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Things that could Ruin Your Septic System
Are you putting things down your drains that are damaging your septic system? You may be shocked to learn how many items can damage or clog your septic tank and drain field.
Chemical Cleaners
Here is a list of items you should not put down your drains, or in your toilet in order to avoid costly septic repairs.
Hair
Human and animal hair do not decompose. Instead, they can create problems in your drains, filters, septic tank and eventually drain field. It is best to discard hair in the trash can and not in the toilet or sink!
Chemical Cleaners
Septic systems use bacteria to eliminate pathogens in waste. When you put anti-bacterial cleaners or bleach down your drains, you disrupt the bacteria cycle in your septic tank. Only use septic-safe cleaners to clean your home.
Additives
Several septic tank additives claim to increase bacteria in your septic system. This sounds really good if you use a lot of anti-bacterial cleaners. However, the EPA advises that chemical additives could harm your tank more than they help. If you’re concerned about the amount of bacteria in your septic tank, call Atlantic Septic to inspect before you try to increase bacteria on your own.
Bath Oils
Although using your essential oils in the bath tub sounds relaxing it could cause you problems later. Oil floats to the top of your septic tank, and then forms a layer of scum. This layer sits on tops of other liquids in your tank. It resists bacterial activity and can accumulate in the tank, clog effluent filters or exert an additional oxygen demand in the overall system.
Kitchen Grease
Bacon and fried foods are delicious, but when you are done cooking please drain the fat into a glass container. You don't want to wash that grease down your sink and into your septic tank. Grease adds to the scum layer in your septic tank. If you cook a lot of greasy food, you may want to install grease traps to keep grease from entering your septic tank.
Kitty Litter
Cat litter contains clay particles that add to the solid waste volume in your septic tank. Over time, the clay will clog pipes and ruin your septic tank.
Latex Products
Latex products such as paint, condoms and gloves are not biodegradable. If flushed or washed down the drain, they will join the floating debris in your tank until the next pump-out. If your outlet tee is missing, the latex may also clog the drain field on its way out of your septic tank.
Paints and Oils
Substances like motor oil, paints, varnishes, and floor wax will damage organisms in your tank. This bacterium is necessary to keep your soil and groundwater free from pathogens. Instead of putting these oils down the drain, refer to your city’s waste management for recommended guidelines to dispose of these chemicals.
Automatic Toilet Cleaner Chemicals
A fresh flush every time sounds clean and inviting, but automatic toilet cleaners send anti-bacterial chemicals into your septic tank. Excessive amounts of toilet cleaners often leave your tank dead and full of blue water. Instead, use septic-safe toilet cleaners.
Large Amounts of Water
Whenever you put large amounts of water into your tank all at once, through multiple loads of laundry, numerous showers and dish washing loads, you risk flooding the tank. Your tank can only handle a set amount of household water. An excessive amount of water also prevents proper processing of the waste in the tank.
Trash
DO NOT use your sinks or toilets as trash cans. Even though it solves your immediate problem of disposing of an item, solid waste will not decompose and will fill your septic system twice as fast as liquid waste. Throw your trash in the garbage to avoid paying more in pump-out costs.
Clothes
While you are unlikely to flush your clothes down the toilet, if you have young children in your home they may be interested in watching thing swirl in the toilet Make sure your children or grandchildren don’t flush any clothing down the drain. The clothes will not degrade and will clog your septic tank. This also applies to toys and coins.
Cigarette Butts
Not only are cigarettes full of chemicals that contaminate water sources, the filters may clog the tank.
The simple rule is to keep non-biodegradable products out of your septic tank. You will save yourself from costly repairs and increase your tank’s life expectancy.