Get to Know Your Septic System

Understanding how your septic tank works and where it is placed is the first step toward proper maintenance. Because septic system installation requires a permit under state law, your county or town should keep a record of the permit and a plan showing the tank's layout and location. You may be able to identify visual signs such as sewage covers by examining the direction of the sewer pipe, which is located in the basement and leads out of the property.

Do Not Use Your Toilet as a Trash Can

Toilet paper is the only item that should be flushed down the toilet that does not come out of your body. This includes no diapers, feminine products, hair, dental floss, or anything else. Toilet paper is made to degrade in the septic tank. Other materials are not permitted; they will clog and harm your septic system. 



Look for toilet paper that is septic-safe. Some of the more luxurious, pricey brands with lotions may clog your system or introduce harmful substances.

Distribute Your Use of the Washing Machine/Dishwasher Throughout the Week

You may believe that having a designated "laundry day," when you wash all of your clothes and possibly even run your dishwasher, will save you time. However, it places a significant strain on your septic system. You must allow your septic system time to treat the wastewater or risk overloading the system and flooding your drainfield. Instead, do a full load (to avoid wasting water) twice a week.

Consider What You Dump Down the Kitchen Sink Drain

People dispose of a lot of items down the kitchen sink that can damage a septic tank. Coffee grinds, eggshells, medication, produce tags, and other items should never be thrown down the sink drain. All of them have the potential to clog pipelines or block screens. Also, do not dispose of any form of oil, such as cooking oil, paint, or fat, since it will clog your septic system. 



Even dairy items, like milk, should not be flushed. Dairy is difficult to break down in a septic tank due to the scarcity of oxygen. When using waste disposal with a septic tank, the tiny food particles contribute to solids deposited on the tank's bottom. As a result, homeowners must be especially cautious to ensure that the only stuff they throw down a garbage disposal is biodegradable food. 

Take Caution When Using Cleaning Chemicals

Cleaning agents used by homeowners can destroy the healthy microorganisms in a septic system. When washing garments, avoid using chemicals such as bleach. Use only a tiny amount if necessary. Do not use drain cleaners, which can harm the tank as well as kill helpful microorganisms. If a plunger doesn't work, replace it with a toilet drain snake. 



It can also be used to unclog kitchen and bathroom sinks. Toilet bowl cleaners often contain bleach and harm your septic system. Avoid ammonia-containing antibacterial soaps and disinfectants as well. Fortunately, several ecological or plant-based cleaning products are available to replace these harsh chemicals.

Keep Your Drainfield Safe

To minimize the number of times you need septic tank pumping Chattanooga, you should keep your drainfield safe. As previously mentioned, proper drainfield care begins with closely watching water usage and what goes into your septic system. Never park or drive cars across your drainfield. Additionally, ensure that gutters and sump pumps divert water away from the drainfield. 

Further, avoid planting trees and plants near the drainfield because their roots could clog pipes.

Make use of a Bacteria Additive

The waste from the house is filtered by weight, allowing the solids to settle to the tank's bottom and releasing the liquid waste to the leach field to be filtered by the soil. The waste that stays in the tank is increasingly broken down by bacteria, which aids in maintaining the septic system. However, the bacteria in the system are susceptible to effective cleaning solutions, antibacterial soaps, and drain cleaners, so you should add new bacteria that break down unnatural chemicals to safeguard the naturally occurring bacteria in the septic system.