The Five Biggest DON’TS of Septic Tank Ownership

If you’re new to septic tank ownership, it’s easy to make mistakes if you haven’t had the opportunity to learn about your new system. Owning a septic tank requires more care and mindfulness than being connected to municipal sewer lines. Most notably, if something goes wrong with your plumbing or septic tank, it’s your responsibility to fix it. Read on to learn the five biggest mistakes you can make, then call Sharps Sanitation to schedule your next septic tank pumping appointment in El Centro, CA:

• Don’t plant anything over your drain field: Septic tanks require drain fields, which help treat the wastewater and send it back down into the groundwater supply. Many homeowners are tempted to plant trees or shrubs on the drain field—after all, it’s open field space. You should avoid this, however. Trees, shrubs and other plants have roots that spread. They can interfere with your septic tank plumbing, causing blockages and leaks that will be expensive to fix.
• Don’t drive anything over your drain field: Your drain field is not a parking space or driveway—resist the urge to roll your car over this spot. Car tires, heavy furniture and even walking across the drain field can damage the pipes.
• Don’t flush just anything down the toilet: The biggest change that new septic tank owners discover is that they have to be even more careful about what goes down the toilet and drains. You should use septic-friendly household cleaners, and make it a point to only flush human waste and toilet paper. Since the septic tank collects solid waste until it’s broken down over time, it’s very easy to overfill the tank. Avoid pouring or flushing cooking oil, food, harsh household chemicals, baby wipes, kitty litter and menstrual products down the drain—unless you want an excuse to call your friendly local septic contractor.
• Don’t send water into your drain field: Your home should be equipped with rain gutters, which are important for diverting water away from your home’s foundation. However, you need to make sure your gutters don’t send that water directly into your drain field. This causes the drain field to flood, and your septic tank may back up. This is unsanitary, since the ground is too saturated to effectively treat the wastewater.
• Don’t forget to pump your septic tank on schedule: Finally, don’t forget to pump your septic tank every three to five years, or when you start to notice signs that your septic tank is full. If you’re not sure when the last time was that the tank was pumped, try contacting the former owners or asking a neighbor if they know. Once you have a ballpark date, set a reminder in your calendar or email program. This is the best way to avoid backed-up drains and toilets, which can be very stinky problems.

When you need septic tank pumping in El Centro, CA, get in touch with the team at Sharps Sanitation. We offer regular and emergency pumping services whenever you need them.

Categorised in: septic tank