4 Things Never To Put Down The Drain With A Septic System

October 24th, 2014 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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It cannot be over-emphasized – what you put down your drains has a huge impact on your septic system. For people who have always lived in homes with city sewer connections, getting used to the limitations of a septic system can be difficult. However, if you aren’t diligent about keeping certain items out of your septic tank, you may be in for a very expensive repair or septic replacement in the future. Here are the top four items you should never allow down your drain and into your septic system:

  1. Fats or grease. Any kind of fat, oils or grease from food needs to be put in the garbage, not down your drain. This is true for almost any home, since these items cause clogs in plumbing, but even more important in homes with a septic system.
  2. Chemicals. Any chemicals like solvents, harsh cleaners, paint, pesticides or fuel need to be kept out of your septic tank. They can destroy the friendly bacteria which break down solid waste, disturbing the delicate balance that makes your septic system work properly.
  3. Hard foods. Any hard food items should be considered poor candidates for disposal down the drain, even with a garbage disposal. This includes items like coffee grounds, egg shells or nutshells. Also, avoid fibrous and hard to break down produce peelings or trimmings.
  4. Paper and plastic products. Keeping paper out of your septic system can prevent major problems. The most common paper culprits are excess toilet paper, paper towels and feminine hygiene products. In addition, any plastic items like wrappers, birth control devices and even cigarette filters need to be kept out of the toilet.

It’s important to educate your entire family about what cannot be flushed or dumped down the drain in your home. At a minimum, you can reduce the frequency of septic tank pumping and you may avoid waking up one day to a backed-up septic system, which will require an emergency call to your local septic service contractor.

Posted on behalf of Metro Septic and Plumbing

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Should I Be Using Additives For My Septic System?

October 24th, 2014 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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There are thousands of products sold in retail stores for septic tanks. While the makers of these products or additives claim they are needed or at least beneficial, there are experts who report that they can do more harm than good. Before spending money on any additive claiming to improve your septic system, fix problems or reduce pumping, make sure you understand how your septic system works.

Bacteria And Enzyme Additives

A popular type of additive for septic systems sold in home improvement and hardware stores are biological options for proper bacteria levels. These additives are often called septic treatments, rejuvenators, cleaners or restorers.  While it is true that bacteria and enzymes are an important part of your septic system’s balance, they are naturally occurring. If maintained, most septic systems do not need additives to keep the bacteria levels intact.

Many of these companies claim these products will replace bacteria killed by cleaning chemicals, prescription drugs and other agents lethal to your septic system’s vital bacteria. While it is true that chemicals can disturb the bacterial balance in your septic tank, many of these products are not proven to improve the balance. Also, some of these companies claim that adding these bacteria will reduce the need for frequent septic tank pumping. Most of these claims are unsubstantiated.

Although many of these additives will not hurt your septic, they may not be helping it either. You may be literally dumping money down the toilet for no reason. The money is better spent on obtaining regular maintenance from a professional septic service company, which will keep your septic working properly. They can test your bacteria levels and address any problems as needed, plus inspect your entire system.

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Water Fixtures Every Home With A Septic Should Have

October 24th, 2014 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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If you own a home with a septic system, you should have an idea of how expensive these systems are to repair or replace. Maintaining your septic system should always be a priority, and reducing your household water usage is a great way of protecting your system while doing your part to conserve vital resources. Every drop of water that goes down your drains must be processed through your septic tank, causing wear and tear on your system. One of the best ways to protect your septic system and reduce the frequency of septic tank pumping is to reduce the amount of water used in your home through the use of water-efficient fixtures.

Low-Flow Toilets

Your toilets are one of the largest users of water in your home. In 1994, the first low-flow toilets began to be sold. The selling point was that these toilets only used about a gallon and a half of water per flush, unlike previous toilets which used three to four gallons. While these first models did not work well, the newer versions have improved greatly while still saving water.

Water-efficient Faucets

Obviously, turning off faucets and not letting water run straight down the drain is one way to reduce water waste. Another way to reduce the amount of water you use and put into your septic system is using water-efficient faucets which can reduce water flow by 30%.

Water-efficient Showerheads

Showers are another big use of water, with gallons upon gallons going right down the drain every time someone in your family takes a shower. Every home should have water-efficient showerheads which can reduce water use by an estimated half-gallon per minute.

Reducing water usage is good for your septic system and good for the environment. Additionally, make sure to schedule annual maintenance on your system through your local septic company to add years on to the life of your septic.

