When properly designed, installed, and maintained your septic system should provide many years of trouble-free, low-cost service. To enhance the longevity of your septic system follow these guidelines:

• Understand that your septic system is designed to accommodate a specific load. Adding additional load to a system may cause it to fail. Some excessive loading may be unavoidable however many reasons for over loading are avoidable such as leaking fixtures, water softeners, water filters, foundation drains, pool filters, etc.

• Stagger cloths washing over a couple of days to reduce overloading your septic system. Front loading washing machines operate with much less water and is much more efficient for your septic system.

• Fix any leaking plumbing fixtures. Even slow leaking toilets can add over 250 gallons of water to your septic system per day.

• Don't flush condoms or feminine hygiene products, muchos problemos.

• No cooking greases and/or fats should not be put into the system. Greases do not breakdown inside your tank and float to the surface. This both reduces the working capacity of the tank and can also cause your soil in your dispersal field to clog as the grease filters through the soil.

• Garbage disposals and in sink grinders should be used sparingly and for vegetable materials only, not meats.

• Reduce the usage of strong cleaning chemicals that enter the septic system. Large amounts of certain cleaners can greatly reduce the degree of anaerobic activity within the septic tank itself causing your tank to back up. For example, bleach easily kills all the bacteria which are required for the septic system to function properly.

• No pharmaceuticals or medications should be flushed into the septic system. Chemicals within many drugs do not break down easily and have been determined to migrate through soil into the water table.

• Maintain plans and dimensions for your septic tank and disposal fields location as well as all operational manuals for all equipment. Secure all manhole access lids and be sure all access lids are both accessible and water tight.

• Conventional septic tanks will likely need to be pumped every couple years depending on the volume of use.

• If there are pumps used in the system they may utilized filters or screens. Maintenance is required.

• Storm water should be directed away from your septic tank and drainage field. Septic tanks need to be watertight from the lid to the tank. Excessive water can cause a septic tank to fail.

• No traffic should not be allowed to drive on your septic system components unless it is specifically designed for the load. Tanks and other components typically have approximately two feet of soil coverage. Septic tanks and seepage pit caps can collapse and cause serious injury or death.

• Drainage field chemicals or additives should not be required when your system is properly designed and operating as intended. If your septic system is malfunctioning consult a reputable and professional company to identify and rectify the problem. Additives merely prolong or mask the real issue with your septic system.

When properly installed and maintained, your system should provide years of trouble-free, low-cost service

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