Septic System Maintenance Tips

Maintenance Tips for Your Septic System

Here are various maintenance tips to help you with your septic needs. When you're ready for your service, call A-1 Wastewater Services Inc today.

The Do's of Septic Maintenance

• Keep chlorine tablets in aerobic system (this does not apply to systems utilizing a drip system). Chlorine kills water born diseases.

• Only use chlorine tablets made specifically for wastewater disinfection.

• Use liquid detergents in washing machines to avoid clay build up found in powder detergents

• Exterminate ants around air pump and lids of unit (warranty will not cover damage done to unit by ants).

• Keep grass and weeds from growing under lids and into air pump.

• Following the expiration of the 2-year initial warranty on your aerobic system, the state requires you have a service contract which will provide preventive maintenance. Preventive maintenance includes checking the aerator, alarm, odor, pH, and scum build up. The aerobic system should be serviced every four months.

• Have system cleaned every 2-3 years. This recommendation is made by the State of Texas. Cleaning your system will prevent sludge from building up and being pushed out into the pumps and lines, which shortens the life of the pumps.

The Don'ts of Septic Maintenance

• Do not dispose of trash using your toilet.

• Do not dispose of plastics, razor blades, condoms, tampons, disposable wipes, etc. in the system. These items will cause blockage in strainers, filers, and lines (warranty does not cover negligence). Use only biodegradable products in toilets.

• Do not use the following in toilets: in tank-bowl cleaners or toilet bowl deodorizers, as continued use will kill the bacteria in your unit.

• Do not use chlorine tablets made for swimming pools.
  

The Importance of Using The Correct Chlorine Tablets

When disinfection of secondarily treated wastewater effluent is required, and you are using chlorine tablets, it is important that you use a chlorine tablet that is made from calcium hypochlorite and is certified for wastewater disinfection by EPA. They are very reactive and will kill 99% of the bacteria present in the effluent within 10 minutes. Follow all warning and precaution statements of the chlorine tablet manufacturer to protect yourself and the system equipment.

Warning: do not use swimming pool chlorine tablets in your disinfection system. The chlorine in these tablets are made from trichlorisocyanuric acid. Swimming pool tablets dissolve more slowly than calcium hypochlorite and do not thoroughly disinfect the effluent.

Additionally, there is a danger of explosion using swimming pool tablets since the tablets will release an explosive gas called nitrogen chloride due to the fact that they are not totally immersed in water at all times while in use. They are not approved by the EPA for wastewater effluent disinfection.

Maintenance Contract Requirement

Ongoing maintenance contracts are required for systems that use secondary treatment systems, non-standard treatment systems, drip irrigation, and surface application disposal. However, in counties with a population of less than 40,000, the owners of single-family residences can maintain their own aerobic treatment unit provided they received training from the manufacturer.

What Maintenance Company Will Do

• The maintenance company installs a tag or some other form of identification on the system at the beginning of each maintenance contract.
• The identification shall either be punched or marked at the time of each visit, including responses to owner complaints, to provide the owner with a record of the visit.
• Inspect components of the system and note whether every component is working during each site visit.
• Submit a report to the permitting authority and owner at least once every four months.