First Time Owning A Septic Tank? 4 Steps To Help Keep It Healthy
Posted on: 29 June 2015
If this is your first time owning a septic tank, you might not realize how important it is to give them the proper treatment. Unlike municipal sewer systems that drain all liquid and solid waste away from the home, septic tanks hold the waste in cement containment tanks.
The solid waste sinks to the bottom of the tanks and the liquid waste is drained to a separate drainage field. To keep your septic system operating properly, there are specific instructions that should be followed. Here are a few guidelines that will help protect your septic tank.
Go Easy on the Water
Your septic tank needs time to process the water that flows into it. To prevent back-ups – which can result in raw sewage backing up into your home – you should limit the flow of water from your home.
One way to do this is to watch for running toilets and repair leaky faucets as soon as possible. You can also save your septic tank by spreading out the laundry that you do. Instead of doing several loads of laundry in one day, try doing one load of laundry each day. This will allow the water to flow into the septic tank slowly.
Take Care with What's Flushed
There are some things that you simply shouldn't flush down the toilet when you have a septic tank. Some things that you might consider safe can actually damage your septic system. Household cleaning products containing antibacterial agents or bleach should never been poured down the drains in your home. Antibacterial agents and bleach can kill the good bacteria that decomposes the waste inside the tank.
Limit the Garbage Disposal
Garbage disposals are a time saver. Unfortunately, if you have a septic tank, the food that you send through the garbage disposal can get caught up in the drains and prevent liquid waste from flowing through to the drainage field.
If you have a garbage disposal, your best bet is to not use it at all. If you must use it, be sure to grind the food for at least 30 seconds and flush the drain with water. This will help flush the food all the way through the drain pipes.
Go Heavy on the Good Bacteria
As noted earlier, your garbage disposal needs good bacteria to decompose the waste and keep your tank operating properly. You can help increase the amount of good bacteria that's in the tank by pouring sour milk down the drain once every three months. The sour milk will help keep your septic tank healthy.
Now that you have a septic tank, you'll need to take proper care of it. These easy-to-follow instructions will help you keep your septic tank flowing smoothly. Contact a company like Rob's Septic Tanks Inc for more information or assistance.
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