Your home’s septic system works hard every day to collect wastewater from your toilets and other drains and separate the solids from the liquids. It stores the solid waste and treats the liquids and releases it into your drain field. Your septic system works each and every time that you flush a toilet, do a load of laundry, wash your dishes or anything else that you do with water. In order to extend the life of your septic system and prevent major problems including septic system and or drain field failure, it is important to do the following things list below, on a daily basis all year round:

1. Do not use a disposal: While disposals can be convenient, they are simply incompatible with septic systems. If you have a septic system, you should not use a garbage disposal. Garbage disposals break food and solid waste down but leaves small solid pieces to flow through your septic system which can cause major problems.
2. Only use liquid detergents: Powdered detergents will re-solidify when they reach your septic tank and can cause serious damage to your system.
3. Spread out water usage: Your septic system is designed to treat a certain amount of wastewater each day, so you should keep that in mind as you plan your water usage and consider spreading out your laundry over the course of the week, rather than completing it all in one day.
4. Do not use antibacterial or antiseptic soaps: Antibacterial or antiseptic soaps will interfere with your septic system’s ability to treat wastewater and cause problems with your septic system.
5. Do not put anything solid down your sinks (including food): Food scraps, grease, wet wipes and other solids should never be put down a drain when you have a septic system. Solids can cause major problems and clogs in your system.
6. Schedule routine maintenance: Routine septic system cleaning and pumping is a key to keeping your system working well for your property for many years to come.
7. Seek professional assistance if you notice anything unusual: If you notice an unusual foul smell, notice slow drains or see sewage coming back up through your toilets/sinks, you should contact a septic system company as soon as possible. It is important to have a professional assess the issue quickly so that you can minimize potential damage.

Dan’s Plumbing & Septic has been helping property owners with septic system issues for more than fifty years. We can complete septic system assessments and repairs, routine maintenance and even replacement when necessary. For more information, give us a call at 763-434-6814.