5 Things You May Not Know About Septic Systems
If you live in a home with a septic system, odds are you already know how important they are for the maintenance of your home. But there may be some things you don’t know about it. Here are 5 things that may surprise you.
You Can’t Flush Everything - even things that say “flushable”
Even if the thing you’re planning to plush promises that it’s flushable, it’s always best to exercise care. In general, you want to keep it to solely human waste and toilet paper. From feminine products to hair clogs in the shower, prophylactics, toys, and even things that seem like they would break down like pet droppings and kitchen paper towels can not only clog your waste lines. They can also affect the bacteria balance in both the septic tank and cesspool, which makes them less able to break down the waste as they are supposed to.
Your System Isn’t Just About the Toilet
The same rules as above apply to everything that connects to your septic tank. This includes the sinks, baths, showers, washing machines, and anything else that produces wastewater. As such, if there are any problems with these parts of your plumbing system, they can affect your septic tank, too.
You Can Make Your System “Go Green”
The age of your sewage system and pipes is a key factor in determining how often sewers should be inspected. If your drain lines are less than 10 years old, once a year is adequate. For sewers older than 10 years, every six months would be best for an inspection and thorough drain line cleaning. You should also consider additional factors such as whether there are trees growing near your drainage that are threatening to cause damage, as well as the number of individuals in your household. One of the greatest concerns regarding septic systems, particularly the cesspool part of them, is that there is a real chance that they can release contaminants into the soil, which may affect soil quality, plant growth, and the local environment in general. However, this generally only happens if you’re not taking good care of it and providing the maintenance that it needs. Get in touch with 
septic systems specialists if you’re unsure as to how much maintenance you should do and how often.
Chemical Drain Cleaners Can Damage Your System
If your plumbing is connected to local sewer systems, you might not need to think all that much about what products you send down your drain. However, if you’re on a septic system, then you should be just as careful with store-bought drain cleaners as you are with the other objects you shouldn’t flush. They can be a major disruption to the bacteria in the tank, preventing the effective breakdown of waste. They can also corrode parts of your system, including your pipes, leading to malfunctions and replacements.
Your System Needs To Be Insulated From Cold Weather
Plumbing pipes can freeze in the winter if they are not insulated. Not only does this increase the chance of a major leak and water damage inside the home, but it can also damage the septic tank and cesspool. Insulate your piping and you can avoid costly repairs of both the pipes and your septic system down the line.
Needless to say, there’s more that goes into the care of septic systems than many might immediately assume. It only needs to be serviced roughly every three years, at most, but you should keep in mind what kind of damage can be done if you forget the points above.
