As with all your other household appliances and systems, your septic tank requires servicing to stay in excellent working condition. Routine septic tank maintenance addresses a variety of unpleasant issues, including backed-up and burst pipes that flow into adjoining leach fields to contaminate soil and groundwater. If you are new to septic tank care, check out the following tips to ensure your system remains functional.

5 Septic Tank Maintenance Tips

1. Know Your Tank’s Location

Determine the location of your tank if you have not already done so, as well as the pipes and drain field. Keep a marker, such as a birdbath or other lawn ornament, next to or on top of the tank lid so technicians can find it easily. Avoid planting shrubs or anything else with sprawling root systems near your tank and piping to avoid infiltration and damage, and divert rainwater away from the drain field to prevent saturation. Overly-wet drain fields are less capable of absorbing liquid waste.

2. Schedule Regular Inspections & Cleanings

Schedule tank inspections annually or every two years, depending on how many toilets and family members are in your house. If you have a large family and more than one working toilet, yearly inspections are best. Have your tank cleaned, or pumped out, every three to five years. This again depends on the number of people in your house, as well as the tank size.

3. Flush Only What Belongs

Proper septic tank maintenance requires you only flush  waste and toilet paper down your toilets. Never flush cat litter, cotton swabs, towelettes, dental floss, pesticides, grease, oil, paint thinners, household chemicals, feminine hygiene products, cigarettes, or anything else that will clog your septic tank and pipes.

4. Do Not Use Chemical Drain Cleaners

Unclog drains with hot water or professional help instead of chemical drain cleaners. These cleaners are often extremely caustic and will corrode your piping and damage your tank. They also contaminate soil and groundwater if the pipes or tank leak.

5. Conserve Water

Lower how much wastewater your tank has to handle at one time. Install low-flow showerheads, routinely inspect faucets, toilets, and pipes for leaks, and always make certain the laundry load size correlates to how many clothes you are washing. Avoid doing too many loads of laundry each week—one load per day is more than enough. Consider installing a low-flush toilet as well.

 

Work with the experts at Wright’s Septic Service to keep your tank and related features in excellent condition. The Tomah, Wisconsin, company puts over 50 years of experience to work for you and offers a full suite of septic tank maintenance services. Call (608) 372-3615 to schedule an appointment, or visit the website for more information.