Summertime is here and many times means summer guests, especially if you live along the shores of Southcoast Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Whether you a planning on hosting a party, having guests stay over or if you are just having a quiet evening at home, a septic system emergency can ruin your summer plans. The best thing you can do is prepare now and work to prevent septic emergencies before they even happen. If you have a septic system you are already aware of the do’s and don’ts of on-site wastewater responsibilities. This list of eight preventative measures will help you to take your maintenance and care knowledge to the next level, ensuring that you won’t have to pay for expensive septic emergencies in the coming winter months.
#1 – Get an Inspection Before It Gets Cold
One of the most important things you can do is to contact your septic system service and request an annual inspection before the ground freezes and cold weather sets in for the season. Septic repairs in Massachusetts and Rhode Island will be much more expensive if your technician has to dig down under the snow and into solid ground. However, if you do have a septic emergency, Septic Preservation Services works all year-round in any type of weather – rain, snow or freezing cold. You can count on All-Clear to keep your septic system working effectively and efficiently all year long.
#2 – Sign Up for Routine Pumping
As part of a good preventative maintenance program, routine pumping should also be scheduled to ensure that your septic system is properly maintained throughout the year. By scheduling your routine pumping just prior to the late fall and winter season, before it gets so cold that the ground freezes, you can ensure that your septic system will be running at its best throughout the holiday and winter seasons. Ask your All-Clear Septic & Wastewater representative about signing up for a preventative maintenance program that includes regular inspections, check-ups and routine pumping.
#3 – Reduce Your Water Usage
When you know you are expecting a lot of guests, make sure to reduce your water usage in advance of their arrival. Take showers the day before and bathe your children before they arrive. Taking shorter showers helps, but make sure to talk with your guests about limiting water use. Do laundry and dishes a few days ahead of time to reduce the amount of water usage that will occur when the guests are at your home. Better planning will reduce the amount of problems you will have with your septic system during the summer months.
#4 – Talk About Flushing
It may be difficult, but it is important to speak with your guests about the things that they flush down your toilets and drains. Routine pumping can make sure that your system is ready to handle accidents or a single-instance flushing, but the more you can educate your guests about the importance of using the trash can instead of the toilet for diapers, feminine hygiene products, cigarette butts and other potentially hazardous items. This will help prevent those items from getting into your tank and it will also prevent a blockage and potential backup from occurring.
#5 – Prepare Your Food Ahead of Time
If there is any prep work that you need to do for a big summertime meal or party, try to do it ahead of time as well. Cut veggies up that need to be washed ahead of time and store them in your refrigerator drawers in plastic zip bags. Wash and marinate the chicken and get it ready to go on the grill. Not only will this space out your water usage before your guests get there, but it will also give you more time to spend with them when they arrive. Believe it or not, it’s the little things you do that add up to making a big difference in preventing costly septic repairs in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
#6 – Don’t Use the Garbage Disposal
Even if your house came with a garbage disposal already installed, you should avoid using it at all costs. All that extra waste into your septic system can wreck havoc, especially during the busy days with your summer guests. Consider blocking the switch for the garbage disposal so you – and especially your guests – won’t be tempted to use it. Keep a small composting can on your counter – they have some very nice-looking decorative options at home improvement stores. You can put all of your vegetable peelings, coffee grounds and other items that should not go down your drain into the bin. Your guests will see you doing this and will follow suit.
#7 – Consider Using Disposable Dishes and Silverware
If you are having a lot of guests over for a dinner party or even just for cocktails and appetizers, consider using disposable dishes and silverware to reduce the amount of rinsing and washing you’ll have to do later. It’s better to have an over-loaded trash can for one week of garbage collection than to pay a lot of money for septic repairs in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
#8 – Sign Up for a Preventative Maintenance Program
The best way to avoid costly septic repairs as a result of failure due to neglect or misuse is to sign up for a preventative maintenance program. Working with a licensed, certified professional septic system repair and inspection company can help you with routine pumping and help you to be prepared for an onslaught of guests during the hot summer months. Aside from being much more cost-effective, a preventative maintenance program gives you the peace of mind that your septic system is being properly taken care of and that a professional is on top of the situation.
Summer is already here. Contact Septic Preservation Services to sign up for a routine pumping and ask about their preventative maintenance program. The better prepared you are during the summer, the less money you’ll have to pay for septic repairs in Massachusetts during the winter months when the ground is frozen and your yard is piled high with snow. All-Clear is available for septic inspection, maintenance and repair during every season and can help you keep your septic system running effectively and efficiently all year long.
You can reach us at 877-378-4279 or visit www.septicpreservation.com for more information.
Septic Preservation Services advises our customers to service their septic system on a regular basis. Regular septic tank cleaning, and septic pumping is important to the longevity of your septic system. If you would like a septic inspection, septic cleaning, septic pumping, or free consultation concerning your septic system please call our office at 877-378-4279 or visit www.septicpreservation.com for more information.
Fall is almost here, which means colder weather is right around the corner. It’s time to start thinking about getting your septic tank ready for fall. How can you prepare your septic system for colder weather? Here are some tips.
