8 Costly Septic Mistakes That Start Inside the Bathroom

Here's something a lot of South Carolina homeowners don't realize: nearly 40% of households across the state rely on a septic system instead of a public sewer line, according to EPA data, which is well above the national average. That means what gets flushed in your bathroom matters a lot more than most people think. If your system has been acting up lately, it might be time to look into professional septic pumping in Lugoff before a bathroom habit turns into a backyard disaster.

Most Septic Problems Are Caused Here, not underground

Failure in the septic system is rarely due to anything underground. Rather, most of these failures start from the bathroom toilet itself. A flush of toilets discharges waste and water into the tank which was made to be able to deal with limited types of waste only. If the wrong things get flushed down the drain on a regular basis, the breakdown capability of the system is greatly impacted and that is how backups, clogs, and expensive repairs begin.

Bathroom Habits and Septic Tanks are Connected

A septic tank is an engineered process of breaking down organic waste with the help of bacteria through an oxygen-free decomposition process called anaerobic. That process can only function adequately if the material entering the tank is really biodegradable. Wipes, grease, etc. do not decompose and just pile-up, taking up space, and also potentially leading to the pipes of the drain field being plugged up. Everyday decision making in a bathroom contributes, in the long run, to big septic problems.

If You Think of It, What Most People Say Is True

If you come across one of the scenarios mentioned, chances are, you've gone through a septic tank issue at home already:

• A toilet that doesn't flush at first, or even if it does, there are still gurgles afterwards
• You can smell the bathroom no matter how much cleaning you do
• Cleaned up drain field gets water pooled around it
• A seemingly healthy system that suddenly becomes unreliable
• Confused on what the actual limitations you have regarding items that can be poured or flushed

None of the situations described are the result of a random occurrence. Most of the time, the reason is something that has been wrongly disposed of at the drain.

Septic System Maintenance by Septic Blue of Columbia

A major turning point to prevent these situations comes from regular, expert help. Septic Blue, the Columbiana company, carries out tank inspections, removes accumulated solids from the tanks, and detects issues before they bring about the total breakdown of the system. Fixing small defects before an inspection is not only less expensive but also saves a lot of nerves in the long-run because no one likes to call in for an emergency after the fact.

1. Flushing Flushable Wipes

The idea of wipe being flushable is a very big myth in the bathroom products world. These wipes do not disintegrate similar to toilet paper. Hence they result in accumulation of the same inside the pipes and tanks. These accumulations are likely to cause blockage of the drains and the system has to put more efforts to get the same work done.

Clean Wipes are the Safest?

Not at a septic level.

Wipes marked as septic-safe do not decompose much faster than the other kinds, though, and can cause trouble for septic systems for a number of days before breaking down completely - that means they can clog drain field pipes in the interim. Your best bet is to just stick to the toilet paper or throw away any wipe after use rather than flushing.

2. Grease down the Drain

Grease is liquid at high temperature, which makes it look like harmless when flushed down the drain. However, it hardens when cooled down, thus sticking onto the inside of the pipe and eventually leading to blockages at the tank's entrance. Imagine wax trickling down into a narrow pipe. Eventually a block grows up so thick that even a needle cannot go through.

3. Using Too Many Harsh Chemical Cleaners

Even though chemical products remove the dirt from tiles and walls, they may also damage the beneficial bacteria of the septic tank that is important for biodegradation of waste. Due to lack of these bacteria, solids will accumulate faster than the system is capable of taking them out, hence, the backups will become more frequent.

4. Flushing Feminine Hygiene Products

Feminine Products are designed to absorb and expand, which is totally opposite of the requirements of septic tank. As they are unable to decompose in tank, they can clog drain pipes very soon and also cause the requirement of a premature pumping of septic system.

5. Ignoring Slow Drains

Most people do not mind a few slow drainages as they are considered minor issues. Nevertheless, it is highly recommended not to ignore slow drains as they may be the first symptom of septic tank not running properly. Leaving problem until last-minute may mean facing a bigger and a messier situation in the future.

What Does a Slow Drain Usually mean for a Septic System?

A slow drain is an indicating factor, it is not only for an old septic tank but also for a failing one due to a blockage somewhere in the line. Therefore, the professional inspection becomes essential to the identification of real problems.

6. Skipping Regular Septic Pumping

A septic tank cannot be pumped just once and then be forgotten. It has to be regularly inspected and pumped, in order to prevent an accident. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, most houses require an septic pump once every one or two months and a maintenance of pump of the septic tank once every three years. Not doing this will be the cause of early septic tank failure, apart for all the expenses and inconveniences it brings with itself.

