Top Tips for Septic Tank Maintenance

Your septic tank will efficiently manage your waste water, however, like all things it requires a bit of maintenance to ensure it continues to do so. A lack of maintenance will increase the likelihood of damage to the tank and surrounding environment and it could potentially shorten the tanks lifespan, all of which can be expensive issues to fix. So here are our Top Tips for Septic Tank Maintenance:

Keep an eye on your septic tank and have it regularly pumped to keep it working optimally.

-Carry out regular inspections and keep records to spot faults early. If you are in doubt about whether septic tank is working properly, West Wales Waste will be happy to advise.

-Have the tank de-sludged regularly. The more waste your tank holds, the less efficiently it will run. This should be done ideally every six months but there are factors to consider which will influence this. Check out our guide ‘How to know when your septic tank needs emptying‘, how much it will cost to empty your septic tank will vary too.

Properly dispose of waste and use biologically friendly cleaning products.

-Don’t allow commercial chemicals, medicines or hygiene products to enter the system

-Don’t use large quantities of biological cleaning products or bleach

-Bacteria in the tank is vital to the biological process and can be harmed if you dispose of anything other than human waste, toilet paper and a small amount of biologically friendly cleaning products.

Think about how much water you are using.

-Overloading your septic tank system with too much water can the septic tank to become weakened, damaged or blocked.

-Fix leaky taps or toilets, install energy efficient toilets and shower heads, and only put that washing machine or dishwasher on when they’re full. Try and space your use of the washing machine and dishwasher use out over a few days or use a small load settings for small loads.

-You could also try and spend less time in the shower, think before you flush and use toilet tissue which breaks down easily when wet too!

Protect Your Drain Field.

-The drain field of a septic tank is as important as the tank itself because the tank works as a system rather than a storage facility for your waste water.

-Prevent backlogs and overflows by not parking on your drain field and avoiding planting trees to ensure roots don’t interrupt the flow of the waste water.  Talk to a septic tank professional if you are unsure as to how far away would be an appropriate distance.

-Try to keep other drainage systems away from your drain field. The location of roof and rainwater drains and sump pumps should be thought about to prevent it slowing or stopping the wastewater treatment process.

West Wales Waste offer septic tank pumping services. If you would to find out more about our septic tank services, please click here to fill out our contact form.

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