So long as you manage your septic system properly, you shouldn’t have to worry too much about it giving you trouble. Stay on top of your general maintenance and pumping and you should be just fine.
But part of properly using a septic system is avoiding putting certain items down the drain. In some cases, what you put down the drain could result in some expensive septic tank problems forming in the system.
Here is some information from a septic service in Bethel, OH about what you shouldn’t put down your drains:
- Limit the solids: You shouldn’t flush too many solids down the toilet. For example, items like sanitary napkins, dental floss, cigarette butts, disposable diapers, tampons, paper towels and cat litter can all easily clog up your toilet and septic system. Do not put anything into the system that will not decompose easily—in other words, nothing other than toilet paper and human waste.
- Avoid overusing the garbage disposal: Too many people think having a garbage disposal gives them a license to put significantly more food down the drain than they actually should. While the disposal will grind up items you put into it, you should still avoid putting too much down the drain—don’t rely on your garbage disposal to dispose of food items when there’s so much that it makes more sense to put it in the actual garbage. A garbage disposal is not a substitute for a trash can.
- Be careful about what you do with household cleaners: Be careful not just with the types of cleaners you choose to use around your home, but also how you dispose of them. Many bleaches, cleaners and disinfectants that are commonly used around the house are designed to kill bacteria. The issue with this is that your septic system requires certain types of bacteria to degrade organic solids.
- Grease and fat: This is sort of a follow-up to our second point, but just a reminder that your garbage disposal is not a substitute for a trash can. You should not let grease and fat run down your drains—that grease will eventually solidify and clog up not just your plumbing lines, but also the drain field, potentially causing pollution to the soil surrounding it. If the soil gets overly polluted or clogged up, this will prevent it from being able to absorb and process liquids from the tank. You should collect grease in a receptacle like a can, jar or plastic container that you can then throw away in your garbage.
- Hazardous substances: Never put any hazardous substances into your septic system—they could cause some irreparable damage. Examples of some of these substances include paints, paint thinners, motor oil and gasoline.
These are just a few examples of some of the items you should never let into your septic system. To learn more about general septic tank upkeep, we encourage you to contact Gullett Sanitation Services Inc. at our septic service in Bethel, OH.