
If the drains aren’t functioning properly, this is a sign that something is wrong. Slow drains or drains that are backing up indicate the tank is too full.
In addition, weird noises or bad smells are another sign. The noises may present as a gurgling sound and will typically happen when water goes down the drain, such as when a toilet is flushed. The smell may present as a rotten egg or sewage smell and will typically come from the drains.
9. Look Out for Problem Signs Outdoors
Other septic system problems present themselves outside. Checking for these every once in a while will alert you if something is wrong.
Keep an eye on the area surrounding the septic tank. If the grass appears overly green and lush, there may be a problem. This is also true if you see that the area seems to have pools of water in and around it.
10. Be Prepared For Disaster
Even if you do everything right with your septic system, there is always a chance that something will go wrong. Unexpected accidents occur, or some part of the system may fail due to old age. In these cases, being prepared is vital.
Have a professional septic maintenance company’s contact information on hand. Then, if something goes wrong, you will be able to contact them immediately.
Properly Caring for Your Septic System
Properly caring for your septic system will keep it running smoothly. This prevents problems from occurring and prevents you from having to spend your time and money on fixing them. So, a little care and energy now will save you from plenty of headaches in the future. If you are in need of service for your septic system, make sure to reach out to the professionals at [redacted].