There are high chances that if you live in a rural area, you usually dispose of your wastewater through the help of a septic system. It is necessary to keep your septic system well maintained and hygienic so that you can make the most out of your investment. Most septic owners are not aware of this, but even if you have bought a brand new septic system, it still requires regular upkeep and maintenance to keep the system in good shape to ensure that it is working properly, as intended. If regular maintenance is carried out, it makes sure that no big issue arises, which is usually costlier to deal with than regular maintenance of the septic system. It is quite possible to maintain your septic system regularly for cheap and without any complications. This will also increase the efficiency and longevity of the septic system, ensuring it lasts for years to come. Keeping these things in mind, below are some tips and suggestions on how to maintain your septic system and ensure that it is operating smoothly.
Keep the Drain Field clear
It is necessary to keep all kinds of heavyweight or pressure away from the drain field. You should not drive a car or any other vehicle over the field, nor park any vehicle on top of the field. Also, refrain from building on top of the drain field like, for example, storage unit sheds, carports or patios. And avoid placing any sort of landscaping plastic on the field, as it’s harmful. The reason to refrain from putting pressure on the soil is that it will pack down the soil, and if that happens, there are high chances of the pipes breaking.
Watch what’s flushed and sent to the drain
It is a big no-no when it comes to flushing solid pieces of trash through the drain. These can pile up and cause a blockage altogether. These clogs can also cause chokes in the drain field, which is difficult, costly, and time-consuming to get rid of. Also, do not discard strong chemicals through the drain. Every septic tank contains bacteria’s that are necessary for breaking down and dissolving solids inside the tank but, if strong chemicals are discarded, those bacteria’s will die due to their poisonous nature. If you want to clean the drains, just use something with fewer chemicals and more organically made. Moreover, do not pour thick liquids like grease down the drain, as it will cause blockages. It is to be kept in mind to never flush anything other than human waste and tissues down the drain.
Be careful regarding your landscaping
Too much water in the drain field can be very harmful, and there should be a way made to drain out excess water. Also, the grass is the most ideal coverage for a drain field. Since it is not heavy, it does not pressurize the soil and also soaks up excess water. Plants with a shallow system of roots are also good options to plant near the field. Trees and other plants with long roots are not a good option because they can cause root intrusion and structure damage to the septic tank.
Make your septic tank lid accessible
A riser makes the tank lid of your specific system more accessible and easily openable. A riser is also a smart addition to your septic tank as it makes it easier to inspect and will make the process of inspection less time consuming and cheaper. Another advantage is that when you have to empty your septic tank, having a riser will make the emptying process easy, more efficient, and will create less spillage on your field.
Septic System repair is as important as having your Septic tank and system inspected
For good maintenance and increased longevity of your septic tank, inspection is the key. The main advantage of regular tank inspection is that you can easily identify issues when they are just in the development stage and not let them grow to become something big.
Major issues can harm your septic tank permanently, therefore; one should hesitate from a septic system repair. For example, there might be a leak that causes the septic tank to fill up more quickly, which will increase the expense and frequency of emptying the tanks. Inspection is just a way of preventing any problems from getting bigger and a way to safeguard your septic tanks.
Getting your septic tank emptied on regular intervals throughout the decade is also a necessary and vital process. You have to take a few factors into account when deciding when and how often you need to empty your septic tank. These factors are the size of your family, the size of the septic tank you have, and the amount of wastewater generated by your household. Of course, these factors vary a lot of the time, so for your ease, consider emptying your tank every 4-5 years, just to be on the safe side and prevent overflowing of wastewater. Just remember, if your septic tank overflows, the water might end up going inside your basement, which will be disastrous.
Make sure your usage of water is efficient
It is necessary to constantly check for leaks, broken taps, faucets, or leaking toilets that lead to water going in your septic tank. Limit your water usage because too much water usage can make your septic system unsuccessful and can damage your drain field. The main focus is to try to reduce the amount of water inflow inside the septic tank.
Another fault many of us do is that we drain the water from the hot tub directly into the septic tank or the drain field. This flow of water is not good because it can damage the very base of the drain field and increase the inflow of water into the septic tank. Water from the hot tub contains a high amount of chemicals, which will kill the solid dissolving bacteria’s present in the septic tank.
