Here’s a good reason why you should keep your septic tank properly maintained: the average two-bathroom, three-occupant household produces more than 85,000 gallons of wastewater every single year, or between 250 and 300 gallons a day! Your septic tank is what stands between your untreated wastewater and the drain field. Without a working septic system, you could contribute to major ground and surface water pollution, property damage and health risks.
With this in mind, here are a few tips to help you keep up with septic tank maintenance in Modesto, CA:
- Regularly inspect your septic system: At least once a year you should arrange to have a septic system professional come out and take a close look at your septic tank. These inspections will give you a good indication as to when you need to have your septic tank pumped, and will help you uncover any potential problems with your system before they turn into major (and expensive) issues. Never underestimate the importance of these regular inspections—they have been known to save people thousands of dollars.
- Pump the system whenever necessary: Never wait until there’s some sort of problem within your septic system to pump it out. Regularly pumping the system can prevent critical system failures and other expensive issues. In most cases, septic tanks are pumped every three to five years, but the results of your inspection might show you need to do so more often than that. Keep up with these pumps so you can keep your system functioning well for years into the future.
- Stay organized: Keep a full, accurate set of records about your maintenance and pumps so future owners of your home know how well the system has been maintained. You should also have a diagram of your system’s location on hand for your own records so you better understand the issues being examined by your inspector.
- Conserve water as much as possible: It makes sense, right? The less wastewater you are producing in your household, the less strain and stress you are putting on your home’s septic system. If you are able to cut back on the amount of water you are using, you are going to be able to dramatically extend the life of your overall system, especially the drain field. This will also reduce the chances of your having to make some significant repairs to the system down the road.
- Always ask for help when you need it: If you believe your system is malfunctioning or working in any way that seems abnormal, do not hesitate to contact a professional for help. Never try to “flush it out” or let the problem work itself out. You should know your system well enough to realize when something is going wrong. It’s up to you to make the call to a professional to stop the problem before it turns severe.
For more information about septic tank maintenance in Modesto, CA, contact the team of skilled technicians at Alvarado Pumping Septic Service today.