Some of Atlanta’s water customers have septic tanks rather than sewer connections. Making sure septic tanks function properly requires a degree of maintenance on the part of the homeowner. Here are some tips for keeping your septic tank in good working order:

-Don’t pour grease, oils, dairy products, chocolate or bits of food down the kitchen drain. These food items cause blockages and backups, both in septic systems and your home plumbing.

-Compost food scraps rather than using a garbage disposal.

-Wipe greasy dishes and pans with a paper towel before washing them. After it has cooled, scrape leftovers grease into a piece of aluminum foil, fold it over and then dispose of it in your garbage can.

-Don’t put floor sweepings, floss, sanitary napkins, cat litter, food products (such as coffee grounds) or cigarette butts in your toilet. They can cause blockages and backups. Instead, put these items in the garbage.

-Flush human waste and toilet paper only.

As a preventative measure, have your septic system inspected and pumped every five years.

Possible Signs of Trouble

The septic tank has not been pumped out in the past five years. Even if the system appears to be working well, sludge may have built up to the point where waste water is released without sufficient time in the tank for treatment and settling of particles. This situation may result in pollution of groundwater or cause eventual clogging of the drainfield.

A wet area or standing water occurs above the drainfield. This situation can develop when sludge particles clog the drainfield, when tree roots or broken pipes keep the waste water from dispersing through the entire drainfield, or when water use in the house regularly exceeds the design capacity of the system. When these conditions occur, waste water does not move through the soil as it should, and instead rises to the surface creating a serious health risk and odor problems.

Toilets run slowly or backup: in the worst cases, the basement is flooded with sewage. This can be the result of plugged sewer lines to the tank, a plugged inlet or outlet pipe, a full septic tank, or a failed drainfield.

Septic odors occur in the house, above the tank and drainfield, or escape from the vent pipe. If the system is operating properly, there should be no odors. If there are odors, it can be an early warning sign that the system is failing.

Checklist for Good Septic Tank Maintenance

* Check your system annually for leaks and sludge.
* Have your septic tank pumped by a licensed pumping contractor.
* Practice water conservation. Repair leaky faucets and toilets. Spread clothes washing over the
* entire week, and operate only with a full load of laundry.
* Learn the location of your septic systems. Make a map and keep it handy.
* Keep a maintenance record.

For general septic repair advice, contact your local health department, or experienced septic engineer or contractor in your area. Author Resource:- Rhonda Duffy, best known as a consumer advocate and the #1 Agent in Georgia, hosts 2 weekly radio shows on A.M. talk channels in Atlanta, has licensed her business model to 55 cities, is a licensed auctioneer and a master coach in NLP. She is the author of many products and coaches people everyday. Rhonda is proud that she is a big community supporter as well with both pro bono auctions and homeless and pet charities.

Filed under: Real Estate