Sewers - Septic Tank question?

Septic Tank question?

We just bought our first home that runs on a septic tank instead of city sewer. It was pumped about 6 months ago. Anything I need to know? Preventative advice?

Public Comments

There's a product you should put down the toilet once a month to keep the system working properly. RidX is one brand. It's available in many grocery stores, WalMart, Lowe's Home Centers, etc., where the other plumbing products are. Then you should plan to have the tank pumped evey 5 to 7 years for safety's sake. Don't EVER put anything down the drains except water, normal toilet waste, and toilet paper.
Here is a good site concerning septic tank use and maintainance. http://www.montana.edu/wwwpb/pubs/mt9401.html
Yes...there is a chemical that you put in your toilet once a month which keeps the septic system running well. Also avoid using antibacterial cleaning agents because it kills the good bacteria that is necessary for septic systems
Buy RidX it keeps bacteria levels high which is what you want for waste material in tank also maybe some root killer to rid of any roots that may grow and cause problems
Use Rid-x once a mth. to keep Bacteria active.
This is kind of personal but don't flush tampons down the toilet, they don't decompose. They will eventually clog the holding tank and it's embarrasing when the septic people have to come out and clean it. Trust me, I learned from experience.
Yes, upkeep is good. If you use a lot of TP you probably need to have it pumped once every 12 - 18 months. Also there is bacterial organisms you can use to keep it working. Call your mom and she will give you the number.
be careful about what goes into the tank. grease, plastics, excessive amounts of tissue, tampons and cleaning chemicals can all cause backups and/ or other problems. as for the septic treatment chemical, they can cause problems if you put it into the system when the tank is empty or if the tank is really old (15 years or more). usually the tank takes about a month to full up again and start the decomposition process, so don't add any septic chemicals for at least 2 months. if you live in a northern climate (winters that average temp below 32 degrees) i would recommend not adding any treatment chemicals as the winter changes the decomposition process drastically.
Hello Sunshine... Yes, if there is anything that I know about it is for sure septic tanks since my homes have had that method of waste disposal for years. First. You will need to check with the previous owner and locate the exact placement of the drain field. Mark it out with some permanent stakes so you can identify it many years from now. Do not drive heavy equipment over that area. Second. Place all cooking waste oils and greases into lidded jars and deliver them to the trash collector. Do not send oily greasy waste from the kitchen down into your septic tank. Third. Your local hardware store sells septic tank treatment kits which have a little jar of this bacteria stuff you need growing inside your septic tank. I would stick a bottle of that into your septic tank every six to nine months to replace the bacteria killed by chlorine from your washer dryer system. Fourth. Get a good measurement of the depth of local ground water in your subdivision or on your property. What you want to learn about is the estimated distance between the bottom of your septic tank and the local water table. If the tank sits with its bottom close to the water level below ground, there is a chance that in time of flooding, extended rains, etc. the tank could float to the surface. An empty tank could do that fairly easily and that is a major problem for a home owner. To combat this issue you need to fill the tank with water - almost to the top. It cannot float up if full of water and sludge. At that point, however, keep in mind that new flushes will not work for a while...the waters must receede first. Hope this helps you folks out. Zah
I was on a septic tank for 10 years and never had any problems with it. Watch what you flush down the toilet. Many "feminine" products don't dissolve in the septic tank and will cause a build-up that has to be pumped out (wife just threw it away in the trash instead of flushing). Soaps can also upset the septic tank, so when you have a big load of clothes to wash, it's better to space the washing out. I also tried to add a box of Ridex once a month to keep the "bugs" in the tank active.