Regular maintenance of your septic tank has various benefits. You will avoid clogs that can cause drain backups, prevent contamination of your well water through the drain field, and avoid unnecessary repair issues. Also, you will avoid slow drains that can be inconvenient and prevent foul odors in your home.
This article will discuss common septic tank mistakes you should avoid to improve the efficiency and lifespan of your investment.
Flushing Down the Wrong Material
You should avoid flushing the wrong material down your toilets, such as feminine hygiene products, baby wipes, diapers, hair, and soap. These items can clog your pipes, preventing wastewater from reaching your septic tank. Your system will experience sewage backups that can lead to flooding in your home. Also, these items are hard for the bacteria in your septic system to break down.
Therefore, you will need to pump your system more regularly, which can be costly. Moreover, you should avoid flushing cat litter down your drains, as it can cause severe clogs. Also, cat litter contains a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis. The parasite can live for a long time, so it can get to your water sources and contaminate your water.
Using Drain Cleaners
Using drain cleaners to clean your toilets can adversely affect your septic tank. These detergents contain harsh chemicals that will kill the bacteria in the septic tank. Your septic tank has a delicate balance of bacteria that helps to break down waste.
Killing the microbes will disrupt this balance, leading to the improper breakdown of waste. If your plumbing system is clogged, you can use snaking to eliminate the blockages or call your plumber if the problem gets out of hand.
Not Taking Care of Your Drain Field
Wastewater from your septic tank usually flows to the drain field, where it percolates to the ground. You should avoid using excessive amounts of water, as this can overwhelm the area and cause flooding. For example, you can spread out your laundry so that your leach field will have adequate time to drain wastewater.
You will notice lush green grass around your drain field if it's flooded. Moreover, you shouldn't drive over your septic tank or drain area as it can cause the tank to collapse or the drainage pipes to burst.
You should call a professional to inspect your drain field for any signs of damage. Otherwise, wastewater can get to your home and damage your foundation, weakening your home's structural integrity.
For more information about septic tank maintenance, contact a local company.