Not many people want to spend time thinking about their septic tank, but in many ways it is the most important part of your home. The capacity of your tank and the size of your household will determine how often it needs to be cleaned, though on average it is about once every two years. Magnolia Plumbing provides septic tank pumping and cleaning for all of its residential customers.
Taking care of your septic tank
A properly maintained septic tank is the most efficient means of disposing of solid waste in most areas. It is designed to break down waste the same way your own digestive system does. Most septic tanks are made out of concrete, fiberglass or plastic and are designed to last for about 50 years. But a septic system that is not properly cared for can lead to serious problems, including contamination. There are many little things that can adversely affect your septic system:
Pouring the wrong things down the drain
Septic tanks are only designed to handle human waste. Even simple things such as food waste or excess grease, fat or cooking oil can disrupt the environment in your tank. To keep your system clean, make sure you never dump the following items down your drain:
|
All of these can be toxic to the bacteria living in your system and can drastically reduce the efficiency of your septic tank.
Putting excess load on the system
The average family uses between 200 and 400 gallons of water (including wastes) every day. Septic tanks are designed to be tight and not to exceed maximum capacity. If your water use is more than your tank can handle, materials may pass through it too quickly and not be decomposed properly. This may result in contamination problems.
Cleaning your septic tank
The best way to keep your septic tank safe and efficient is to have it cleaned regularly. If your septic tank is not cleaned often, it can go over its capacity limit and rupture, leaking its contents into your home or backyard and causing major safety hazards for you, your children and your pets.
A septic tank is one of those things that many people don’t think about until it’s too late. Have your septic tank cleaned before it leads to a huge contamination problem. If you live in Maryland (MD), Washington, DC or Northern Virginia (VA) and are interested in septic tank cleaning services, contact Magnolia Plumbing today!
