The Fundamentals of Septic System Maintenance

Septic systems are meant to work as substitutes for sewer systems in certain areas. In lieu of a central sewer system, septic systems are installed to process the wastewater produced by individual households.

As a homeowner, you are tasked with properly maintaining that septic system. Fail to do that and your household will be the one that suffers from the consequences. You want absolutely no part of dealing with a busted septic system.

Thankfully, you can keep your system in good shape by following some simple septic system care tips. We’ve detailed those tips below so please feel free to check them out.

Schedule Regular Septic System Inspections

The septic system is a part of your home that’s easy to forget and that’s understandable. Many of us are just naturally more inclined to forget about something if we don’t see it regularly and that’s the case with septic systems.

Unfortunately, that tendency could end up being the reason why your septic system suffers from severe damage. Avoid allowing your septic system to fall into a state of disrepair by getting it inspected regularly.

When it comes to septic systems, one professional inspection every three years should suffice. Just set up some kind of reminder for that and you should be able to prevent some potentially serious issues.

Pump Your Septic System Every Few Years

You may be wondering about how often to pump a septic system.

We all know that pumping it is necessary, but nailing down the proper frequency is tricky. Several factors such as your household’s flow rate and the amount of waste that goes into your system will affect your recommended pumping schedule.

Generally speaking, pumping the septic system at least once every three to five years should suffice. If you want to take the guesswork out of it, you can always ask the professionals about the need for pumping whenever they conduct their inspections.

Avoid Dumping Everything Down Your Drains

One of the main reasons why septic tanks fill up so quickly is because of our own negligence. We just throw all kinds of items down our drains without considering what may happen to them inside the septic tank.

Waste and toilet paper can break down as they pass through the septic system, but they are the exceptions. Numerous other items do not break down as they make that journey.

Discarded food should never be thrown down the drain. It will just cause clogging in the tank and possibly even your pipes.

Oil and fat are even worse because they can clog up your pipes quickly.

Instead of throwing those items down the drain, you should just put them into garbage bags. You should also consider installing some strainers to prevent debris from going down your drains.

Use Water Efficiently

We mentioned earlier that different elements play a role in determining how often your septic system needs to be pumped. Among those elements is your flow rate.

That’s the reason why this last tip is all about upgrading your fixtures.

Swap out your outdated showerheads, faucets, and toilets for more water-efficient models. Upgrading those features means you won’t waste as much water inside your household. On top of that, you can also save a good chunk of change on your water bills after installing those upgrades.

At the very least, you should make a habit of turning off faucets and showerheads whenever they are not in use. That, too, can make a significant difference long-term.

You must be willing to make an investment if you want your septic system to stay in good shape. Over time, you’ll be glad you made those investments because they will allow you to maximize the longevity of your septic system.

Categorised in: Septic Services

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