Septic tanks are utilities that assist in eliminating wastewater pollutants that can harm humans and the environment. Because of a septic tank's important role, it's crucial to ensure your septic system is clean and in good condition. A lack of septic tank maintenance can cause system failure, which can be very costly to repair or replace. The following tips will assist you in ensuring your septic tank is in good shape.

Identify Warning Signs

The warning signs of a failing septic tank system are simple to identify. You might observe, for instance, slow drains and toilets, unpleasant odors, and sewage returning into the house. Additionally, if you spot a small patch of green grass in the drain field, it's a sign that something is wrong. This means it's time to seek the assistance of septic system services.

Manage Your Waste

What you flush down the drain affects how your septic tank works. As a result, you should avoid using toilets as trash cans. Never flush anything other than toilet paper and human waste down your system. Unfortunately, many people don't abide by this rule. Some harmful substances that people flush down the toilet include:

• Gasoline
• Cooking oil
• Pesticides
• Paint or paint thinners
• Female hygiene products
• Photographic solutions
• Paper towels
• Non-flushable wipes
• Coffee grounds
• Medicines

These substances may contaminate groundwater and kill microorganisms in the soil and the septic tank. For these reasons, such matter should not be flushed down the toilet. It should be disposed of in a different, less harmful way.

Keep Accurate Records of Maintenance

No matter what kind of maintenance is carried out by septic system services, you must maintain precise records of the processes and the outcomes. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, a septic service provider should inspect the average household's septic system at least every three years. This is because septic tanks are typically pumped every three to five years. Therefore, any inspection results inconsistent with your system's records might also help identify issues before they become too challenging to handle.

Reduce the Tank's Water Level

Excess water can make your septic tank overflow or lose efficiency. There is a limit to how much water your tank can contain at once. Beyond that, it cannot operate efficiently with too much water in it. Therefore, you must maintain reasonable water levels. You can start by reducing your water usage. If there's a water leak, check the taps and faucets on your toilet. You can also install faucets with low-flow rates to limit how much water you use each day. This will assist you in preventing the overflow of your septic tank.

No matter how much a homeowner dislikes the responsibilities of septic system maintenance, the need continues to exist. Too frequently, septic system maintenance is neglected or just not given the attention it deserves. That's why we're here to help. Call John Seek Septic Tank Pumping today to learn how we can assist with all your septic tank maintenance needs.