How to Care for Your Septic System in Boise

Most of the time, you probably don’t think about your septic system, as long as it’s running smoothly. Even so, it is important to know how to properly care for a septic tank and avoid common problems with your system.

Septic Tank Maintenance and Care Tips

There are many ways you can help keep your septic system functioning properly:

1)     Pour grease in the garbage. Many people ask questions such as, “Can you pour grease down the garbage disposal/drain/sink?” and “Does grease clog drains?” We want to make something very clear – grease clogs drains, and is terrible for your septic system. You should never put bacon, hamburger, or other grease down your sink, garbage disposal or other drain. If you dump it down the drain, it can clog the holes in your leach field and cause big problems.

2)    Use liquid or gel detergents in your dishwasher and clothes washer. Powder detergents contain fillers that can harm your septic system. 

3)    Space out the laundry loads. Doing multiple loads of laundry in one day is very hard on your drain field, because the ground cannot absorb all the gray water at once.

4)    Flush only toilet paper. We cannot stress this enough. Sanitary napkins, tampons, paper towels, Clorox wipes, and even wipes that are labeled “flushable” should be thrown in the garbage. These items do not break down in your septic tank and add to the solid waste. If you don’t like to see those things in your garbage, try buying a trash can with a lid.

 

By keeping your septic system professionally pumped and maintained, and doing the things listed above, you can avoid problems. However, you still need to have your septic tank pumped every 2-5 years and inspected on a regular basis. 

ASAP Septic offers the pumping and maintenance services to keep your system in top shape, and we are here for you when something goes wrong. We’ve been serving the Boise, McCall, and Mountain Home areas since the 1990s. Contact us today for all your septic system needs.