4 Things That Should Never Go in Your Septic System
Your septic system works because of a delicate balance of bacteria that exists inside the tank to break down waste. Some things found around the house can damage that balance, so you must pay close attention to what is going into your septic system to keep it healthy and working as it should.
1. Cooking Grease
Grease is one of the most critical things that should never go into your septic system, but people overlook it every day. Grease will not breakdown in the system, and over time it can clog the drains in your home and destroy the natural balance inside the septic tank.
Running hot water down the drain with the grease does not keep it from hardening in the drains, no matter how long you leave it on. Pour cooking grease into a can or other container, then let it harden and cool. Once the grease hardens, the grease can be put in the regular trash to go to the landfill.
If you don't want to put the can in the trash, you can scoop the grease out into the garbage and put the can into your recycling bin, although if there is still grease on the can, the recycling company may not appreciate the grease.
2. Feminine Hygiene Products
Another item that ends up in the toilet and should not, it feminine products. Tampons are bad for your septic system. They will not decompose in the system, and they can get stuck in the baffles and the inlet and outlet of the tank.
In restrooms that provide containers for feminine products, dispose of them there. If there is no container dedicated to these products, use the regular trash can, but never flush them down the toilet at home or anywhere else. Tampons and feminine pads can do nearly as much damage to sewer systems as they do septic tanks, but if different ways.
3. Paper Towels and Napkins
Keeping paper towels and napkins out of the toilet might sound funny because, after all, you flush toilet paper, right? While paper towels and napkins are paper, the weight and type of paper used to make them is different, so it stays together when it gets wet. Flushing them down the toilet does not change the properties of the paper, and there is a substantial chance the toilet paper will clog the drain.
Napkins, coffee filters, and most other paper products will have the same result, so stick to toilet paper in the toilet. A paper clog almost always requires a plumber and a snake to clear the drain, and the cost of a roll of toilet paper is far cheaper than the bill you will get if you have to have someone come to clear the drain for you.
4. High Volumes of Water
Water probably sounds harmless, right? The problem is, water in large amounts is very likely to overwhelm or fill the septic tank prematurely. The tank can't process the water fast enough, and the tank then overflows, causing a huge mess in your yard.
If you have a lot of water that you need to dump, it is better to take it outside or run a hose from a pump out to a part of the yard away from your home then to dump it all down the drain. Even if the water is clean, it is better to dump it on the ground then to put it in the tank. If the water has detergent or something else in it, it definitely should not be put into the septic system.
AAA Pumping Service Inc. has been serving the New Mexico area for over thirty years. If you have a septic system problem, give us a call. We can pump the tank and help you deal with issues related to your septic system. Give us a call today so we can discuss your situation and how to best handle it.
Contact Information
Address: 2855 2nd Street Southwest , Albuquerque, NM 87102
Phone: 505-345-3965
Payment Options
