The kitchen is a place where you can enjoy time with family and bond over delicious, home-cooked meals. However, it can also be the place where septic tank issues begin. Many homeowners unknowingly engage in food prep and kitchen maintenance practices that leave their septic tanks prone to damage and backups. If you follow any of these common kitchen habits, it's a good idea to stop before you end up having to call for emergency septic service.
Putting Grease Down the Drain
When you hear grease problems discussed among plumbers and homeowners, these discussions are often focused on how grease can clog a main sewer line, leading to backups. Since you don't have a sewer connection, you might assume putting some grease down the drain is okay, especially if you're careful to run the hot water and keep the grease liquid as it runs down the pipes. Sadly, this is not the case.
Even if the grease manages to make its way through your drain pipes without latching onto the walls --and in most cases, it won't--grease is notoriously bad for your septic tank. Any grease you pour down the drain ends up floating on top of the water in the tank and interfering with the way water and broken down waste flow out into your septic leech field. Fatty deposits are hard for your septic pumping professional to remove, too.
Instead of pouring cooking grease down the sink, allow it to solidify or cool, and then scoop it out into the trash can. The same goes for any greasy or oily sauces. Also make sure you wipe out any greasy pans with a paper towel before putting them in the dishwasher or washing them by hand.
Using a Garbage Disposal
Garbage disposals have made cleaning up after big meals or food prep sessions so much easier. However, many septic experts recommend against installing them in homes with septic systems because all of the ground-up food waste they send down into the septic tank increases the chances of clogs and the frequency at which you'll need to pump your tank. This food takes a while to break down and takes up space that could otherwise be utilized by human waste and waste water.
If you have a garbage disposal in your home with a septic system, the best thing you can do is to stop using it completely. But if that's not realistic, you can at least decrease the frequency of use. Try disposing of most of your food waste in a compost bin and only using the disposal when you scrape off plates. Or, only use the disposal when you are in a rush, and take the time to compost when you have it. The less you put down the disposal, the better.
Using a Lot of Bleach and Drain Cleaners
Your septic tank only works as well as it does because of the bacteria living within it. These bacteria break down the solid waste into tiny particles that are easily rinsed out into the drain field, along with water. While the bacterial population can generally withstand the occasional douse of bleach or disinfectants, constantly using these harsh chemicals in your kitchen can decrease the bacterial population significantly, slowing down the rate at which your tank empties.
So, if you are a heavy bleach user, it may be time to change your ways. There's really no reason to use gallons of bleach in your kitchen anyways. Just a tablespoon in a gallon of water is enough to sanitize your surfaces, and that amount is generally safe for your septic tank, too. Also watch your use of drain cleaners, which are even more harmful to septic bacteria. Remove drain clogs with a plunger and hot water whenever possible.
If you stop engaging in the kitchen habits above, your septic tank should continue to operate more effectively. In addition to avoiding these habits, make sure you have your system pumped by a service like
C.E. Taylor and Son, Inc every three to five years, and avoid agitating your septic drain field with heavy equipment.