Posted on behalf of Septic Service Pro

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Caring For Your Septic Tank

September 27th, 2014 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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One of the most important components of your septic system is the holding tank. Used to hold your sewage water before it’s filtered out to your drainfield, your septic tank is more than just a pit to hold waste in the ground. It treats all the waste that comes from your home, allowing naturally-occuring bacteria to break down the biodegradable components, while separating solid waste from liquid. To keep the tank working efficiently, some regular maintenance and care is required. Here are a few tips to care for your tank: 

  • Annual inspections. Schedule an inspection once a year with a professional septic service company for your tank. Your technician can check the bacteria content, the moving components and ensure the tank is working effectively.
     
  • Limit solid waste. What goes down your drains or is flushed down the toilet ends up in your septic tank. Keep your tank free of non-biodegradable items to reduce the wear and tear on your tank and system, as well as reducing the amount of waste that will need to be pumped.
     
  • Limit the amount of waste water. Not all waste water needs to go into your septic tank. Divert gray water from your sump pump and other non-toxic water sources to drain elsewhere, instead of through your septic tank.
     
  • Pump regularly. How often you need to pump your septic tank depends on its size, as well as how much waste is filtered through the tank by your household. Your septic service company will check your tank level during your annual inspection to advise you about when you need to have your tank pumped. 

By caring for your septic tank, you can extend the life of your tank and septic system, plus reduce the amount of repairs and emergency septic problems you encounter along the way. It’s worth the investment in regular maintenance to save you time and money off septic issues in the future.

Posted on behalf of Find Local Sewer Septic

 

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Do You Know What’s Being Flushed Into Your Septic Tank?

September 27th, 2014 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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Talk to any septic repair service technician, and they will likely have humorous stories of items they’ve found in septic systems. Of course, these stories are only funny if you’re not the homeowner paying the service bill. Although you may be aware of the more common items which should not go down your drains or be flushed, sometimes it’s the uncommon items that can be the biggest problem. 

Items That Are Found In Septic Tanks

Anything which is not biodegradable should not be going into your septic system. Even some food items, like fibrous vegetables, grease and egg shells, should stay out of your garbage disposals and your septic tank. However, there are some items which still find their way into the septic tank, usually through the larger drain in your toilet, such as: 

  • Toys. Kids love to play with toys in water, even if that water is in the toilet. It can be even more fun to watch rubber ducky disappear down the funnel, into your plumbing and eventually to the septic tank. Make sure the kids in your home are educated about what can and what cannot go into the toilet.
     
  • Personal items. Birth control devices and feminine hygiene products are often found in full septic tanks, in larger quantities than you would think. These personal items can quickly clog and cause other problems in the system.
     
  • Washcloths. You would not think that towels or washcloths would make it into the toilet, yet they do on a fairly common basis. Needless to say, these items will quickly cause problems in your septic system. 

The best way to avoid these issues is to educate your family, friends and guests about what can be flushed down the toilet. Creating a friendly reminder sign for your bathroom, especially when you have multiple guests, may help remedy the problem. 

Posted on behalf of Find Local Sewer Septic

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Why Do Septic Tanks Need to be Pumped?

August 16th, 2014 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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Regularly scheduled inspections and pump-outs are essential in the long-term care and function of a septic system. While improper use (i.e. allowing things to go down the drain that should not enter the system) is a common cause of septic tank failures, negating the responsibility of having a septic tank pumped regularly is also a huge cause of system failure. A septic tank is meant to handle only so much waste at a time and for a specific amount of time. Proper system maintenance is the responsibility of the homeowner, and by keeping maintenance as a priority homeowners can save money on costly repairs and promote the longevity of their septic systems.

Having the septic tank pumped every three to five years is one of the best ways to ensure that a septic system will last for its projected lifetime. The frequency of septic tank pumping will depend on the usage, number of people living in a home, and whether or not a garbage disposal is attached to the kitchen plumbing. Homes without a garbage disposal can typically go three to five years between pump-outs, while homes with a garbage disposal should have their tanks pumped every year.

Septic tanks need to be pumped so that the solid wastes inside of the tanks do not exceed a certain level. The bacteria that live inside a septic tank can only break down so much waste. After a few years, the waste will begin to override the capacity of the bacteria’s function to properly breakdown and dispose of it. Septic tank pumping will empty the tank of waste so that the bacteria can start over with the amount that they are required to handle.

Only licensed professionals should pump out a septic tank to ensure that it is done properly.

Posted on behalf of Bynum & Sons Plumbing, Inc.

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Septic Systems and Garbage Disposals

August 16th, 2014 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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Garbage disposals became a popular way of easily getting rid of leftover food particles and waste since their invention in 1927. Garbage disposals are devices installed under a kitchen sink between the sink’s drain and trap that shreds food into tiny pieces so that they will pass through a house’s plumbing. While most homeowners that have a septic system do not have a garbage disposal system, there are still about twenty five percent of homes that do. There are some conflicting reports on the safety of these two systems working together, but the majority consensus is that they are not ideally suited for one another.

