Septic tanks– they’re an individual sewage system that can require a bit of maintenance if you’re not careful with them. The regular septic tank pumping, the removal of obstructions, etc., can sound a lot but it’s really not. Here are some simple ways by which you can break down the solids in the septic tank to make it easier to move along.

Why Are There Solids In The Septic Tank?

Well, the answer to this question is pretty self-explanatory. In a septic tank, there is all of the waste that is drained down from your bathrooms, sinks, and taps. The septic tank is a storage tank of sorts that holds all of the waste in the space and it also contains solids with reasonable amounts of water.

This solid can sometimes get very hard, especially if there isn’t a lot of water in the tank already, which is an alarming sign in itself. So, you want to break the solids down to ensure that the septic tank and its contents move along the way easily.

This is why breaking down the solids is important, because if at any point there is an obstruction, then you can experience regurgitation of water, the backing of water in the drain and pipes, and much worse things.

How To Break Down Solids In A Septic Tank?

So, now that you know why solids are there in a septic tank, here are all of the things you can try to get the solids going from hard to soft sludge in a matter of no time.

Pump The Tank

First thing first, you need to pump your tank regularly, and by regularly, it means that every 2 to 3 years, depending on the size of the tank as well as the use of the tank in general. Pumping the tank agitates it and it disturbs the state of the solid sludge in the tank. This is what makes the solids break down and they’re easier to flow and handle.

Rotten Tomatoes

If you have tomatoes in your fridge and they’re going bad, well then you can throw them in the septic tank, and not in your trash can. But, wait. You might think that you shouldn’t treat your toilet or sink like a waste bin, right? Well, that is reserved for other things. Rotten tomatoes are amazing in helping to break down solids in the septic tank.

Using tomatoes also promotes healthy bacteria growth, which is amazing. So, all you need to do is puree the tomatoes until they’re runny and not lumpy and pour them down the toilet. Flush once, sit back, and look at the natural magic of these red, juicy orbs of goodness.

Inspection Of The Septic Tank

This is also important but you need to get your tank inspected now and then. This is necessary, especially after a really bad spell of weather or just an annual inspection in general.

An inspection performed by a septic tank service Clear Spring involves taking a closer look at the tank and this can troubleshoot a lot of problems with the tank right then and there so that when the actual time for pumping comes, there won’t be any problems with the tank and any small obstructions will be dealt with by flushing the tank.

Yeast

If you don’t have tomatoes lying around, then yeast is the next best option to use. For this, you will need some instant dried yeast and some sugar. Sugar is important because it is food for the yeast and it will help it bloom.

So, take 3 tablespoons of dried yeast and add some sugar to it. Then, dissolve the entire thing in a liter of water and pour it down the drain. The yeast will bloom and it will take care of breaking down solids for a few months, so you’re good to go.

Avoid Bleach

This is something that you shouldn’t add to your septic tank and that is bleach. Bleach kills all of the bacteria and you don’t want it getting mixed in directly with the bacteria in the septic tank.

That doesn’t mean that you can’t use bleach at all, but you should be careful when using it and the best way to use bleach safely without compromising the growth of the bacteria is to ensure that you’re diluting the bleach and then using it to unclog and clean the drains, make the toilet look spotless, etc.

There’s Natural Bacteria In The Tank

If you didn’t know this already, all of the waste in the septic tank sits in an enclosed space and this is what causes natural bacteria to form and thrive as well. So, this bacteria is not bad at all and it helps the solids to break down. This is the perfect environment for bacteria and you can leave all of the heavy work to the bacteria.

If you see that the solids aren’t breaking down, then you can add certain things to increase bacteria growth, but it’s also a process that moves at its own pace, so you’re all set.

Agitate The Contents

When you are getting your septic tank pumped then you will see the workers doing this a lot. Before the actual pumping process, the worker will take that huge pipe and they will stir the contents of the septic tank to ensure that the solids are not stagnant.

This is important because if the solids are stationary for a long time, then pumping can become a mean feat. So, this is why the contents are stirred around for a bit to loosen up the solids, to make it easier for the pumping process to commence.

Back Flushing Helps

Backflushing is a process in which after the pumping, some of the wastewater that was pumped out, is thrown back into the septic tank with considerable pressure. This cleans any obstruction in the tank, especially in the mesh screen that can have a lot of gunk stuck to it and you can rest assured that nothing is clogging your tank.

This is a very common step that a lot of septic tank inspectors do and this can also get the solids moving and they will eventually break down too.

Don’t Treat The Toilet Like A Trash Can

If you want to prevent your septic tank from backing up and the solids creating a problem for you in the long run, then you need to be mindful of what you’re discarding in the toilet. If you’re pouring down things like oils, fatty things, expired products, medicine, and even solid things like napkins and pieces of cloth, then obviously your septic tank will misbehave.

So, these things are off-limits when it comes to the toilet and you just want to keep natural waste in the toilet. If you’re careful, then your work will pay off.

Conclusion

Septic tanks are amazing if you maintain them and they’re not as a pain to take care of as they’re portrayed. So, now you know exactly how to get your tank flowing effortlessly. If there are issues with your septic tank, consult septic companies Brownsville. They will send a team who will inspect your septic system and then suggest and carry out repairs or replacements.