If you have a septic system, then it is pretty important that you keep it working smoothly. If it breaks down, then it is incredibly difficult to fix, and you can't just hire a regular plumber to fix it. Therefore, it's a good idea to keep the following tips in mind:
Be Mindful of What You Flush
You need to carefully keep track of absolutely everything that you put into your septic tank. Specifically, you should make sure that you don't flush anything that will damage the ecosystem of your septic tank and you don't want to put anything in there that won't break down.
- Products that damage the ecosystem - Certain chemicals can cause irreversible damage to the fragile balance of helpful bacteria that keeps a septic tank running. Antibacterial solutions, oils, paints, and a number of other products can cause significant damage, even in small amounts. However, the biggest threat is posed by drain cleaners, which can totally ruin a septic tank very quickly. Due to the high potential for damage, it is critical that you check every single chemical product that you flush to make sure that it is safe.
- Products that won't break down - You want to avoid products that are not specifically designed to break down. Toilet paper is alright, but paper towels, plastics, condoms, and other similar goods will stay in your septic tank for an incredibly long time. Other products that contain a lot of oils can be problematic because they will upset the layer distribution of your septic tank.
Keep an Eye on Your Layers
Next, you should make sure that your septic tank maintains a good balance between the scum, effluent, and sludge. Effluent is basically water, while scum consists of materials that are less dense than water and the sludge is materials that are more dense. Ideally, you want the scum and sludge layers to be as small as possible. If either layer becomes too large, then you will need to get your tank cleaned soon.
However, if you can keep both layers to a minimum, then you won't need to clean your tank out as often. That being said, you should still get your septic tank inspected (by companies like Linn Septic Service) once every couple of years. These inspections are quite important, since they can tell you a lot about the general health of your septic tank that you wouldn't be able to determine on your own.
