Septic Do's and Don'ts

No doubt you’re reading this page as your house has a septic system or cesspool and unlike most everything else in your house, this system didn’t come with an owner’s manual.

We’ve prepared a quick users guide for the “do’s” and “dont’s” regarding septic maintenance.

DO get any leaky appliances, faucets, or showers fixed immediately!  You’d be amazed at how much water a seemingly innocent drippy fixture can dump into your system.

DON'T dump grease, oil or fats down your system.  Septic systems have an especially hard time digesting FOG (fats, oils, and grease) and excess amounts of this stuff can prematurely clog your leaching field resulting in costly repair or replacement.

DO get a filter installed in your septic tank!  More and more towns in Massachusetts are making this mandatory, and for good reason.  Installing a filter on the outlet T is one of the biggest things you can do to help protect your system.  Our technicians make filter installation and maintenance a snap, so make sure you ask one of our techs about filter’s today!

DON'T run every water using appliance (including the shower) at the same time!  On Cape Cod septic tanks come in two sizes, 1,000 and 1,500 gallons and in this case, bigger is better.  Washing machines can use up to 40 gallons of water per load, most dish washers use 5-6, while toilets and showers contribute their share likewise.  It's not that your system can’t handle this load, but rather when all are used at once it creates tremendous turbidity in your tank and that’s bad.

DO think twice about what you dump down the drain.  Your septic system is a living mini ecosystem that contains active and beneficial bacteria that break down the organic wastes that wind up in the tank.  Drain cleaners, commercial cleaning agents, and other household products can all negatively impact the regeneration cycle of the naturally occurring bacteria.  That’s bad.

DON'T dump food down the tank.  Even if you have a garbage disposal, use it sparingly and pump often.  Coffee grinds, eggshells, and other seemingly harmless foodstuffs can sit in your septic tank for a long, long, long time.  Your septic tank was designed to process partially digested foodstuffs – not raw organic matter.  Make sure you use a sink trap or drain basket to prevent vegetable peels and other kitchen wastes from finding their way into the tank.

And lastly – NEVER TRY TO FIX YOUR SYSTEM YOURSELF!  This seems like a no brainier, but unfortunately every year too many people die trying to be their own septic repairman.  Leave the job to the professionals!  Cement corrodes over time, lids can wear down, and of course the methane gasses in the tank can lead to oxygen deficiency.  Our technicians are professionals and have years of experience, so please give us a call before you try to go the Bob Villa route!  

Last updated: July 8, 2011