You may have had hesitations about purchasing a home that uses a septic tank, but it really shouldn't be a reason to be concerned. A septic tank is a great alternative to using a city sewer system. The only catch is that you may need to change some behaviors in how you use your drains. For those that are new to using a septic tank, follow these tips for things that could potentially harm the tank.

Using A Garbage Disposal Excessively

A kitchen garbage disposal is a great convenience, and if you are used to having it in the past, you may want one installed at your new home. Unfortunately, depending on this household appliance too much can have a negative effect on the tank. You can have a garbage disposal, but you should try to avoid putting excessive amounts of food into it. Even though food is organic waste, it can take a while to decompose once it enters your septic tank. The end result will be a tank that fills up quickly and needs to be pumped prematurely.

If your goal of using a garbage disposal was to prevent your household from creating more garbage, consider making a compost bin as an alternative. You may want to consider installing a garbage disposal that actually releases concentrated enzymes to help food waste break down quickly.

Using Anti-bacterial Cleaning Supplies

Septic tanks require bacteria to break down organic waste. Unfortunately, there are cleaning products out there that have anti-bacterial agents in them that help kill germs. While these may be great at keeping your home clean, having them go down the drain is not so great for your septic system.

Try to limit how much anti-bacterial soap you use in your home. If you have a big bucket of anti-bacterial soapy water that you are looking to drain, get rid of it outside instead of pouring it down a drain.

Oil and Grease

You may be aware that oil and grease is bad for your plumbing because it can harden and cause clogs. Oil and grease is even worse for a septic tank though. While you can always use a sewer snake to clean out a clogged pipe, oil and grease can cause problems to your septic tank's drain field by coating it with a film that prevents liquids from absorbing into the soil. Always collect oil an grease in a jar and throw it away in your trash.

If you haven't been following these tips and your septic tank a service call, get in touch with a local company like Zeb Watts Septic & Underground, Inc. that can pump the septic tank.