Holiday Tips To Prevent A Septic System Emergency
With the holidays upon us and family and friends visiting, it’s more important than ever that your septic system keeps a delicate balance to function well; if its equilibrium goes out of balance, it can ruin your holidays. With that in mind, here is a guide- Holiday Tips To Prevent A Septic System Emergency.
How to Avoid a Holiday Septic System Emergency
If you haven’t had your septic system inspected and pumped in over three years, you have a probable disaster brewing. Here are a few ways to prevent your septic system from failing while you have guests over.
Take Good Care of Your Septic System
Monitoring what goes into your septic system is a great way to ensure you don’t experience a septic system emergency during a holiday event. Here are some tips:
- Don’t flush additives into your septic system. Additives can destroy good bacteria that consume sewage in your septic tank. If the bacteria is wiped out, waste will compile in your septic tank and ultimately back into your house, which is not something you want over the holidays.
- Avoid guests parking heavy vehicles over your drainfield; it could cause them to cave in.
- Keep trees or shrubs from growing over your drainfields. Roots are one of the most destructive things to any septic system.
Point downspouts from your gutters away from areas with drainfields; it could waterlog them. - Using a high volume of water at one time is not good for your septic system, especially if your septic tank is nearly full or there are clogs in the line. Using a high volume of water can be hazardous and causes your toilets or drains to back up with wastewater. Installing low-flush toilets or low-flow shower heads will reduce the amount of water used and the risk of a backup.
- Limit the practice of using garbage disposals; too much solid waste can easily create a clog.
- Don’t flush foreign objects in your toilet. Baby wipes, cotton balls, tissues, dental floss, tampons, paper towels, diapers, plastic wrap, and other such items can create clogs and will cause a backup; make sure your holiday guests are aware of these restrictions.
- Never, ever pour caustic and flammable liquids such as gasoline or paint thinners into your septic system. They kill helpful bacteria and could cause an explosion.
How to Identify Problems with Your Septic System Before a Holiday Gathering
Some of these signs are easier to spot than others, but all of them should be taken seriously:
- Toilets backing up.
- A foul black liquid enters your toilet.
- An overwhelming stench from your drain field.
- Puddles of wastewater are standing in your yard.
- Plumbing attached to the septic system that bubbles and groans.
- Slow-draining water in toilets, showers, and sinks.
What to do in a Holiday Septic Emergency?
A septic system emergency is never welcome, especially during the holidays, and should quickly be dealt with. The ideal way to handle a holiday septic emergency isn’t to try to fix yourself; always hire an experienced and qualified Lakeland septic service. They will inspect the septic system to find the root cause of the issue and then quickly take action to rectify it.
Lakeland Septic Can Prevent Holiday Septic Emergencies
Contact us today if you reside in the wider Lakeland or Polk County areas. Don’t let your holiday celebration with family and friends turn into a septic emergency nightmare.
