Tips to Keep your Septic System in Shape

September 6th, 2018 Posted in Septic System Maintenance
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To keep your body in shape, you need to eat right and exercise on a consistent basis. For septic systems, keeping them in good shape takes a similar type of commitment. What you put into your septic tank will affect what comes out and how efficient it performs its job. Unlike your body, making it work harder will not get you better results. Here are some to tips to maintain your septic system for optimum performance.

Monitor What Goes Down the Drain

There are some items that should be kept out of your septic system. In the bathroom, items like feminine hygiene products, “flushable” wipes, cotton balls/swabs and other non-biodegradable products should not be flushed down. In the kitchen, avoid coffee grounds, peelings, egg shells and fats/oils going down the drain. Also, do not pour paints or other chemicals into your garage sink.

Limit Water Use

Be efficient with how much water you use in your home. Add water efficient fixtures to your home to help reduce water waste. Teach your kids and other family members to conserve water by not running it down the drain when brushing teeth, rinsing dishes or doing other household chores.

Schedule Regular Service

Keep your septic system in tip-top shape with annual service from your local septic service company. This ensures your tank gets pumped when needed; plus, it ensure all the equipment and components are in good condition to perform the needed work in the year ahead.

Just watching what you put into your septic and a little scheduled maintenance can make a big difference on the health of your septic system. It will help prevent failure or backups while extending the life span of your system.

Posted on behalf of:
Kiddco Plumbing Inc
Sterling, VA 20166
(703) 435-4441

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Regular Septic Tank Pumping

December 20th, 2012 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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It is a fairly common misconception that septic tank pumping is only necessary when the septic tank starts showing signs of damage or working less efficiently than it has in the past. In reality if it is already obvious that the septic tank is full through signs such as the toilet is backing up or the drain field has an unusually bad smell, you have already waited too long for septic tank pumping. That is why it is essential to have your septic tank pumped regularly rather than waiting until the last minute.

Septic systems work by separating the waste as it enters into the tank into three sections. The solid waste known as sludge settles in the bottom and grease and other lightweight substances known as scum float the surface. The liquid waste in the middle is released into the drain field and is known as effluent. Over time the sludge at the bottom builds up leaving less and less space for new waste to be separated and for effluent to slowly seep out.

As space inside the tank decreases, it becomes easier for solid waste to escape and this can lead to the soil absorption system becoming clogged. At this point any new waste coming into the system has nowhere to go causing the plumbing inside to back up, leading to an unpleasant odor not only around the tank but also inside your house.

Hiring a professional septic tank pumper once every couple of years can help keep your septic system in good working condition. Regular septic tank pumping to prevent damage and blockages will save you a great deal or time, money and hassle.

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Septic Tanks Need Pumping!

June 14th, 2012 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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If your home is on a septic system and you have asked friends and neighbors about how often the septic tank should be pumped, you have probably gotten answers ranging from “every year” to “never”.  The correct answer is it depends, but for most systems pumping the septic tank every three to five years is enough to will keep it working great.

If you ask enough people about septic tank pumping, you will eventually talk to someone who says something like “we’ve had a septic tank for 20 years – never had it pumped and it works just fine.”  That may be true, but every septic system is different and waiting 20 years to have a septic tank pumped is just inviting disaster.

Septic tanks need to be pumped regularly because over time, the layer of solid material at the bottom of the tank (the sludge layer) grows.  As the sludge layer gets deeper, it takes up more space in the tank and there is less room for the liquid effluent.  The septic tank is sized to hold the liquid waste for about 48 hours before it flows out to the leach field, but when the sludge layer gets too deep it causes the effluent to flow out to the leach field sooner.

When this happens, the effluent carries more solid material with it which will start clogging up the leach field (also called the drain field).  It can take months or years, but once the leach field becomes clogged its capacity to dispose of liquid waste will decrease and untreated liquid sewage will start making its way to the surface instead of leaching into the soil.

In most cases, the only response to a clogged, failed drain field is to abandon the existing drain field and install a new one.  Avoid the expense of drain field repairs or a new drain field by having your septic tank pumped every three to five years.

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