A garbage disposal is not recommended to use in conjunction with a septic system because everything that leaves a house through the drains enter into the septic tank. While a septic tank is designed to continually break down the waste inside the tank, garbage disposals send a higher quantity of waste into the tank than a house without one. The more solids that are put into a septic tank, the more frequently septic tank pumping will be required to keep it functioning properly.

Typically, a septic tank only needs to be pumped every three to five years. However, a septic tank that must also handle the added waste of a garbage disposal system must be pumped every year for it to function properly. Septic tanks are designed to handle human waste and toilet paper. Everything else that enters will require more money and maintenance to keep the septic system working as it should.

Posted on behalf of Metro Septic and Plumbing

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Preventing Septic System Issues

August 16th, 2014 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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Septic systems are often taken for granted by homeowners. They flush, run water, wash laundry all without thinking about their septic systems. However, homeowners are responsible for maintaining their septic systems. With regular septic tank pumping and being aware of what goes down the drains in their home, homeowners can help protect their septic system for years and years to come.

Failing septic tanks are extremely costly to repair, so by preventing issues with their septic system homeowners can save money and a huge hassle. One of the most important things for homeowners to remember is that they should not flush chemicals down the drain. Chemicals that enter the drain can cause problems with the function of the septic system. Naturally occurring bacteria live in the system to help decompose solid materials. When chemicals are sent down the drain, they can upset the natural balance of bacteria by killing good bacteria that are there to make sure the septic tank continues to function properly.

Using too much water can also cause issues with a septic system. While septic tanks are designed to hold a certain amount of water, that water capacity is meant to be spread out over time. Therefore, it is better for a family of five to spread out their laundry washings over multiple days rather than saving all of their loads of laundry for one day. Heavy water usage can clog up the drain pipes leading into and out of the septic tank. Also, garbage disposal systems need to be designed to work with a septic system because ground food materials can also clog the drain pipes and drain field.

Properly using and maintaining a septic system can help to ensure that it will function properly for years. By taking simple measures homeowners can prevent expensive septic system issues.

Posted on behalf of Metro Septic and Plumbing

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Are Septic Additives Effective?

August 16th, 2014 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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There are a countless number of additives available for septic systems. They claim anything from helping to increase the number of healthy bacteria in the septic tank, breaking down waste faster, and keeping tanks “trouble free” right on the package. However, many people are asking the question of whether or not these septic additives are effective?

Research over the last decade has provided quite a bit of information in argument against adding anything to a septic system. In fact, in the state of Washington, legislature banned the use, sale, and distribution of septic tank additives.

Many of the products available on the shelves in popular home improvement stores contain bacteria and enzymes. These products claim that the wastewater in homes is less effective at producing bacteria because of cleaning solvents used in dishwashing, bathing, and laundry. However, research has shown the opposite to be true. Septic systems greatly exceed the numbers of naturally occurring bacteria as opposed to additives claiming to “produce more bacteria.” In fact, research has found that ingredients in commonly used additives can create even more problems because those ingredients were never meant to enter the septic system in the first place.

Instead of adding expensive additives that do not help a septic system (and may actually cause damage in the long run), by monitoring water usage and scheduling regular septic tank pumping, consumers can keep their tanks “trouble free” on their own.

Posted on behalf of Metro Septic and Plumbing

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What NOT to Put in a Septic Tank

August 2nd, 2014 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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Septic systems are an excellent method of disposing the wastewater from a home. Other than routine septic tank pumping, they are relatively maintenance free and they are designed to last for thirty years or longer. However, it is very important that everyone in the home knows what not to pour down the drain and flush down the toilet in order to extend the life of your septic system.

The septic system relies on naturally occurring bacteria to properly breakdown the waste that accumulates in the tank. Care should be taken when choosing cleaning products such as toilet bowl cleaners, shower cleaners, kitchen cleaners, etc. because these will enter in the drainage pipes and wind up in the septic tank. Some cleaning products can be harmful to the bacteria in the septic tank and can kill them and prevent them from doing their job of breaking down the waste. Bleach and ammonia should never be poured directly down the drain because they can wreak havoc on the natural balance of bacteria and filtration in the septic system.

Fats, oils, and grease should also not be put in the drain. These substances are known to clog drains and septic tanks, causing major backup issues within the home’s plumbing and septic systems. By taking means to dispose fats, oils, and grease from cooking into a canister (an old coffee can for instance), the life of a septic tank can be preserved.

People should also avoid using their toilet as a trash can. Diapers, feminine products, condoms, cat litter, leftovers, and other non-biodegradable materials should never be flushed down the toilet. These materials can kill off the beneficial bacterial in the septic system and can clog the system causing the need for major repairs.

Using common sense and care to avoid disposing of harmful and non-biodegradable materials down the drain is a great way to preserve the life and function of a septic system.

Posted on behalf of Septic Service Pro

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