Septic System Care can be easy if you follow these steps. There are lots of ways living in the thick of the city is different from living a bit off the beaten path; waste management is one of them. When you trade the bustle of the city for the quiet privacy of more rural living, connection to a municipal sewer isn’t always an option. While septic system care can seem like an overwhelming responsibility, the truth is, a few simple tips can keep things running smoothly for years to come.
Septic System Care Tips
- Watch What You Flush – Septic System care requires that you be aware of what you’re flushing down the toilets or dumping down the sink drain. Look for toilet tissue labeled “septic safe,” and never flush things like feminine care products or cigarette butts. Successful maintenance of a septic system means creating the ideal conditions for waste to break down naturally; things that resist biodegradation are a recipe for trouble. Disposable diapers don’t break down in landfills, so you can’t expect them to decompose in the confines of your septic tank.
- Drains Matter, Too – Your toilets aren’t the only thing to keep an eye on when you think about septic system care. Everything that goes down the drains runs through your system as well, so it’s important to pay attention to what you’re introducing. Cooking fats and oils and food waste from the garbage disposal can quickly clog a septic tank.
- Invest in Routine Maintenance – There are two ways to find out your septic system needs help: from a qualified septic management professional, or when waste begins to back up into your home. The former scenario is far better than the latter. Regular inspections clue you into trouble before it becomes a potentially hazardous mess.
- Keep an Eye on Water Usage – Everyone wants to save money and minimize waste, but it’s especially important when you’re on a septic system. Running the dishwasher, washing machine and taking a long shower at the same time is a serious drain on your hot water supply, but that’s not the only concern. Septic systems need time to process large amounts of wastewater to avoid drain field flooding.
- Careful with Cleansers – A clean house is a healthy house but going too hard with the antibacterial cleaners can spell disaster for your septic system. Waste in your septic system is processed by a delicate bacterial balance; flushing large quantities of bleach, triclosan and other strong antimicrobial cleaners can upset that balance.
Whether you’re just buying your first home with a septic tank or you’re a veteran at septic system care, Sunset Septic can help.
