Owning a septic system adds a few more responsibilities to your list as a homeowner. Septic maintenance is important, and not abiding by certain rules and tips could end up causing you a messy and expensive headache.
If you have a septic system, follow these tips to keep it healthy and running well for the coming years:
Know What You Should Never Put Down the Drain
There are many items that you should never flush down the drain. Owning a septic systems adds a few more items to that list. When your pipes don’t run into a city sewer, and thus to a wastewater treatment plant, any damaging material that gets put into the system will run right into your septic tank and cause you countless problems.
Here’s a quick list of things you should never flush down the drain:
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- Fats, oils and grease
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- Hazardous chemicals
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- Excessive amounts of cleaning products
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- Cat litter
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- Paper towels and other heavy paper products
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- Paint, primer, etc.
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- Baby wipes (even if they say they are flushable!)
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- Coffee grinds
- Cigarretes
Water Can Harm Your System
You read that right: too much water can disrupt your septic system. There is a specific and delicate balance that allows your septic system to break down waste. Putting too much water into the mix upsets this balance and dilutes the system, causing materials to break down at a slower rate.
This doesn’t mean you should avoid flushing your toilet or taking showers, but you should be mindful of how much water you are putting into the system. Don’t let toilets continue to run for excessive amounts of time, and remember that the more people you have living in your home, the more often you will have to have your septic tank pumped and cleaned.
Other Tips to Keep in Mind
Here are a few other useful pieces of information:
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- Owning and using a garbage adds deposits more solid materials to your septic system, which means it will require more frequent service.
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- You should never use septic system additives.
- Septic odors can be eliminated by following these tips.
Take Care of Your System
The most important thing is to remember to have your septic tank cleaned and pumped before it fills up. Even if you aren’t certain if you need septic maintenance, you can still contact AAA Wastewater. We will send out a member of our team to check on your system.
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