If you have a septic tank, you want to make sure that it lasts as long as possible and stays in good shape. It can be expensive to replace it, and replacing the tank or doing extensive repairs on it will tear up your yard. There are some easy maintenance tasks that you can do that will keep your tank in good shape for many years. 

Pump the Tank

One thing that you can do is to get your septic tank pumped out on a regular basis. This isn't something that needs to happen on a yearly basis, but it does need to happen every few years. As you use the tank, sludge builds up. That sludge will eventually fill up the tank and cause blockages, keeping the water from moving from the front part of the tank and onto the rest of the tank. Pumping out your tank will help get rid of that problem and give you a nice empty tank to work with. It doesn't take very long for the septic maintenance company to pump your tank, and it's generally a very easy task to do. 

Watch What Goes Down the Drains

Another thing that you can do is make sure that you are careful about what goes down the drain. You want to limit the amount of solids that end up in your tank as much as possible. You also don't want to flush things that don't belong in the tank. Ideally, the only thing other than waste that should get flushed down your toilets is septic-safe toilet paper. That kind of toilet paper is designed to break down quicker. It's important to be aware that just because things say that they are flushable doesn't mean that they are and doesn't mean that they will break down the way that they should. You should also keep things like greases and oils from going down your sinks because they can create floating fat islands in your tank and can cause things to get clogged up. The greases and oils can also kill the anaerobic bacteria that live in your septic tank and eat the waste. 

If you have a septic tank, you want to make sure that you're taking good care of it. The better care you take of it, the longer it is going to last. Replacing and repairing your tank can be expensive and can cause a huge mess in your yard. For more information about septic tank maintenance, contact a local professional, or visit a website like http://sullivanseptic.net.

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