How to Maintain a Septic System

Maintaining your septic tank can save hundreds of dollars in the long run from repair costs.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• yeast
• septic safe toilet paper
• reliable pumping company

1. Choose a toilet paper that is "septic tank safe" or "septic system safe". Using the wrong kind of toilet paper can back up your septic tank or leech fields causing the need to have it pumped more often.

2. Flush yeast down your toilet once a month - about one cup. Yeast helps break up waste naturally without chemicals. This also helps decrease the need for pumping. Yeast does the exact same thing as Rid-X, only cheaper and natural.

3. Educate your family on using less toilet paper - only what's necessary. If you're comfortable with cutting down on flushes, this can also help your tank. There's a saying, "if it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down!"

Tips & Warnings

• Buy septic friendly toilet paper
• try to cut down on flushes
• Use minimal toilet paper

[septicdesignCOM]

on 12/10/2008 Don't use additives of any kind (chemical or biological). They won't help the functioning of your septic tank and may harm it. A cup of yeast probably won't hurt but won't help either. I'm a septic system design consultant, I should know :-). Stuart

[heatherschulte]

on 12/9/2008 Thank you for the yeast tip! I had no idea. Will be using that instead.

[Psalmist4M]

on 12/7/2008 Excellent, good advice and cost saving! 5*scherylgoff.com

[Jennywrites]

on 11/4/2008 Holy Cow! Yeast?! Who would have thought!! Thank you!