With summer comes the arrival of humidity, high heat, and summer showers. To ensure you avoid any headache-induced sewer trouble, it’s important to carve out a day for some maintenance. While routine septic inspections by qualified contractors can limit your chances of funky trouble, there are a couple of things you can do to make sure your septic system remains fully operational during the summer months.

Summer Septic Tank Maintenance

Dealing with septic issues during days you would rather be lounging by the pool can be frustrating. After all, you want your summer to be full of relaxation and not questions like “How does a septic tank work?” 

To avoid this, take a look at our septic tank maintenance checklist below. Not only will they save you money down the line, they’ll keep your summer smooth sailing. 

1. Get Your Septic Tank Pumped

If you notice your toilets aren’t flushing efficiently or that they run in the middle of the day when not being used, you might be due for a septic tank pumping. When too much wastewater flows into your septic tank and there is no room for it to go, you might find yourself dealing with these issues. To make sure you don’t have backed-up toilets when guests are over this summer, schedule a septic tank pump. 

2. Clean or Replace Your Effluent Filter

To ensure your septic system is performing at an optimal level, check your effluent filters. When operating correctly, they protect your drain field from non-degradable materials that can cause clogs. 

3. Watch for Drainfield Stress

Summer storms can bring heavy rain, leading to excessive drain field stress that results in water puddles and sopping wet grass. To ensure your gutter performs and doesn’t bombard the drain field with excess contaminants, have a professional plumbing inspector come by your home to check for potential signs of trouble. 

4. Tidy Up Your Yard

Summer is for perfectly manicured lawns. Take a day to clean up the land around your septic system to limit the chances of debris causing water to pool in the area. Not only can this affect your drain field’s ability to treat the wastewater, but it also impairs its ability to naturally filter as well.

5. Avoid Harsh Cleaning Products

When using strong chemical products to clean your septic tank, you negatively affect the good bacteria used to break down solids. To avoid accidentally damaging your septic system, purchase either a natural or septic-safe cleaning solution. 

6. Be Mindful of Water Consumption

With high heat and more family members at home during the summer months, it is likely that your household will use more water than usual. To avoid water overconsumption that causes your septic to overload, try some of the following tips:

• Shorter showers
• Limited daily laundry loads
• Installing energy-efficient appliances

7. Don’t Pour Grease Down Drains

While BBQs are a summer staple, pouring the grease from your cookout will clog your drains. Keep in mind that you should NEVER pour grease, oil, or fats down your garbage disposal because they harden once dry. Keep your drains fully functional and dispose of your cooking debris in garbage bins instead. 

Vacations and Your Septic System

If you plan on being away from your home for prolonged periods, consider scheduling a septic inspection before your vacation. By doing so, you can eliminate the risk of coming home to a septic disaster that could have been prevented in the first place. 

Summer Parties and Your Septic System

Parties are a summer tradition, especially when school’s out for your kids. To prepare for guests and ensure your septic can handle the extra waste, have your septic pumped before inviting over large groups of people. Not only will this ensure your septic system is functioning properly, but it will also prevent any other septic problems from arising during the days you are home more often than usual. 

Year Round Septic System Guidelines

Throughout every season, your septic system can suffer. Because of this, there are a couple of household tips that can keep your septic in peak condition. To reduce costly repair costs, consider abiding by the following pieces of advice:

• Avoid flushing items other than toilet paper down the toilet as this can lead to sewer system backups. 
• Do not put toxic chemicals and solutions down your drains as this will kill good bacteria in the septic tank breaking down solids.
• Try to conserve water as much as possible by shortening the amount of time you spend in the shower and running the faucet. 
• Do not put grease or oil down the sink when you are cooking.
• Consider doing laundry throughout the week rather than on one designated day. 

Why Hire an Expert?

When it comes to cleaning and pumping out your septic system, it’s best to let the professionals handle it. From saving money on accidental mishaps to abiding by regulations, there are many downsides to DIYing your septic maintenance that you may not have considered:

• Compliance

Though we don’t think much of it, our septic systems are actually regulated by the local government by way of laws and regulations. By hiring a professional septic system service provider, you can ensure your maintenance practices comply with local laws, leaving no room for second-guessing or overlooked steps.

• Experience

There are many benefits attached to hiring a septic system service technician. Not only do they come equipped with professional training, they have knowledge gained from experience to guide them. By hiring a qualified professional, you can limit the likelihood of unanticipated complications that occur during maintenance.

• Quality

You want to know the person you hired did their job correctly. Professional technicians come with the necessary training to offer quality services to homeowners needing septic maintenance help. Not only do they know how to clean your system so it remains fully operational, they know what to do to keep your septic system running smoothly for years down the road. 

• Safety

While homeowners do not think much of it, septic system maintenance comes with a host of safety concerns. By hiring an experienced tech, they will follow protocols that ensure their safety when operating certain equipment and machinery. If you don’t have access to the proper tools to clean and repair your septic, you could risk your safety. Because of this, it is important to keep septic maintenance with professionals who know how to run a safe project and prevent accidents from occurring. 

Get Your Septic Tank Ready for Summer

Regardless of the time of year, you need to regularly get your septic tank serviced and inspected. Routine septic tank cleaning is key to keeping your system fully operational. 

Rather than attempting to complete the project on your own and risking your safety, consider hiring a professional company like Mullin Plumbing to do the job for you. Not only are our techs trained in abiding by local laws to fix your septic system, but they also come equipped with years of experience. Book a septic tank service with us today.