Co-Owner · November 23, 2022
One of the best holiday traditions is packing up the car or catching a flight to see family. Or, if you're hosting, having everybody descend on your house in droves. It's a lot of fun, but it also means you need to be extra careful with your septic system.
Since it’s designed to be used by a set amount of people, having all those extra folks in your home can cause it to become overworked, leading to a breakdown.
Here's how to avoid septic problems this holiday season. You'll notice every tip comes back to one thing: don't hit your septic system with a flood of water all at once.
We recommend this to avoid backups and effluent clogging your drain field, among other issues.
1. Skip the garbage disposal, for now
The holidays mean lots of cooking and lots of food scraps. To keep them from clogging your pipes, put all the scraps in the garbage. You can go back to normal once everyone heads home.
2. Fill up your dishwasher before you run it.
You're going to have a mountain of dishes. Instead of running the dishwasher back to back, fill it all the way before you hit “wash.” And try to run it when nobody's in the shower.
3. Say what can and cannot go in the toilet.
There's a whole list of things that should never be flushed into a septic tank: tissues, disposable wipes, paper towels, tampons, floss, and more. You know that, since you own a septic system. Your guests may not.
If you'd rather not talk to them about how to use the bathroom (totally understandable), put up a sign with the rules. A funny or cheerful sign is a great way to get the awkward message across!
4. Do your laundry on a schedule.
While you've got company, try to do laundry at these times: 1. a few days before your guests arrive, 2. when nobody's showering or running the dishwasher, or 3. not at all until everyone heads home.
5. Shower on a schedule.
Have everybody pick a shower time. A good rule of thumb is to have some folks shower in the morning and others at night.
6. Rope off your drain field.
We suggest roping off or telling your guests not to park on your drain field. Parking in this area can result in serious damage to your system and decrease the effectiveness of your drain field.
7. Watch for bad signs.
Before your guests arrive and while they’re with you, watch for shower or bathtub drains that are draining slowly. Watch for water that drains from one appliance into another. See if your drain field fills with stagnant or unmoving water. Listen for gurgling noises in your pipes. Watch for toilets and sinks that backup. And see if your yard begins to smell like sewage.
If you notice any of the things above, have a septic tech come out and fix your system.
8. Schedule maintenance
If your system is older or hasn't been looked at in a while, the extra stress can make hidden problems worse. You could have a disaster waiting to happen and not know it. If you can, schedule your septic maintenance before Christmas. Technicians get very busy once the trees and lights go up.