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Septic System Maintenance Advice - Ten Steps in Septic System Care
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• How to Take Care of A Septic System, 2007 Updated Advice - Ten Simple Septic Maintenance Steps

How to take care of your septic system - latest septic system maintenance advice for homeowners. With rising septic repair prices and changing weather patterns due at least in part to global warming, septic maintenance is even more critical to keep a healthy home and yard and to avoid costly septic system repairs. Here is our updated septic system maintenance advice in a nutshell. More in-depth information about onsite wastewater disposal and septic systems is at the septic system links shown at the left on this page.

The original content of this page was produced by the U.S. EPA with edits and addition of references to more in-depth information resources about onsite waste disposal inspection, diagnosis, repair, maintenance by DJF.

© Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

An Expanded Version of The EPA Septic Care Guide - Ten Simple Steps to Septic System Maintenance

Septic drainfield failures or sewage backups may be more common than some people realize. As the EPS said in the original and brief article on septic system care, "if your septic tank failed, or you know someone whose did, you are not alone. As a homeowner, you are responsible for maintaining your septic system. Proper septic system maintenance will help keep your system from failing and will help maintain your investment in your home. Failing septic systems can contaminate the ground water that you or your neighbors drink and can pollute nearby rivers, lakes and coastal waters." - [Original text, U.S. EPA, editing/additions by author]

People normally seem to forget about their septic tank and drainfield until there are odors, slow drains, sewage backups, or sewage coming up in the yard - signs of a septic system problem. You can greatly extend the life of a septic system by taking care of it. The most basic step in septic system care is to have the tank pumped on schedule. That's far more important than any magic additives, septic helper, or septic chemicals which usually are of little use and sometimes are downright harmful.

Here are ten simple steps that the US EPA suggested in order to keep your septic system working, with additional comments added by an experienced septic system inspector.

1. Locate your septic tank and drainfield. Keep a drawing of these locations in your records. See HOW TO FIND A SEPTIC TANK and also see our video on how to find septic components: Drainfield Location
2. Have your septic system inspected at least every three years. [Home buyers should be sure to review our Buyer's Guide Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems Inspection & Testing -- DF]
3. Pump your septic tank as needed (generally every three to five years). [Actually, to get this right, see our Tank Pumping Frequency Guide --DF]
4. Don't dispose of household hazardous wastes in sinks or toilets. [See our WHAT CAN GO INTO TOILETS & DRAINS?
   NEVER FLUSH INTO SEPTICS, BETTER NOT TO FLUSH, and HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS articles to learn what to keep out of your septic tank to prolong its life --DF]
5. Keep other household items, such as dental floss [trivial--DF], feminine hygiene products, condoms, diapers, and cat litter out of your system.
6. Use water efficiently. [Reducing water usage reduces the load on your drainfield -- DF] See our articles GREYWATER SYSTEMS and TOILET ALTERNATIVES
7. Plant only grass over and near your septic system. Roots from nearby trees or shrubs might clog and damage the system. Also, do not apply manure or fertilizers over the drainfield. [See our article, Planting Over Septic Fields for more details --DF]
8. Keep vehicles and livestock off your septic system. The weight can damage the pipes and tank, and your system may not drain properly under compacted soil. See SEPTIC FIELD FAILURE CAUSES
9. Keep roof gutters and basement sump pumps from draining into or near your septic system. [And very important, keep surface runoff and subsurface runoff away from the septic tank and drainfield -- DF]
10. Check with your local health department before using additives. Commercial septic tank additives do not eliminate the need for periodic pumping and can be harmful to your system. [Actually most septic tank additives don't help, some septic tank additives are highly caustic or toxic and contaminate the environment, some hurt (like yeast), and some or perhaps all (depending on where you live) are illegal to apply - see Septic System Additives & Chemicals for Septic Tank and Drainfield "Maintenance," "Un-Clogging," or "Repair" - Septic Tank Treatment -- DF]

The U.S. EPA does not regulate septic systems, however, state and local governments do regulate the use of these systems. Just about any question you could ask about residential septic system care, septic system maintenance, installation, design basics, tank pumping, field installation, and repair, is at our (DF's) Septic Systems Home Page. Owners and occupants of homes with septic systems and people who inspect or service septic systems should also review Septic System Safety --DJF]

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Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

• Additives & Chemicals: Septic System Maintenance - Are they even needed? Are they even legal?
• Buyer's Guide Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems Inspection & Testing - What to Do, Step by Step.
• Clogged Drain Diagnosis - is the problem the septic system or the Building drain system?
• Don't Flush these things into a septic system: a list of what's ok and what's not ok to put into septic tanks and building drains
• SEPTIC FAILURE CAUSES for Septic Systems, septic tanks, septic drainfields, cesspools, drywells, distribution piping
• Safety: Septic System, Septic Tank, & Cesspool Safety Warnings for Septic Inspectors, Septic Pumpers, and Homeowners
• Tank Pumping Frequency Guide for Septic Tanks: When, How, What to Watch For when pumping or cleaning septic tanks
• What is a Septic System An Engineer's View, provided by Lockwood Engineering, & Septic System FAQ's

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More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

• The Septic System Information Website home page for this topic
• Septic Systems Inspection, Testing, & Maintenance- online textbook. Detailed how to inspect, maintain, repair information
• The Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems
• Septic Tank Pumping Guide: When, Why, How to pump the septic tank
• Home & Outdoor Living Water Requirements
• Septic Tank Capacity vs Usage in Daily Gallons of Wastewater Flow, calculating required septic tank size, calculating septic tank volume from size measurements
• How Big Should the Leach Field Be? - table of soil percolation rate vs. field size
• Septic System Drainfield Absorption System Biomat Formation - what leads to drain field clogging and expensive drainfield repairs
• Table of Required Clearances: Distances Between Septic System & Wells, Streams, Trees, etc.

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