|
As telecommuting, flextime, and job-sharing opportunities are making it possible for more families to move further away from larger cities, many people will find themselves owning homes that are not hooked up to municipal sewer systems.
Many vacation homes and most homes in rural areas use septic systems as their primary means of waste removal. To people who have never owned a home that hasn't had sewer hookup, septic systems may seem daunting, but, with a little common sense and a small amount of maintenance, septic systems will provide excellent waste disposal over a lifetime of use.
Septic systems have two components--a 1,000 to 1,200 gallon tank, which can be constructed from metal, fiberglass, or concrete, and a leachfield with several leach lines surrounded by crushed stone, which disperses material through a large area of soil. Both the tank and leach pipes are installed underground.
The tank has three separate layers of wastewater. At the bottom is a sludge layer, composed of the heaviest sewage components. In the middle is a clear layer of wastewater which flows outward into the leach lines to be broken down by biological processes. The top layer is composed of scum, grease, and other floating substances.
Part of septic system maintenance involves alternate disposal of items which will settle as sludge or scum in the tank.
When disposing of food:
- Do not pour oils or grease down the kitchen drain; instead, put it in a container and put it out in the trash.
- Use a garbage disposal to grind up food and flush with water.
- Do not flush coffee grounds down the drain.
In the bathroom, it's important to:
- Never flush toilet paper rolls, disposable diapers, sanitary napkins or pads, or cigarette butts down the toilet.
- Use a biodegradable brand of toilet paper.
- Keep hair from washing down the drain when showering or shaving.
In the laundry room:
- Liquid laundry detergents are preferable to powdered detergents, as powdered detergents can clog the system.
- Heavy household cleaners can kill beneficial bacteria in the septic tank and impede the breakdown of solids, so it's best not to overuse them.
- Pesticides, paints, paint thinners, and household chemicals should not be poured down the drain.
There is some debate about the necessity of using commercial septic treatments, such as Rid-X, to maintain healthy bacteria and enzyme levels, but a commercial septic treatment, flushed down the toilet monthly, can be a cost-effective way to keep septic systems healthy.
Every three to five years, a septic system should be professionally pumped in order to remove solids from the tank. Without regular pumping, solids can spill into the leachfield and clog the soil. These time guidelines apply when a family of four is residing in a house full time. Vacation home systems will need to be pumped less frequently; large families who use more water may need to pump their systems more often.
The following symptoms can indicate a system is beginning to experience difficulties:
- Plumbing systems might drain slowly or backup. Interior lines should be checked first before looking into the sewage disposal system.
- Discharge from washing machines, dishwashers, and bathtubs could backup or overflow over the septic tank or field. When this occurs after a heavy rain, the septic system is especially suspect.
- Foul odors in catchbasins or storm drains could indicate that sewage is entering groundwater, either from the home or a neighboring property's system.
There are certain landscaping precautions a homeowner should make in a yard that contains a septic system:
- Trees should be planted at least 100 feet away from the septic system, particularly trees with wide-spread shallow roots.
- Landscaping, foundation drains, and roof gutters should be planned to divert water away from the septic system.
- It is important to plant grass over the septic system and leachfield to prevent soil erosion.
Septic systems aren't maintenance free, but, in most cases, they are less expensive for homeowners to maintain than monthly sewer bills would be. Sewers can back up, too, and require roto-rooter services.
With regular, simple maintenance, septic systems will provide a lifetime of reliable use to homeowners.
| 
