And Why You Should Take Precautions Right Now!
How To Prevent Damage to Your Septic System
While most of the homes in the United States are connected to the city sewage systems, there are still a considerable amount of homes that have on-site systems such as septic systems. In Texas, where homes are really spread out because there is so much land, septic systems are a popular solution. Everything you drain from your house - showers, the toilets, your kitchen sink all drain to the septic system, so properly maintaining them and keeping them safe from harm is vital. Here are 4 tips that will prevent your septic system from being damaged!
Don’t Just Flush Everything!
While this is true if you are connected to the city’s sewage system as well, being mindful of what you drain, or flush is especially important for a septic system. You see, the septic system uses bacteria and microbes in septic tanks that dissolve waste, so pouring down any sort of chemical (such as drain cleaner, floor cleaner, antimicrobial soaps etc.)that kills those microbes is a death sentence for your septic system.
Watch Out For Trees!
Surprisingly, most homeowners do not even know where their septic system is located underground. While the builder most likely knew where the septic system is located and avoided having vegetation over them, you might accidentally plant a tree on top of your septic system, which will result in a catastrophe! Tree roots will damage the septic tank and the leach bed, and this damage may even result in your septic system being replaced entirely! While grass is fine, you should not plant any sort of plant on top of your septic system under any circumstances!
Use Less Water & Check For Leaks!
It takes time for the wastewater to be processed in the septic tank before it is transferred to the drain field. Under normal consumption, your septic tank will be able to handle the wastewater it receives, however, if you have a leaking pipe, a dripping faucet or if you are just simply using too much water at a time, the septic tank may overflow and the wastewater that has not been processed yet may seep into the drain field!
Get Your System Maintained!
A septic system will last a long time, especially if it is new, but not having it maintained periodically may result in the premature failure of your entire septic system! As a general rule, you must have your septic tank drained every 3 to 5 years, although this changes according to how much you use it.
Septic systems are tough to abuse and highly resilient, but that does not mean you don’t have to take care of them. To ensure that your septic systems last as long as possible, you need to have them cleaned periodically. Don’t wait until it is too late, call B&B Pumping to have your septic tank pumped today!