3 Environmental Consequences of Septic System Neglect

Do your septic tank filters keep clogging? There could be many reasons why this issue is happening. The effluent filter, or outlet filter, is responsible for draining and filtering out sewage waste from the tank. If this area gets clogged, sewage could back up into your home, causing a whole other headache. Don’t let this happen by understanding what’s creating this mess.

Using the Wrong Cleaning Products

You may not initially realize that the way you must clean and treat septic systems are vastly different from families with sewage systems. Pouring the incorrect chemicals or cleaning products into the tank is a primary culprit contributing to clogged filters. These products kill the healthy bacteria in the tank, leaving excess solids that can’t correctly drain through the filters, eventually clogging the drain. Try throwing rotten tomatoes in the tank or dry baking yeast to break down solids while keeping the bacteria ecosystem intact.

Washing Machine Lint

Washing machine lint may be the reason why your septic tank filters keep clogging—who would have known? Some of the lint from your laundry could make its way into your tank and prevent adequate drainage. A lint filter at the end of your outlet hose should clear up this problem in no time.

Flushing Foreign Materials Down Toilets and Drains

If you’re flushing various objects or foreign materials down drains and toilets, this could contribute to clogging because these items won’t decompose or degrade in the tank. Cigarette butts, for example, could build up near the filter, preventing effluent drainage. Avoid tossing anything other than what you should down the drains. If you live with a family, consider teaching your children the dos and don’ts of flushing items. But if you do face issues with foreign materials getting into the drainage system, you’ll need to call a septic contractor to remove them.

Generating Too Much Wastewater

The most common issue that arises with septic filters is generating too much wastewater in a short period. Excess wastewater will cause the tank to experience a disturbance in retention time. This will push solids against the filter screen, preventing proper drainage. This won’t happen often unless multiple people use sinks, showers, and toilets around the same time. To ensure this issue doesn’t occur, understand the capacity of your septic tank so that you never cause it to overflow.

Effluent filters are essential for maintaining your septic tank. If you find that it’s ever clogged, you must work through different solutions to prevent this from happening in the future. Follow the proper maintenance tips and receive a tank pumping every three to five years. If you’re unsure whether the issue you’re experiencing will harm the system, don’t hesitate to contact us at Brandon Septic.

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