Common Septic Questions
There are several items that can cause damage to your septic system. These include: Feminine hygiene products, excessive toilet paper use, baby/face wipes, condoms, medication/vitamins, grease, paint, food, kitty litter, bleach and fabric softeners. Plus many more. It is also recommended to use liquid or gel detergent for your washing machine and dishwasher. You should avoid using powdered detergent.
We recommend not using a garbage disposal with a septic system. The use of a garbage disposal will dramatically effect the amount of scum and sludge produced, and will significantly increase your need for pumping.
It is very important for you to know the location of your septic tank- and to also know about the components. This is important for the following reasons:
- You need to clean and maintain your system.
- Trees and shrubs need to be kept from overgrowing and harming your system.
- New walkways, sheds, home additions cannot be built over your septic system.
- Do not allow vehicles to park or drive over the septic system.
Each septic tank has 1-5 lids that will allow you access to the septic tank. The lids will either be risered to grade, or they will be slightly below the surface of the ground, and need to be exposed.
If your lids are more than 2-3 inches under the soil we can install risers for you to make this easier. Risers extend the lids of your septic tanks to ground level. Having risers installed will save you time and money every time you need your septic tank pumped or are having a problem. They will also help you with your maintenance. Risers are required on new systems.
Your septic tank should generally be pumped every 3 years, depending on how many people are in the home. Even more often with heavy use of toilet paper or if you use a garbage disposal.
You can contact the King County Health Dept and request an "AsBuilt" to help you locate your tank. We also offer electronic tank locating and probing services to help you with locating your tank.
Your filter needs to be cleaned every 6 to 12 months. Not every septic tank system will have a filter.
We suggest not building or landscaping over any part of your drainfield or your septic system. These can cause costly damage to occur to the system.
No - you should not do all of your laundry on the same day. Doing multiple loads of laundry at the same time along with showers and other household activities that require alot of water will cause excessive water discharge into the septic system. This is the number one danger to drainfields. Try to just do one load in the morning and one load in the evening.
Please let us know if you are having your tank pumped for a real estate sale.
These are both signs that your septic tank system is having problems. It could mean several things, your pump may be failing, your lines may be clogged or there could be a problem with your drainfield. Getting your septic tank pumped and inspected is usually the first thing recommended.
The pump tank should be pumped every 2nd time you have your septic tank pumped- depending on the size and usage of your tank.
The main components of a septic system are:
- The Septic Tank
- Pump Tank & Pump
- Drainfield
- Inlet and/or Outlet Baffles
- Filters