A good maintenance plan.
* Do’s and Don’ts for your septic system.
* To flush or not to flush.
* Simple hints and tips to extend the life of your septic.
To aid your septic system in functioning properly it’s always important to have a basic maintenance plan.
It is recommended that you pump your septic tank every 2-3 years. It’s usually a good plan to begin by pumping every 2 years and then talk to the pumper to get his opinion to see if you can go to every 3 years.Many newer systems will have filters that need to be cleaned. Check these aproximately 4 times a year to begin with. Each households usage is different so depending on that you can determine how often to check the filter. If you find that there is very little in the filter you can extend the time between checks.Put a sock type filter over the discharge hose in your laundry tub to keep lint and solids from going into the drain and ultimately into your septic tank. This should be changed/checked every 3 months. This again will depend on how much laundry is done.
Do’s and Don’ts for your Septic System
Avoid chemical drain openers for a clogged drain. These chemicals can kill the microorganisms that are necessary to break down the waste in your septic. Instead, try use boiling water or a drain snake to unclog your drain.
Do not pour cooking oil or grease down the drain. Do not pour oil-based paints, solvents, or large volumes of toxic cleaners down the drain as these can create clogs. Even latex paint waste (cleaning your brushes and pans after painting).
Eliminate or limit the use of a garbage disposal. This will significantly reduce the amount of fats, grease, and solids that enter your septic tank and can cause the drain field to become clogged.
To Flush or not to Flush
Never flush: Cooking grease or oil, feminine hygiene products, condoms, dental floss, diapers, cigarette butts, coffee grounds, cat litter, paper towels, Kleenex, pharmaceuticals, household chemicals like gasoline, oil, pesticides, antifreeze, and paint or paint thinners.
Basically don’t flush anything besides human waste and toilet paper.
Simple Hints and Tips
Avoid doing your laundry all at once. Try to stretch out the loads to 1-2 per day and preferably not everyday. The reason for this is because when you do laundry there is a great deal of water that ends up in the septic tank. Your septic system is designed for a certain amount of water per day. When you do many loads at once, it saturates the tank with the water and chemicals and it forces the water into the drain field. Too much water can also force the solids from the tank into the drain field which will clog your drain field. Try to space out showers for this same reason. Generally showers aren’t a concern unless you have a large family or a lot of company.
Only use bleach or bleach alternatives one time per week. Bleach will kill the organisms needed to break down and treat the sewage.
It is not recommended to use the continuous toilet bowl cleaners. Again the chemicals and bleach can kill the organisms.
No one wants to afford the cost of a new septic system or have problems with their system backing up into the house or into their yard. With some simple maintenance and altering the way you do things slightly you can extend the life of your septic system and avoid these annoying and costly problems.
We at Custom Septic, Inc are always happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have with your septic system. Please feel free to contact us at 763-218-4769 and we’ll be happy to assist you in any way we can.
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