Looking After Your Septic System Between Cleans

Your septic tank relies on a living balance of bacteria to break down waste. Look after that balance — and the soil around the system — and you'll get reliable performance and a longer gap between professional cleans. Here's how.

Watch what goes down the drain

The single biggest factor in septic health is what you put into it. The tank is designed for wastewater and what naturally comes with it — not for everything else that fits down a drain. Keep these out of the system:

• Wet wipes, nappies, and sanitary products — even "flushable" wipes don't break down and are a leading cause of blockages.
• Fats, oils, and grease — they congeal inside the tank and clog the outlet.
• Food scraps and coffee grounds — these add solids the tank has to store.
• Paper towel, tissues, and cotton products — they don't break down like toilet paper.

A good rule: only the three Ps — pee, poo, and (toilet) paper — belong in the bowl.

Go easy on harsh chemicals

The bacteria in your tank are what make it work. Pouring large amounts of bleach, drain cleaner, antibacterial cleaners, or solvents down the drain kills those bacteria and slows the whole system down. Use them sparingly, choose septic-safe products where you can, and space out heavy cleaning so the tank can recover.

Spread out your water use

A septic tank works best when water trickles through steadily, giving solids time to settle. Flooding it with water all at once — running the washing machine, dishwasher, and a couple of showers back to back — pushes solids out before they've settled. Spread laundry across the week, fix dripping taps and running toilets, and your tank will thank you for it.

Protect the drain field

The drain field is where treated liquid soaks back into the soil, and it's easily damaged. Keep it healthy by:

• Never parking or driving vehicles over it — the weight compacts the soil.
• Keeping large trees and shrubs well away, so roots don't invade the pipes.
• Directing stormwater, downpipes, and pool backwash away from the area.
• Planting only shallow-rooted grass over the top.

Keep up with regular pump-outs

No amount of good habits replaces a periodic professional clean — but those habits do make each clean go further. Stick to a sensible pumping schedule, usually every three to five years, and keep a note of when it was last done. Combine that with the everyday practices above and your system will run quietly and reliably for years. If you'd like a hand working out the right schedule for your property, we're only a phone call away.