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3 Family Flushing Traditions You Should Avoid

  • By Admin
  • 23 Oct, 2023

When you grow up in a house, you typically won't have a manual of what you can and cannot flush down the toilet. That information is typically passed around through old family traditions in your home. However, just because family traditions have been used in the past doesn't mean you should use them in the future.

As you become a homeowner of your own, the same traditions you had may not do any favors for your septic tank. Check out some of the more common family traditions associated with flushing the toilet and learn how those past traditions could cause some major problems within your septic tank.

1. Food Scraps

Food waste and leftovers can easily create odors in rooms. Instead of filling up the garbage, many generations have chosen to just flush food waste down the toilet. While the idea sounds good in theory, it can create all kinds of problems for a septic tank. Food scraps will often have oils and fats that harden after they dry.

The hardened fats can clog up septic systems and make it harder for waste to clear out in the drainfield. The more food you flush down into a septic tank, the harder it will be to fully break down and keep the tank clear.

Instead of putting food scraps in a toilet and flushing, consider a composting bin. An outdoor composting bin will eliminate odors from your garbage and help keep your septic tank protected. If you've spent years flushing old food down the toilet, then consider a septic tank pumping to clean out the whole tank and start fresh.

2. Pet Waste

Whether from families or classic television shows and movies, pet waste going down the toilet has been a common tradition for many generations. For example, you may consider flushing dead pets like fish and gerbils down the toilets. While this seems like an ideal resting place, the animals could become lodged in a septic tank and create drainage issues.

A clog in your septic tank could cause everything to come back up and create major problems. As an alternative, dispose of the animal in a sealed plastic bag or bury them in a backyard. Along with small animals that have passed, avoid flushing any pet droppings down the toilet as well.

Pet droppings from dogs may include a wide range of elements like grass, dog toy pieces, or extra fat. Those elements are not a typical part of human waste and could create septic tank issues if you flush the droppings on a regular basis.

Cat droppings should be avoided at all costs as well. Cat droppings will often harden over time, especially droppings in a litter box. The hardened nature of the cat droppings can create blockage issues in a septic tank and will not break down as human waste does. Rely on a more common method like a litter box and disposal bags for their droppings.

3. Chemical-Based Plumbing Products

If your toilets have a clog, then you may try to use alternate solutions to break down waste and allow the clog to pass. Unfortunately, chemical-based plumbing products may help clear clogs, but they can cause major issues to your home's septic tank. A septic tank needs a proper pH balance so bacteria can feed on waste and the tank can properly drain.

Too many chemicals can throw off that balance and cause a bigger buildup within the tank. A septic tank company can test your tank to see what issues have occurred and make changes based on those issues. Ideally, you should only use a plunger to help with toilet issues.

For more information on septic tank cleaning and repair, contact us at Allen Turner Septic Tank Service. We have years of experience and can help ensure your septic tank operates smoothly as you transition away from old flushing traditions you will no longer follow.

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Are you experiencing a sewage backup, slow drainage, or a pungent smell around the drain field? Perhaps the grass around your septic drain field is more lush and green than the rest of the yard. If you've noticed any of these signs, you might need to pump your septic tank.

To avoid hazardous and expensive septic system failures, pump your septic tank regularly. For homeowners, a septic tank pump job should happen every three to five years. However, this time frame will depend on the tank size and the number of occupants in the household.

From cost savings to better health, septic tank pump-outs offer numerous benefits. This guide enlightens you on the benefits of septic tank pumping.

Prevent Damage

Failure to pump the septic tank can result in mechanical and physical damage to the system. For instance, the waste could overwhelm and crack the outlet and inlet pipes if the excess sludge is not removed. Also, the excess waste could block the septic system and cause sewage back-ups in your sinks, toilets, and bathtubs. You will pay so much more to fix these issues than you'd have paid to empty the tank.

Regular pump-outs will prevent overfill, clogs, and blockages in the septic system. Also, the pump jobs will not only improve your system's overall efficiency but will also help to avoid extensive system damage.

Protect Your Family

The level of care you provide to your septic tank will correspond to the health of your household and surrounding environment. A brimming septic tank creates a health hazard to your household, neighbors, and even animals. For instance, sewage backup in your home or groundwater contamination can cause bacterial or viral diseases like typhoid, cholera, and rotavirus.

Also, if the septic tank is full, gas will build up in the chamber to produce dangerous fumes with ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide. The pungent smells produced aren't only unpleasant but also hazardous. These fumes can be poisonous even in small concentrations to cause shortness of breath, eye irritation, and worsened asthma symptoms. In high concentrations, the fumes can cause organ damage and even death.

To keep your loved ones and neighbors safe, make sure to pump your septic tank at the right time. If you're not sure, contact a septic tank contractor who will conduct an inspection and advise whether you need to get the septic tank pumped.

Protect Your Property

An overfilled or clogged septic tank can wreak havoc in your home. If the wastewater and sludge flood your yard or house, you can incur costly property damages. To avoid these issues and protect your property, empty your septic tank regularly.

Save Money

Overfull septic tanks can easily lead to system malfunctions or failure. In such cases, some septic system components may be faulty and require repair or replacement. If the damage is extensive, the whole system may need a replacement and cost you thousands of dollars.

Also, since an overfilled septic tank will cause damage to other structures such as your landscaping and home, the repair costs might be astronomical. And don't forget the medical expenses if you or your family member falls sick due to the health hazard presented by an overflowing septic system.

Avoid all these expenses through regular pump jobs of your septic tank. While septic tank pump-out will cost you money, you avoid a lot of issues to save in the long run. Also, you only need to empty your septic tank once every few years. Proper maintenance is key for optimal functioning and avoiding costly damages to your septic system.

Regular septic pumps can help prevent damage, prolong the system's lifespan, and improve performance. If you need any septic system services, Allen Turner Septic Tank Service can help.

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