Q&A for How to Care for a Septic System

Grease will definitely hurt your septic system. It'll coat both the pipes and the inside of your septic tank, which prevents your tank from properly leaching water into the ground.

Vegetable-based soaps are the best option for keeping your septic system working well. Opt for vegetable soaps over animal-based soaps if you can.

No, vinegar won't hurt your septic tank.

Either there is not enough water going into the tank for the water level to rise high enough to exit through the outlet pipe; there is a crack in the bottom or side of the tank and the wastewater is leaking, preventing the water from rising; or the outlet pipe is blocked. It's always best to get a licensed plumber to inspect the system to ensure everything is working safely.

Either use pre-packaged products from the supermarket that have the septic safe label on them or use a natural mix of bicarbonate powder and vinegar. Keep it as natural as possible to avoid killing the healthy bacteria in the tank.

There is a dip in the drain that should always be filled with water that creates a seal between the shower and your septic tank so gas doesn't flow back into the house. If this is not working properly, or is leaking, the gas can come back into the house, causing the odor.

Locate the front of the tank - the front is where the inlet comes in from the house. Find the front edge and both sides of the tank using a probe. The lid should be around 12"-16" (boot length) in from the front center of the tank.

Smell around the base of the toilet. If it is coming from there and a wax ring was used, the ring could have deteriorated. Also make sure there is water in the bowl for the trap seal.

$6000

Remove the manhole cover, use a shovel to lift out the scum (or a brush to scrub it off), and dispose of it.

Nothing special needs to be done, as long as it isn't backing up or anything. You would simply have a great deal of well-digested waste ready for more inputs. It's a good idea to have it inspected if you're unsure it's in working order, though.

Generally, standard septic tanks are not affected by the level of rainfall.

Keep your yeast for the doughnuts. Your poop provides enough digestive bacteria to do an excellent job.

Leach field pipe is slotted so that the processed water can get out of the pipe and come in contact with the soil. Once in contact with the surrounding soil, the water then infiltrates the soil (soaks into the ground). Sun is nice to warm the ground and promote evaporation at the soil surface, but not necessary, as the dispersion pipe system is at least a foot underground. Rain is a deterrent if you receive flooding, which saturates the soil with water. If the soil around your leach field is saturated with water, then your processed septic water has no place to go.

Call your septic tank evacuator and state your concerns. Then instruct all the users in your domicile in the proper way to dispose of ANY kitchen grease and cooking oils.

If you mean an in-ground septic tank in a residence setting, then the antifreeze will kill the digestive bacteria in the tank, and septic tank contents are not digested by the bacteria that make a septic tank a disposal unit.

Yes, this is a good idea if you won't be using the septic tank during the winter.

Organic sewer gas is coming up from the sewage system and getting through the pee-trap because there is not enough water in the pee-trap to stop gas infiltration. In addition there could be trapped water in the machine that gets "ripe" after machine use because the machine is not voiding all the water.

just pour drano in a tank and a gallon and a half of pine sol in tge toilet and flush

Yes, it is safe on plumbing and septic tanks.

No, there is a float switch connected to the plug to let the pump run when the water level gets high enough to make it come on, which is normally 3 to 4 times a day depending on how much water you are using.

I think you should turn the sprinklers off when irrigation for plant requirements are satisfied.

Call your septic evacuator for possible pump out. It sounds like the fluid level is almost full.

That is an excellent way to render the septic system useless. Don't do it.

Yes, you can.

It sounds like sludge has filled the bottom of the tank up to the level of the baffle screen. Get it pumped.

Yes, but only if used every month. If it's not replaced every month, the bacteria will become insufficient.

It is not advisable to put bleach down your drain with a septic tank, as it will kill the natural bacteria that helps break down your waste.

Yes, it will: one cup once a month. Bakers yeast is the best, and it can be bought in bulk online.

If so, then all of the black and grey water drains that service the septic tank system would be indicating the same problem. If the slow draining is isolated to the bathing accommodations, then that indicates a semi-plugging of that drain branch.