Maintaining Your Septic System to Ensure It Works Properly and Efficiently
If you have a septic system handling the sewer removal from your home, it is vital that you service it as needed and have a septic pumping service clean it out for you when it is required. The septic system does not require a lot of work, but there are some things you need to consider to ensure your system works flawlessly and does the job it was intended to do.
Septic Pumping
There can be a lot of confusion with septic pumping and when it is necessary for your septic system. A properly sized septic system will separate the solids and the liquids in your tank and let the liquids drain off through the leach field and eventually back into the ground.
This process leaves the solids in the tank, forming a sludge on the bottom that builds up until it is necessary to pump the sludge out of the tank and dispose of it properly. A septic pumping service can pump the tank and clean it out for you, but the amount of time between pumpings can change depending on the septic system use.
Some small systems may become overwhelmed if overused, so it is crucial to size the system to fit the home. If your septic tank is too small, it will fill up quickly, and you may need to have septic pumping done more often, but checking the tank or putting an alarm on it that will let you know when it is full is an excellent place to start.
Suggested Pumping Interval
When considering septic pumping can depend a lot on the use, but the EPA (environmental protection agency) recommends pumping your residential septic tank every three to five years. If the septic system is used correctly, the system will work to break down much of the material through an anaerobic process that keeps the tank healthy and working efficiently.
It is critical that nothing is put in the drains that do not belong there, or the process can be disrupted in the septic tank, and the sludge will often fill up faster, causing issues with the system and requiring early septic pumping. Grease, fats, oils from cooking, paper towels, famine products, and even some toilet paper can affect how the tank works, so it is crucial to be aware of what you are putting down your drains.
There are products on the market that claim to make your system work better, but the system will function best if left alone and allowed to work. Using biodegradable bathroom products can help, and never put any chemicals or detergents into the tank. If you are concerned there is a problem with your septic system, you can have a septic tank system check the system for you.
Share