Without good septic system maintenance, the bacteria in the tank can die, causing the biological process to shut down completely. When this happens, sludge accumulates and gets forced into the drain field, where it creates a blockage. Before you know it, you’ve got a major headache in the form of a sewage backup.

Remember, a tank can be pumped out, but your drain field can’t. After several too-frequent pump­-outs, you might discover that you need to install a whole new system costing several thousand dollars.

The first step in good septic system maintenance is to know the location of your tank, not only so that it can be pumped and inspected, but also so that you can avoid driving over the drain field or using heavy equipment on it that may cause serious damage.

Good septic system maintenance also means having the tank inspected by a professional every 3 to 5 years – more often if you have a garbage disposal or your family uses a lot of water. You can alleviate the strain on your septic tank by staggering laundry, bathing, showering, and other heavy usage.

Apart from not flushing any non-biodegradable objects down the toilet, never pour solvents like motor oil, paint, poisons, pesticides or chemical drain cleaners into drainpipes. Limit use of your garbage disposal and don’t put coffee grounds, grease or fat into it.

At Tampa Septic, we have more than 30 years’ combined experience in designing, engineering, installation, permitting and maintenance of septic systems. We provide the Tampa area with wastewater and septic services, and the whole of Florida with septic engineering services.