8 Things To Do After Your Septic Tank Is Pumped

Septic tanks play an important role in the treatment of organic waste. As part of the maintenance process, you’ll need to have them pumped once every three years.

Pumping out the tank itself, though an important process maintenance activity isn’t enough.

What to do after the septic tank is pumped is equally important.

Having pumped the tank, what you do will determine the longevity and condition of your septic tank. Basically, this has to do with personal maintenance.

There are simple basic tasks you’re expected to perform to ensure your tank gets the optimal conditions required.

Steps To Take After Having Your Septic Tank Pumped

Before a septic tank gets pumped, an inspection is usually called for. This should be a routine maintenance inspection that seeks to determine the state of your septic tank as well as the entire system.

Now, your responsibility is to save such reports.

Septic tank inspection reports give local plumbers a head-start when they come for major repairs or routine maintenance.

• Everyday Maintenance

Your job as a homeowner is to ensure your septic system continues to function effectively after being pumped. It’s very crucial to understand that what gets into your septic tank affects its condition or functionality.

Certain items should never find their way into your septic tank. These include diapers, paper towels, cat litter, paints, cigarette butts, and paint thinners.

Others are gasoline, coffee grounds, motor oil, plastics, earplugs, dental flows, sanitary napkins or tampons, and grease.

Also, avoid flushing insect or weed killers as well as photographic chemicals down your drain. All these contribute to making your septic system function less effectively.

These have been added under daily maintenance procedures because they’re common items that usually result in issues.

• Running Full Washing Machine & Dishwasher Loads

Septic tanks require just the right volume of water to function effectively. Too much of it creates issues.

Now, your dishwasher and washing machines are among the home appliances that use the most water. These will need to be checked by only running them on full loads.

Running a full washing machine and dishwasher loads ensures that water wastage is reduced to the barest minimum.

This practice offers multiple benefits as you get to conserve water while ensuring your septic tank gets only the right supply of water necessary to breakdown organic waste.

• Be Careful With What Goes Into Your Garbage Disposal

Garbage disposal offers a great way to get rid of waste.

However, not everything should find its way into your garbage disposal. This includes coffee grounds among other items that aren’t friendly to your septic tank.

Get garbage disposal that will grind your waste finely to aid in faster decomposition.

Only use your garbage disposal only when it needs to be used. In other words, you could set up a compost bin or pile where these items are disposed of and decompose to fertilize the soil. If you must place these items in your garbage disposal system, they should be rotted soft consumables.

Not stressing your septic tank ensures that it remains in perfect working condition for longer. Fewer issues are encountered and your septic system benefits immensely from your post-pumping maintenance actions.

• What Happens In The Toilet Is Important

Insignificant as they may seem, certain basic toilet practices impact negatively on your septic system. These include multiple toilet flushes which could be unnecessary and also the use of inappropriate toilet paper.

How often you flush your toilet also matters. In some cases, flushes will only be necessary after multiple uses. The point is to use less water. An inappropriate toilet paper simply refers to those that hardly break up easily when wet.

Only get toilet papers that are toilet-friendly. Paper towels shouldn’t be mistaken for toilet use as they aren’t suitable.

Are you using bleach-containing automatic disinfecting toilet bowl cleaners? These, especially those with acid-containing compounds should be avoided.

Their slow release and continuous action are harmful to septic tank bacteria.

In other words, beneficial septic tank bacteria get killed with the constant flow of these chemical products. What happens is an imbalance with fewer bacteria to digest organic waste.

• Discuss With The Sewage Waste Disposal Service

When your septic tank is due for pumping, it isn’t enough to simply call for its removal.

You’ll need to inquire if there are any unusual findings by the sewage waste disposal service. This is a crucial part of the maintenance process as it enables you to understand how to better care for your septic tank.

The technicians will always be willing to give you a few tips on steps to take in keeping your septic tank functioning effectively. This is an excellent maintenance strategy that will be of immense benefit to you.

• Frequently Inspect The Condition Of Your Drain Field

The state of your septic tank can be determined by the drain field.

In other words, the drain field is an essential component of the septic system that ensures the septic tank functions effectively. Compaction of the drain field leads to less absorption of wastewater.

Cars shouldn’t be parked over the drain field and channels should be provided to divert the surface runoff water from overloading the system. Trees and shrubs shouldn’t be planted near the drain field as such would cause problems and also penetrate the tank.

Heavy equipment mustn’t be kept atop the septic tank. These add to the weight of the dirt which may lead to collapse. This is a safety consideration that should be given the attention it deserves.

• Mind What Goes Into Your Tank

We’ve stated earlier that certain things shouldn’t be introduced into your septic tank.

Here, we’re reiterating the fact that a septic tank shouldn’t be treated as a trashcan. It’s meant for the breakdown of organic waste alone.

Stick with this pattern and you’d have fewer worries about issues developing.

• Have An Effluent Filter Installed

Effluent filters play a crucial role in the maintenance of a septic tank. If your septic system doesn’t have one, ensure you call for its installation. If one is installed already, you may need to have it replaced.

The steps above are simple and should be taken after your septic tank is pumped. These are basic maintenance actions that ensure your septic tank and the entire system functions efficiently.