septic maintenance

[bueller]

I have no previous experience with a septic system. What, if any, preventive maintenance should be done? Any products to use or not use? We have a one bathroom residence which is used by a family of 5 for less than 100 days each year.

 

[Tree Spud]

It should have a filter screen which should be cleaned once a year.

The holding tank is just that, designed to hold solids. Do not add chemicals or additives to help break down the solids as they will get small enough to go out with the liquid overflow into your drain field. This will eventually clog your drain field.

Most counties require pumping & inspection by a licensed company.

Other than that, ask your local septic company.

 

[j-bird]

We use a product called "rid-ex" - try to use it once a month. It simply helps the process along. I try to add it at the furthest most point of the drain run in the house - this helps keep the build up in the drain line down as well. Avoid putting grease and any sort of harsh chemicals down the drain - they can kill the bacteria needed for the septic system to work properly. Grease simply solidifies and can cause slow pipes, blockages and all sorts of bad stuff. I was also advised to have it pumped out every time we get a new president.....yup, pump out the bottom scum! Also avoid large amounts of tissue and paper products going in there. I had to address an issue once.....I was to bull headed and cheap to pay someone to do it.... I had a blockage form due to excess paper products and was causing the drain line to do odd things. Not fun....not at all. Pay someone.....trust me....you think..."its not THAT bad".....ooohhh it's that bad! If yours has a lift pump I strongly suggest an alarm. This can prevent a small issue becoming a big issue. I have one because of the distance and fall needed for mine. I have two float switches on mine. One to turn it on so it knows when to pump and a second, and higher one to alarm when the level gets too high and there is an issue. This prevents things from backing up and turning your yard into a stinky swamp. Mine is a visual (little red light) and an audible one (load buzzer). It doesn't mean and emergency, but it tells you that you need to go take a look pretty soon. The biggest thing is having it properly sized and installed in the first place. I have seen some folks cut corners in this area and it tends to come back and haunt them later. I would also locate your access covers if they are not already above the ground. When I had to address mine I used a metal rod as a soil probe and was able to locate the edges and then got to digging. In some cases you have a good idea because the soil may not be real thick over it and the summer will tend to kill the grass in that area.

Proper sizing and installation is the best prevention......I have seen folks cut corners and it come back to haunt them later.

 

[Bill]

I'll echo J Bird.

Teach everyone no grease goes in the sink. When you cook bacon or greasy stuff let the pan cool with the grease in it then use papertowels to wipe it out and throw it in the trash.

I pump my holding tank every two years. May be overkill but a new system is pricey.

No garbage disposal, food waste in a septic tank is bad. Rid-X is good. And the guy that pumps my tank advises dumping a 5 gallon bucket of water down the farthest drain from the tank once in a while because these new low volume flush toilets don't always put out enough water to take everything to the tank.

 

[bueller]

It should have a filter screen which should be cleaned once a year.

The holding tank is just that, designed to hold solids. Do not add chemicals or additives to help break down the solids as they will get small enough to go out with the liquid overflow into your drain field. This will eventually clog your drain field.

Most counties require pumping & inspection by a licensed company.

Other than that, ask your local septic company.

Never heard of a filter, where would I find this? You say no chemicals but a couple others have recommended Rid-X. Are you advising against Rid-X also?

I'll echo J Bird.

Teach everyone no grease goes in the sink. When you cook bacon or greasy stuff let the pan cool with the grease in it then use papertowels to wipe it out and throw it in the trash.

I pump my holding tank every two years. May be overkill but a new system is pricey.

No garbage disposal, food waste in a septic tank is bad. Rid-X is good. And the guy that pumps my tank advises dumping a 5 gallon bucket of water down the farthest drain from the tank once in a while because these new low volume flush toilets don't always put out enough water to take everything to the tank.

I like the 5 gallon flush idea. I think I've even heard this recommendation for city sewer systems. I'm going to do this on both our houses (one city and one septic) very soon.

 

[Cuervo]

When we bought our cottage I, like you, had never had a septic system. The septic guy explained to me that using Rid-X or similar product was important when you have a seasonal place that isn't used all the time. Rid-X etc. keeps helpful bacteria in there "eating" away. I agree with the others regarding what you put down there. My county has a mandatory 3 year pump out .

 

[Tree Spud]

Never heard of a filter, where would I find this? You say no chemicals but a couple others have recommended Rid-X. Are you advising against Rid-X also?

The filter is designed to keep sludge and other particulate from moving out of the holding tank, into your secondary tank (if you have one), and then out into your drain field. Probably have to discuss with your installer where this filter is. Lots of how to on YouTube if you are brave enough to do this on your own. be careful though, all kidding aside, there can be toxic fumes or molds in your system.

Ridx and other chemicals that aid in the digestion process can actually lead to other problems. The holding tank is exactly that, a place where solids settle and can be pumped out. Adding Ridx or digestion aids, will help break down the sludge, but these smaller particles can bypass the filters and
end up in your drain field. Over time these will reduce the perk efficiency of your drain field. Better to clean the filter yearly and pump the holding tank out every 2-3 years.

I agree with everyone above, don't treat the septic system like a waste basket. Train everyone to be aware of what can and should not go down the sink drains or toilet.