When regularly maintained and monitored a septic system can last a long time. For this reason every property owner should invest in proper and regular septic system maintenance that includes regular check-ups and timely repairs.
Regardless of what type of property you have-business or home, providing the septic system with regular cleaning and routine check ups is key for keeping it in a healthy condition.
The septic system check-up frequency depends on different factors such as the type of septic system, the property, the size of the septic tank and the location. There are different septic systems and each type needs an individual routine maintenance that meets its specific features.
Septic systems are divided into :
- pressure distribution systems
- proprietary systems (anaerobic treatment units, drip irrigation, membrane bioreactors and other)
- gravity systems
- sand/mound filter systems
Gravity systems for example need routine check-ups every three years, proprietary systems should be checked annually or more often, if it’s required by the manufacturer. And mound/sand filter systems and pressure distribution systems need to be checked every year.
The best way to keep a septic system healthy is by contacting a certified sewer cleaning company that will provide your septic system with the right maintenance. In this article we will give important tips about how to keep your septic tank system in a good shape throughout the entire year.
How to keep a septic system in a good condition ?
Maintain it regularly
Regular and proper maintenance of your septic system will give you peace of mind and help you avoid serious issues with your property’s sewer system in the future.
Regular pumping of the septic tank is an integral part of the proper septic system maintenance. Most septic tanks need to be pumped every 3 to 5 years. The septic tank cleaning frequency depends on different factors. One of the most determining factors is the amount of used water in the property and the size of the household.
When you have an increased water usage in your property, the water flow towards the septic tank will be increased too.Therefore, the septic tank will fill up in a faster than normal way and you will need to clean it more frequently.
To get your septic tank cleaned you need to contact a professional company specialized in sewer maintenance services. Professional septic system service providers offer routine septic system check-ups and septic tank pumping. Their specialized sewer cleaning equipment allows them to complete different tasks in a safe and quick way.
Use water wisely
Excessive water consumption is one of the most common factors that lead to issues with septic systems. For this reason reducing the amount of water you use daily can help your septic system have a long exploitation life.There are different ways in which you can save water in different parts of your property.
Using too much water in a property can cause problems with leach fields as they can get flooded and stop working properly. One of the ways to prevent problems with your leach field is not to allow the water flow from roof and land drains to go to your drainfield.
Create a septic tank-friendly landscape
One of the best covers for septic tanks and leach fields are grass and plants with shallow root systems because plants and trees with roots that go deep into the ground can cause damage to a septic system.
Another thing that is recommended for septic tank owners is to have easy access to all septic tank lids. When you can get easy access to your septic tank, it’s far easier for septic tank maintenance technicians to monitor and pump your septic tank.
By being able to access septic tank lids sewer cleaning technicians will charge you less as the whole service will take less time and effort. Easily accessible septic tank lids also mean the appearance of your yard won’t get spoiled.
The so-called “risers” are a convenient idea for septic tank lids.
How do I clean my septic tank naturally?
One of the commonly used DIY septic system cleaning solutions is a combination of a half cup of vinegar with a quarter of a cup of baking soda and 2 tbsp of lemon juice.These ingredients react with each other and their chemical reaction breaks down dirt inside a septic system.
Additional septic system maintenance tips
Septic tank lids that aren’t closed properly or not screwed pose a safety risk. Open septic tank lids create an increased risk of falling.That’s why you should make sure that the lids of your septic tank are always properly closed and secured.
And you should also regularly check the access lids of your septic tank for any cracks and signs of deterioration.This will help you prevent possible issues.
There are some things property owners do on a daily basis that increase the risk of septic system issues.
The use of garbage disposal for example is one of those things that aren’t recommended, if you want to avoid issues with your septic system. Using a garbage disposal leads to the addition of grease and solid waste to the septic system. Consequently, this leads to a waste buildup in your septic system and leach field clogs.
So, you should stop using garbage disposal or if you must use such a thing on your property, just try to limit its use as much as you can.
It’s a fact that what you flush down your sewer system plays a role in its condition. Avoid flushing toilet paper, cleaning wet wipes, baby wipes, face care tissues, different products for personal hygiene as these can cause blockages in a septic system.
Even wet wipes and products that are named “flushable” or “septic system safe” aren’t truly safe for your septic system, so avoid flushing them down as well.
Another thing you should avoid doing is pouring down the drain chemical detergents as chemical compounds can destroy the healthy bacteria that is responsible for breaking down the solid waste in the sewer system.
Medication disposal is also not recommended for the good condition of a septic system. When done for a prolonged period of time disposing medications such as antibiotics can harm the healthy bacteria that’s inside septic tanks and leach fields.
For a safe disposal of chemicals and medication products you should contact your public hazardous disposal service provider.
Placing heavy objects directly onto a septic tank, leach field or a reserve area isn’t recommended as this can pack down the soil of the area and increase the risk of breakages in the piping.
For example parking vehicles directly above a sewer system isn’t recommended, as it can lead to some issues with your septic system. And it’s not a good idea to place patios, carports, decks, sport courts, landscaping plastic, storage sheds on the surface above a leach field. Herds of domestic animals grazing grass on top of a drainfield is also not recommended.
The use of septic tank additives is another thing experts don’t recommend as additives contain solids which increase the risk of flooding for the leach field. Chemical detergents designed for septic systems lead to surface water and groundwater pollution.
Avoid draining water from hot tubs into your sewer system as chlorine is harmful for the bacteria in septic tanks and large amounts of water increase the risk of leach field flooding.