If you have a septic tank attached to your home, you need to maintain it properly to avoid repairs and major issues that cost a lot of money. Septic tank inspections in Napa are necessary to avoid future problems with your septic system. The longer you maintain the septic tank well, the longer it’ll last. In order to avoid problems and high repair costs, learn about the mistakes others have made and avoid them yourself.
Mistake 1: Flushing Items That Shouldn’t Be Flushed
Anything other than waste and toilet paper should not go down the toilet’s drain—especially if you have a septic tank. It might seem that baby wipes or flushing wipes would be okay, but they can actually lead to a lot of issues since they don’t break down. Anything that isn’t toilet paper is not okay.
Mistake 2: Doing Too Many Loads Of Laundry
If you have a large family, laundry is constant. But each load uses a lot of water and if you do several loads back to back, you put undue stress on your septic tank. Spread the laundry out instead and only do one load at a time and then wait between loads to avoid problems.
Mistake 3: Using Chemicals On The System
There are a lot of chemicals that say they get rid of clogs or break up solids to help drains, but they can also affect the bacteria in the system. If you use anti-bacterial soap or cleaners, that can have the same affect. Bacteria is a good thing in your septic tank as it breaks down solids. Chemicals can do more harm than good within the tank so just get regular maintenance on the system and use natural cleaners instead.
Mistake 4: Failure To Get Pump The Tank
Pumping the septic tank only when there is a problem can cause it to decrease its lifespan. You should have your septic tank pumped every 3-5 years, depending on how large it is and how often you use it. The more often you pump it, the better it will generally perform. Getting regular maintenance helps you avoid clogs and more costly issues.
Mistake 5: Not Caring For The Drain Field
The septic tank is mostly drains and the tank, but the drain field is important to note as well. If there is too much water in the drainage area, the tank can’t drain. When there is nowhere for the waste to go, the tank will get full quickly and have to be pumped out. Maintain the drain field well and you won’t have that problem.
If you have any doubts about your septic system gurgling, or you need your pumped or maintained in any way, contact the experts at American Sanitation Inc. by calling (707) 554-8258. We might be able to answer many of your questions over the phone, or we can come to your home, take a look, and figure out what’s going on in person. Stop by and meet with us at 1729 Action Avenue, Napa, CA 94559 to learn more about your septic tank.
