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While many Americans use city sewers to dispose of the waste water in their home, there are many rural homes that use septic tank plumbing. Alpharetta residents should be aware of several things that will keep their system running well. Use Less Water Many homeowners think that plain water in the septic system is not a problem, but too much can be a very serious problem. The extra water can carry solids out to the drainfield where they clog the holes in the pipes. This can back the system up and overflow the holding tank. The extra water can also dilute the natural bacteria in the tank that breaks down the solids. If the solids are not being broken down, they can begin to clog the drains into the holding tank as well as the ones going out. This is another problem that can overflow the tank. A general guide is to use 40-50 gallons of water per day per person. To put in perspective, the average bathtub holds about 40 gallons. The biggest problem is having a laundry day instead of doing a load or two every day. The Garbage Disposal Another common problem is the garbage disposal. A garbage disposal works to grind up food scraps to small enough pieces to get down the drain. But, the pieces are not so fine that they can’t flow out with the liquid wastes. This again clogs the drains in the tank and in the drainfield. Solid food waste should be scrapped into the trash can. Things like egg shells, coffee, or tea should never go down the drain because they adversely affect the good bacteria in the tank. Chemical Cleaners One of the biggest foes to the natural bacteria in the tank is household cleaners. Many of them use bleach or other chemicals that can kill the bacteria. But, homeowners will oftentimes dump other chemicals down the drain. Cleaning a paintbrush or washing out insect sprayer can be just as harmful as the chemical cleaners. Even the brine solution from a water softener can be detrimental to the bacteria. As a general rule, mild soaps, human waste, toilet paper, and rinse waters should be the only things going into the septic system. When dealing with septic tank plumbing, Alpharetta homeowners should pay attention to what goes down the drain. While most things will fit down the drain, not everything should be flushed.
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septic, tank, plumbing, Alpharetta,
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