Poop happens, right? A septic system is able to handle a lot of poop, but there are some things it’s not made to handle, like grease, tampons or motor oil.
Septic systems are self-contained underground wastewater treatment systems. If your home isn’t connected to a municipal sewer system, you probably have a septic tank buried in your yard. When you flush your toilet, that water and whatever else you put in there ends up in the septic tank.
A series of pipes take wastewater from your home or building to the septic tank underground in the yard. Problems occur when the pipes get clogged with items that shouldn’t have gone down the drain(s) or the tank erodes because harsh chemicals wore them down over time.
Here are 10 things you shouldn’t put “down the drain” because they’ll mess up your septic system:
- Grease
- Cat Litter
- Coffee Grounds
- Baby Wipes
- Cigarette Butts
- Diapers
- Tampons/Sanitary Napkins
- Bleach
- Motor Oil
- Hazardous Chemicals
Septic systems can handle urine, poop, and soap. They’re not garbage disposals. Things like dental floss, condoms, paper towels, paint and varnishes should never be flushed down your toilet.
Freedom Septic Service pumps out a lot of septic systems in and around Greater Baltimore, Maryland. Normally, it’s an easy job if people didn’t put junk down their drains. However, things can get complicated and more expensive when they do.
It’s a good idea to have your system pumped out every 2 years. The Public Health unit of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, & Welfare says, “A septic tank system will serve a home satisfactorily if it is properly designed, installed, and adequately maintained. Even a good system which does not have proper care and attention may become a nuisance and a burdensome expense.”
Call Freedom Septic Service at 410-795-2947 with any septic system questions or concerns you might have.
That is a pretty good list that people should follow if you want to avoid unnecessary septic tank maintenance. Another one I would add to the list that will definitely increase your costs is medicines, especially antibiotics since bacteria is actually needed for a septic system to work properly.
This is a great list of things not to flush! A lot of people don’t even think about the headaches this will cause!
My partner and I think that our septic system is clogged because water is not running or flushing as smooth as it used to. It´s interesting to know that in between the list of the things that can´t be put down the drain is bleach and oils. I will start looking for different ways to change these habits and constantly maintain my septic system.