If you’re not aware of it yet, let me remind you that your plumbing system is not only made up of your clean water lines. It is, in fact, comprised of two subsystems: the potable water supply lines and the sewage or drainage lines. Now we all know what the clean water supply lines are, right? They’re the ones responsible for transporting clean, drinkable and usable water to your plumbing fixtures so that you can take a bath, do your laundry or wash the dishes. The drainage lines, meanwhile, take care of the soiled water that you produce whenever you use your plumbing fixtures. The soiled water, along with the waste substances that come with it, passes through the drain pipes and heads straight to a septic tank or a public sewer where your home is connected to. Now if you have a septic tank at home, it is only wise that you read this piece for you to be able to gain clear understanding of what it is and why its maintenance is vital.
What is a septic tank?
The septic tank is a large container that’s usually made from concrete, plastic or fiberglass material. It is buried underground and is specially designed to hold and treat the wastewater that your property produces. The tank comes in different sizes and with that being said, you should know that it can only hold so much. The use of water should be minimized to prevent the tank from overflowing. When the container overflows, your clean water will get contaminated and you’ll also experience foul odors and backups from your drains.
How do you maintain a septic tank?
It is not at all difficult to maintain the good condition of your septic tank or the septic system as a whole. The principle is pretty simple: 1) do not flush down anything that should not even be contained in the tank and 2) have the tank pumped out regularly.
Some Tips On Septic Tank Preventive Maintenance
To ensure that your septic tank stays at tip-top shape, follow these tips:
1. Never flush condoms, cotton swabs, cigarette butts, sanitary napkins, body wipes and diapers down the toilet. These things do not decompose and will just create blockages in the system.
2. Schedule your laundry day. Did you know that the more you use your plumbing, the more that the tank gets filled up? The treatment of waste materials inside the tank requires a number of days before the treated water can flow back to the drain field. With that said, it is only wise to keep the use of water at a minimum to avoid overfilling the tank.
3. Use your garbage disposal minimally. The more waste materials get into the septic tank, the longer it will take for sewage to get treated.
4. Never ever pour grease down the drain. Just as oily substances and grease can clog the drain lines, they may also clog the tubes in the tank when they solidify.
5. Keep trees away from the area where your tank is buried. Only plant grass or flowers over the leaching field because strong tree roots may break through the tank.
6. Never park any vehicle over the leaching field. The heavy weight of cars and SUVs may also damage the tank.
7. Avoid constructions near the leaching field.
8. Never use harsh drain cleaning agents and uncloggers. Toxic chemicals have a way of damaging the pipes and the tank, too.
9. Regularly have your septic tank pumped out by professionals.