If your home relies on a septic system for safe, reliable waste disposal, you can’t afford to have it fail. Besides causing potential health issues and inconvenience, repairs can be costly. The best way to keep your system running is by keeping these four items out of your septic tank.

4 Things to Keep Out of Your Septic Tank

1. Coffee Grounds 

Coffee grounds are a top culprit in septic tank problems. Most homeowners don’t expect them to be an issue, but their abrasive texture is extremely difficult for the system to break down.

Every time you send coffee grounds down the disposal, they accumulate and sit in your septic tank like layers of gravel. After a while, you’ll need to have your entire system pumped by trained experts to clear them out.  

2. Cleaners

Your septic system is a miniature aerobic sewage treatment plant. It uses air and natural bacteria to make household waste safe for return to the environment. When you allow detergents, bleach, or other strong disinfectants to enter the tank, they kill off the hard-working microbes critical to breaking down sewage. Soon, your system can become sludge-choked and useless.

3.  Medicine

When disposing of expired or unused pharmaceuticals, never flush them down the toilet or put them down the disposal. Many medicines—most obviously, antibiotics—contain active ingredients capable of killing the valuable, waste-decomposing bacteria in your septic tank. Instead, take the unused or expired medications to a drug take-back location in your area.

4.  Cooking Oils, Fat, & Grease

Many fatty liquids produced by cooking should never make their way into your system. When fats, greases, and oils cool or mix with water, they begin to congeal. Goopy globs quickly begin to obstruct pipes and drains. After enough time, you may face a hazardous backup of raw sewage right in your house.

 

If your septic system is due for maintenance or showing signs of problems, it takes trained experts to keep it running right. Kitsap Septic in Port Orchard, WA, provides prompt, reliable service and system installations for both residential and commercial properties. From inspections to pumping, their team delivers great service at reasonable prices. Call (360) 871-5258 to schedule an appointment, or visit them online for additional information.