Moving from a home that relied on a municipal sewer line to one that uses a septic system can be a big change. Knowing how to care for this setup will ensure it effectively disposes of and treats all wastewater leaving your home for many decades to come. Here is some basic septic system maintenance information to help you understand how the system works and how to maintain it.

What You Should Know About Septic System Maintenance

1. When to Should I Pump the Septic Tank?

When wastewater leaves your home, it enters the septic tank. Inside, solids and floatable materials, known as sludge and scum, are separated from the effluent, or liquid wastewater. When the effluent leaves the tank for further treatment in the drainfield, the scum and sludge stay behind. Anaerobic bacteria inside the tank naturally break down these materials, but they’ll often fill up much faster than the bacteria can work. Most households require septic tank pumping every three to five years to prevent backups and waste from seeping into the drainfield. However, this schedule could vary depending on the number of people living in the house and the size of the tank. 

2. How Does It Handle Water Usage?

It’s common for new septic users to overwhelm their system by using too much water. Your tank can hold a limited quantity of liquid, so spread out tasks that involve water instead of doing them all on the same day. For example, a household of five people should not take back-to-back showers. Also, doing numerous loads of laundry could result in bubbles in the drainfield. If cutting back on water usage and performing regularly scheduled septic system maintenance doesn’t keep the tank from overflowing, consider installing a bigger tank.

3. What Can Damage the System?

To avoid pumping your tank more often than necessary, don’t flush anything besides water. All other items will cause the tank to fill up much quicker or harm the natural biological process that helps performance. Specifically, never pour cleaning chemicals, drain cleaners, grease, oil, paint, or solvents down your drains. You should also limit or eliminate using a garbage disposal to reduce the number of solids, fats, and grease entering the tank.

When you require quality septic system maintenance, contact the professionals at ABC Cesspool and Septic Pumping. Since 2005, they’ve provided cesspool and septic cleaning services to Kamuela, HI. Their trucks are equipped with the latest in technology and carry a 200-plus feet hose to easily pump tanks of all sizes and depths. Call (808) 887-0766 to schedule an appointment or visit their website to learn more about their specialty services.