Keeping Your Septic System Healthy

If your home uses a septic system to handle wastewater, it’s important to know how to properly maintain it. With the right care, a septic system can last 30 years or more. However, neglect and improper usage are common causes of backups that damage your home and require costly repair or even replacement of your septic tank. Understanding how to care for your septic system will save you money and contribute to a safer environment for your family and your town.

Limit What Goes Down Your Drains

One of the easiest and most effective ways to maintain your septic system is to limit the waste that goes down your drains. Throw away or compost food scraps rather than using your disposal. Never flush any type of garbage down the toilet, including packaging, feminine products, and most paper items. Only toilet paper should be flushed down your toilet—paper towels, baby wipes, and even tissues can clog your pipes or affect the function of your septic tank. If you do experience a clogged or sluggish drain, use only environmentally-friendly solutions such as an enzymatic drain cleaner or a homemade solution of water, vinegar, and baking soda. Chemical drain cleaners can destroy the beneficial bacteria that break down wastes inside your septic tank and affect its function.

Schedule Annual Inspections

Septic tanks must be pumped out periodically to prevent overflow and other problems that could affect the tank’s ability to process waste. An annual inspection can determine when your septic tank should be pumped. The more wastewater your tank processes, the more often it will need to be emptied. Most experts recommend pumping the tank when the sludge layer is greater than one third of the total depth of the water in the tank. A septic tank should also be pumped if it is more than one third full. While you can estimate how often your tank should be pumped based on past usage, only a physical inspection can truly determine when pumping is needed. A professional inspection will also check for problems in your plumbing or septic system, such as clogged lines in your leach field that may cause backups in your tank.

Protect Your System

Taking steps to protect your septic system from above will prevent damaging the tank or lateral lines. Don’t plant landscaping above or near your tank or leach field. The roots from shrubs and trees can penetrate your tank or lateral lines, causing seepage of untreated wastewater into your yard. You should also avoid building sheds or other structures over your leach field. Never park any vehicle on the area above your septic tank, as the weight could also damage your system. The best way to protect your septic system is to plant grass and leave your yard open directly above the tank and leach field.

When properly maintained, a septic tank will handle all of your home’s wastewater effectively and safely. If you need help with your septic tank or would like to schedule other plumbing services in Flagstaff, visit our website to contact a Mr. Rooter plumber. You’ll find more tips for maintaining and troubleshooting your home’s plumbing on our blog.