Following these care and maintenance guidelines will prolong the life of your septic system. We recommend that you keep this information with your important papers. If you sell or rent your house, pass this information along to the new residents!
Remember: Maintenance is much cheaper than replacement!
One of the most important things you can do to keep the system functioning properly is to have the septic tank pumped regularly. If you don't pump regularly, scum and sludge could build up and be carried to the drainfield.
As a gallon of wastewater flows into the tank from the house, a gallon of effluent (liquid waste) flows out of the tank into the drainfield. If wastewater moves in and out of the tank too rapidly due to constant or heavy water flow, solids remaining in the wastewater may move out of the tank into the drainfield, clogging it.
More solids in wastewater will require more frequent septic tank pumping. In addition, your septic system is not able to effectively treat all materials.
While the drainfield does not require maintenance, a few precautions will help ensure proper functioning and a long service life. Remember that extra water and compaction will reduce the ability of wastewater to percolate or flow through the soil, preventing the drainfield from treating wastewater properly.