Septic Preservation Services helps many property owners who are selling their home or commercial property with septic inspections which are usually required if you have a septic system and are selling your property. We are also always willing to provide information and support to the new property owners who may not have had a septic system previously. There are definitely some dos’ and don’ts’ that apply when you own a septic system that are not generally too difficult to follow but if you don’t you might end up needing a septic repair to fix a problem that you have unknowingly created.

For example if you have just bought a new house a lot of people want to then start decorating and putting their own stamp on their new home. When you are cleaning up after decorating you must always remember to clean your brushes and paint trays in a bucket and not to dispose of that water down your drain and definitely don’t dispose of paint down your drain. We know that one of the benefits of latex paint is the ease of its cleanup with soap and water. This might cause you to think that it is okay to pour latex paint down the drain or your clean up water. This is not true. While your septic system can usually handle small amounts of latex paint, it should be avoided when possible. Septic systems use naturally occurring, living organisms to break down, digest and treat solid and liquid waste that is introduced into the septic tank. Toxic household chemicals can kill these organisms, resulting in a failure of your septic system. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that while common culprits include oil-based paints, solvents and cleaning products that are labeled as poison or hazardous, even latex paint cleanup should be minimized. Latex paints may contain toxic substances, including ethylene glycol or acetate, according to the National Drinking Water Clearinghouse. So be cautious when you clean your brushes because even small amounts of latex paint may be detrimental to your septic system. Your septic system is primarily designed to break down, digest and treat organic materials. The organisms that live in your septic system typically cannot digest the solid materials present in latex paint. These solids will settle to the bottom of your septic tank, where they can result in a thick, gray putty-like material.

Here is a list of septic system dos and dont’s:

Things you should do

DO conserve water whenever possible as a means of reducing the volume of wastewater that will need to be treated and disposed.
DO make repairs to any faucets or toilets that are leaking.
DO make sure that you are only discharging biodegradable wastes into your system.
DO restrict or avoid use of your garbage disposal.
DO take the time to ensure that any down spouts or other surface water is diverted away from your drainfield.
DO keep the cover to your septic tank accessible by installing covers and risers for easier inspections and pumping.
DO get your septic tank pumped regularly and have it checked for any cracks or leaks.
DO have an effluent filter installed to prevent debris from entering your drainfield.
DO add a laundry filter to your washing machine.
DO put kitchen trash into a compost or throw it into the garbage – not down your drains.

Things you should NOT do
DON’T flush products such as tampons, sanitary napkins, condoms, disposable diapers or wipes into your system.
DON’T empty oils or other types of kitchen grease down your drain.
DON’T dump any items that can disrupt the treatment process or contaminate groundwater, such as: paints, oils, thinners, pesticides, poisons or disinfectants.
DON’T build anything over your drainfield or dig in it for any reason.
DON’T plant any landscaping over your drainfield – except grass.
DON’T drive a vehicle over your drainfield or compact the soil in ANY way.
DON’T run purification back flush into the septic tank.

Today we have septic inspections for property owners who are selling their homes and one for a new home buyer in Plymouth, Marshfield, Carver, Bourne, Halifax, Rochester and Marion MA. If you have any questions about septic inspections or septic systems please do contact our Norton office on 877-378-4279 or visit https://www.septicpreservation.com