7. Overusing Water in a Short Period

When you use water excessively within a very short period, for instance doing loads of laundry, taking a couple of long showers and running the dishwasher all on one day, then your septic system may not have sufficient time to separate solids from the water. This is because an overfilled septic tank may not properly function and hence lead to clogged drainpipes and backups.

8. Flushing Cat Litter or Paper Towels

Most cat litters either contain clay or have clumping agents. Paper towels are designed to be more tough and absorbent than toilet paper. Both these kinds of products are potential contributors to plumbing problems and blockages, in exactly the same way as the disposable wipes that people flush by mistake are a problem.

What Usually Works

Regular septic pumping without exception is the one single habit that makes it easy not to be caught off guard by the septic emergencies. Being very selective and cautious about what is flushing down the toilet basically human waste and toilet paper is also a very efficient way of keeping the most common clogs and backups away permanently.

What Often Fails

Just because a product says "flushable" on the label doesn't mean it will not cause problems if you flush it. In most cases, your septic system is quite different from the packaging claims. The fact about septic tanks is that they might not break with the occasional mistake, but sooner or later you will get into serious trouble with them.

Talking about the usual mistake that people make, they wait until they have serious sewage backup to call for help. By the time they decide to fix it, the problem is not only more complex but also expensive to fix.

How Often Should You Get Septic Pumping in Lugoff?

In general case, for a household septic system, it's recommended to get the pumped out every 3 - 5 years. Of course, for bigger families or for a house with a small septic tank, the frequency will be higher.

Getting used to it - much like changing of a car oil - you are not going to suffer immediately from skipping it but things will break down later.

An Easy Explanation

Your septic tank is like a human stomach that is only able to process certain substances. Toilet paper, when flushed, gets broken down the same way food is digested. Other items, such as facial wipes, oils and items that are made of plastic are like swallowed substances that a regular stomach couldn't process, they just accumulate up creating a blockage which nobody wants to see until it's time for their removal.

Summary Points

• Almost 40% of the residential South Carolina households have their toilets connected to septic tanks which is quite more than that in the country average
• Prior to the occurrence of most septic disasters or emergency situations, something has been flushed or poured down a drain from a bathroom
• "Flushable" wipes that are actually harmful to septic systems exist though this is not stated on the label
• Most of major expensive losses are the result of neglect and hence are avoidable with regular cleaning every three to five years
• The indication that the drainage has been very slow is the very first warning sign and not, therefore, the one which you can be indifferent to
• There is damage that may be done when bacteria get killed by chemicals and these bacteria are a factor, which makes the proper functioning of your septic system possible

Final Thoughts

Most of the troubles with septic systems rarely are accompanied with the sudden and the dramatic event that catches you unaware. They start with the accumulation of harmless-looking bathroom habits that nobody thinks about.

It could be a wipe you threw in here or that you have not gone for a routine tank service because everything looks okay at your home. These are small decisions that you do not think are big. At some point, you will have so many small mistakes piled up in your septic tank that you will suddenly get into trouble with it and all of those small mistakes are coming at the time.

Lugoff home-owners who want to avoid being trapped with the septic failure have already come to Septic Blue of Columbia for advice and assistance. Septic Blue of Columbia is a reliable company in the field and we can help you out with it now so that the same thing does not happen to you. If you want your home to be safe in terms of plumbing you would be really grateful that you have made time to check whether there are septic problems in your home before it's really too late.

FAQs

How do I know my septic tank is in need of pumping?

Some signs include slow drains, toilets gurgling, unpleasant odors that hang around or water puddles that are near the drain field. At that point, you should probably contact the professional so that they inspect the tank for you and decide if you have to pump it.

Is it that bad if you flush away what is advertised as a "flushable" wipe?

Well, the wipes do not disintegrate the same way toilet paper does. They are responsible for septic clogs and sewer backups.

Frequency of septic tank sludge removal.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, most families should have their tanks cleaned every three or five years. However, tank size and number of people can affect the timeframe.

Can harsh drain cleaners do harm to your septic system?

Yes. Strong chemistry can destroy the good bacteria in the tank where waste is broken down and can cause the septic system to be less efficient.

What can be thrown down the drain into the toilet only without causing damage to the septic system?

Only human waste and toilet paper should go into the toilet. All other things such as wipes, paper rolls, and tampons must be thrown into the ​‍​‌‍​‍‌bin.