Properly maintaining a septic tank is key for home owners. Failure to do so can lead to headaches and possibly thousands of dollars spent down the road. The problem for many home owners is they aren’t told exactly how to maintain one until its too late. The majority of home owners are used to owning or renting a home that is attached to the city’s sewage system so they have never had to worry about it. But when they buy a home with a septic system, they treat it like they do if its attached to the city line.
Properly maintaining a septic tank means you need to be aware of what you are putting down your drain. Certain household items can damage the drain field, clog the lines and kill the beneficial bacteria that is in the tank. Some of these common items are:
- Dental Floss
- Tampons
- Egg Shells
- Drain Cleaner(liquid draino)
- Coffee Grounds
- Paper Towels
- Grease
- Harsh Chemicals such as Bleach and other cleaners
New Law:
A new bill was recently passed requiring homes with septic tanks to be periodically inspected. The average cost of replacing a septic system in 2018 was $5000-$6000. Many of these systems were replaced before they were scheduled to be all because the home owners didn’t properly maintain it. Be mindful of what you put down your drain and you can expect a properly working septic tank for many years to come.
As a home inspector in Florida, we do not perform septic tank inspections but we do work with a few companies that we know and trust. We refer out to Integrity Septic and Brownies as they have always provided a wonderful service to our clients. If you would like to schedule a home inspection with us you can feel free to reach us here.