The septic tank is an unsung hero of the home. It is vital to keep everything in the home running smoothly, but because they can be so reliable, septic tanks can often be taken for granted.
Proper septic tank maintenance doesn’t take a lot of work or time, but it does require you to remember to keep up with basic maintenance and best practices in your home.
Here are some tips for keeping your septic tank working well year-round.
Regular pumping
One of the most important things you can do to maintain the health of a septic tank is to make sure to schedule a septic tank pumping once every two to three years. Regular septic tank pumping and inspection will go a long way toward preventing major problems with the tank down the road.
Not only will this ensure your septic tank does not get too full, but it’s also a chance for an inspector to look for problems that may have developed over time with your septic tank. If you aren’t sure if you need septic pumping service, you can always schedule an inspection to check. This is a good idea also because a septic tank inspection can identify and fix problems before they start affecting the plumbing in your home.
Watch what you flush
In addition to regular septic pumping service and inspection, you should be mindful of what you flush into the septic tank. There are several common items that, when flushed, can create problems in your septic tank. The list includes: any kind of flushable wipe, cotton swabs, dental floss, feminine hygiene products, cigarette butts and many other inorganic items.
Keep cooking oil out of the drains
Cooking oil is not good for septic systems. This holds true for any kind of kitchen grease, including butter and other melted fats. Because it does not degrade like other organic materials, when cooking oil gets washed down the drain, it can solidify in the pipes later on and block the inlet drains.
This is true even if you run it through the garbage disposal. In fact, anything pulverized by the garbage disposal can still cause problems in your septic system if there’s too much of it. It’s best to try and use the garbage disposal only sparingly to avoid clogging up your pipes or prematurely filling the septic tank with solid waste.
Don’t dump chemicals down the drain
Your septic tank relies on bacteria to help clean up the liquid in the tank and break down the solids pumped into it. It’s important to avoid dumping toxic chemicals like paint, automotive fluids, pesticides and more down the drain. Even household chemicals like bleach may be harmful to the septic tank.
Also consider that the septic tank will leach out into the surrounding area. You don’t want the groundwater around your home contaminated by toxic chemicals.
The best way to prevent any problems with your septic tank is to make sure not to do any harm to it yourself and to get regular septic pumping services. Contact the pros at Mike’s Septic & McKinley Sewer Services for all your septic tank needs.