Everyone’s favorite septic contractor, Sam Dean at Brandon Septic in Brandon, Florida, has the following “do and don’t” advice for efficient septic system maintenance:

Do:

Spread laundry washing over the week, rather than doing many loads on a single day.
Make a record of where the important parts of your system are located for future septic system maintenance – for example, field repairs or tank pump outs.
Have professional septic pumping done on a regular basis.
Keep records of maintenance, service and pump outs.
Use water-saving showerheads and low-flush toilets.
Check siphons, pumps and other moving parts of your system regularly.
Run water regularly in rarely used drains such as showers, tubs, sinks, etc. to avoid the buildup of noxious gases that can cause indoor odors.

Don’t:

Overload your system with high volumes of water.
Allow large amounts of solvents, chemicals, or fats to enter the system. And do not allow any plastics whatsoever to enter.
Allow heavy equipment or vehicles to park or drive over the drain field. This can compact the soil, crush the piping, and result in serious septic problems.
Plant anything over the drain field except grass. Especially don’t cover the field or tank with concrete, asphalt or any other impermeable substance.
Above everything else – don’t wait for signs of malfunction. Have a professional septic system maintenance technician perform regular cleaning and servicing.

Note: Be cautious about items marked ‘septic safe’. For example, some cat litter and baby wipes are labeled this way, but it’s not a good idea to flush anything down your toilet other than toilet paper and human waste.

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