Recommended Maintenance for Septic Systems

Are you keeping up with your well and septic maintenance? If your household relies on a well and a septic tank for your water needs, keeping up with maintenance duties is crucial. Typically, a family of two to three people should have maintenance done every 12 to 18 months. This helps prevent buildup and will ensure its smooth performance.

Here’s a closer look at how to maintain your septic system, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Set a regular pumping schedule

Generally, household septic systems need to be pumped every three to five years without fail. If you’ve just moved into a home with a septic system, try to find out when it was last pumped. The seller should know, if they didn’t include service documents with the rest of the sales paperwork. Should you be unable to find that information, have the septic tank inspected: your septic contractor should be able to tell you when it will need to be pumped again.

Pumping your septic system is important because it helps prevent backups, which pose a health hazard. If you fail to pump your tank regularly, the solids will build up and cause problems.

Get maintenance every 12 to 18 months or as needed

Generally, you should have a professional come out to inspect your tank and perform regular preventative maintenance every year to year and a half. (Of course, if your septic system seems to be malfunctioning, call a septic tank contractor immediately.) Your contractor will check the lines, tank, drain field and other features to ensure everything is operating properly.

Inspect your system regularly

In addition to regular professional maintenance and pumping, you can inspect your septic system on your own. Every few weeks, walk around the tank and the drain field to look for any anomalies. Suspiciously green grass, foul odors and pooling water can all be signs that there’s a problem with the septic system. If you notice any of these symptoms, call a septic maintenance professional as soon as possible—and don’t put any water down the drain until they’ve given you the all clear.

Know what not to flush

It’s important that you understand what you can and can’t flush down your drains. Try to limit your waste to human waste, toilet paper and water only. Use septic-friendly detergents, soaps and shampoos to keep the helpful bacteria alive and thriving. Pouring harsh household cleaners down the drain will kill the bacteria, causing solids to build up faster.

Finally, be careful what kind of solids you flush. Even if a product says it’s “flushable,” that just means it’s biodegradable—not that it will decompose quickly in your septic system. The more solids there are in your tank, the more quickly the tank will fill up. You’ll need to pump the tank more often, and you won’t be able to use your plumbing until it’s finished. That can be a major inconvenience.

When you need professional septic system and well maintenance, reach out to Cleveland Septic today to schedule an appointment.

Categorised in: Septic System Maintenance