Septic System Care

How septic works

Everything from the toilets, sinks, showers and laundry flows into a buried septic tank. Inside, solids settle to the bottom as sludge, fats and oils float to the top as scum, and the liquid in the middle flows out to a leaching bed, sometimes called a drain field. In the bed, effluent trickles through perforated pipe into soil and stone, where natural processes finish the treatment.

Some properties have more advanced treatment units, pumps or filters. Know what you have, where the tank and bed are, and where the access lids sit. A sketch of the layout, kept with your house papers, will save time later.

What not to flush

A septic tank depends on bacteria. Anything that kills them, or that will not break down, causes trouble.

• No wipes, paper towels, diapers, hygiene products or dental floss.
• No cooking fat or oil.
• No paint, solvents, pesticides or automotive fluids.
• Limit harsh cleaners and bleach.
• Go easy on the garbage disposal; ground food adds solids to the tank.

Spread out laundry over the week rather than doing many loads in one day. A flood of water can push solids out to the bed before they settle.

Pumping schedules

Sludge builds up over time and has to be pumped out by a licensed septic hauler. How often depends on tank size, household size and habits. Many households need pumping every few years, but the right interval comes from inspection: the hauler can measure sludge and scum layers and recommend a schedule.

Keep a record of each pump-out and inspection. Some municipalities in the region run septic maintenance or re-inspection programs; check with your township for any current requirements.

Warning signs

Call for help if you notice:

1. Slow drains throughout the house, or gurgling in the plumbing.
2. Sewage odours inside or near the tank and bed.
3. Wet, spongy ground or unusually green grass over the bed.
4. Backups into the lowest fixtures.

A septic contractor handles the tank and bed. A plumber handles the pipes inside the house and the line out to the tank. Our drain cleaning and camera inspection services can tell whether a problem is in the house plumbing or further out. Rural homes often have wells too, so continue with well water basics. We serve rural pockets such as King City and Whitchurch countryside.

New owners of a rural property should ask the seller for pump-out records and any past inspection reports. Those papers say a lot about how the system has been treated.