With a little care, a properly sized and installed septic system can give many years of great service. Abusing the septic system will cause it to fail early and require frequent expensive maintenance. Here are a few tips for keeping your septic system in top operating condition.
Probably the most important thing you can do for your septic system is to have it regularly inspected and pumped. Septic tank pumping should be done every three to five years for the best, longest lasting results. Over time, waste materials accumulate in a septic tank and if the accumulation is not periodically pumped out, they will cause the system to fail which will require very expensive repairs or replacement of the septic tank or septic field. You can avoid this problem with regular septic tank pumping.
A septic tank inspection every two or three years is also a good idea. Often, you can coordinate an inspection with a septic tank pumpout. Frequent inspections can catch minor issues before they become a major concern. Also, an inspection will reveal whether the septic tank needs to be pumped or if it can wait for another year or two.
Be conservative in your water usage. Septic systems are designed to handle an average amount of water flow for a given house size. A sudden increase in water usage can overwhelm a septic system.
Similarly, try to limit the type and quantity of any materials you flush down the drain. Paints, caustic chemicals, food scraps, grease, and other such materials in small amounts are OK, but large volumes of these materials or regularly pouring them down the drain will shorten the useful life of your septic system.
