Your septic system manages all the wastewater and sewage that leaves your house. Homeowners need to cater to the regular needs of their septic systems to ensure they are working properly and will reach their typical life span of around 25 years. How can you keep your home system in top shape? Below, you’ll find three pieces of advice from J & J Septic & Sewer Cleaning in Waterloo, IL, based on their experience providing the Metro East area with residential and commercial septic system maintenance.

3 Septic Maintenance Tips

1. Prevent Damage to Your Tank & Drainfield

Your septic system is comprised of three parts: the internal section inside your home, and the tank and drain field outside the home. It’s crucial to prevent both from incurring damage. That means not planting or building on top of your septic tank and drain field. Adding unnecessary weight over these devices can cause a collapse and shut down your sewage and water management.

2. Don’t Flush Problematic Items

To keep the interior portion of your septic system in top health, make sure everyone in your family is aware of what can and cannot go into the toilet and down the drains. Organic matter and small amounts of toilet paper are the only items that should be flushed. Don’t let items like feminine hygiene products, baby wipes, or diapers enter your septic system, as they can also cause clogs.

Avoid dripping grease into your kitchen drains since it can clog up the system — instead, wait till it solidifies and then toss it in the trash. Dispose of medications and chemicals with the help of your local trash collectors, as these items should never enter your septic system through drains or toilets.

3. Get Regular Pumpings & Cleanings

An average home septic system requires pumping every few years. However, it’s a good idea to schedule an annual inspection to have the layers of sludge and wastewater assessed. During this appointment, an expert will also ensure your drain field is properly doing its job of purifying subsurface wastewater.

It’s a good idea to learn about your specific septic system by reading the tank manual and learning about pump timings and gleaning other maintenance tips along the way. To schedule an appointment with the expert technicians at J & J Septic & Sewer Cleaning, call (618) 939-3001. You’ll soon know why they have grown a loyal customer base of local patrons due to their timely, skilled team and excellent customer service. Visit the website for information on their septic system cleaning, maintenance, repairs, and installations.