Liquids That Can Negatively Affect Your Septic Tank

Liquids That Can Negatively Affect Your Septic Tank

Whether you buy a house with a septic tank or install one in your backyard, you must take care of it. A septic tank should always be ready to receive waste and not be overloaded. Make sure to increase the capacity of the tank when you notice it is reaching its limit. Also, do not use liquids not meant to end up inside a septic tank, as they can clog it up and reduce its efficiency. Metro Septic Pumping has plenty of experience with septic tank pumping and products that should not be used with a septic tank. Here you will learn what liquids you should not consume.

Coffee

Coffee is a beverage that many of us can't live without. It's the perfect way to start your morning and get you going. But did you know that coffee can hurt your septic system?

Coffee grounds contain oils and other organic matter that can cause severe problems in your sepsis system's pipes and filters. The solids in coffee act as a natural filter when brewing coffee, but when left behind in your septic system, they can clog pipes and filters very quickly.

The oils in coffee also cause bacteria to grow more rapidly than usual, which can lead to an increase in harmful gases being released into the environment — or worse yet — into your home through damaged pipes or other openings. Coffee is a powerful solvent that can wreak havoc on septic tanks and other sewage systems. If you're not careful about disposing of your used coffee grounds and filters, they could clog up your system or even cause an emergency repair job.

Soda

Soda is a common beverage found in almost every household. From drinking soda to using it as a cleaning agent, this sweet drink has become a staple in our daily lives. However, did you know that soda can negatively impact your septic tank?

Soda contains phosphoric acid, an ingredient used to clean and deodorize drains. This acid can erode the piping of your septic tank's drainfield and cause clogs. When this happens, wastewater cannot be appropriately treated by the bacteria in your septic system and may contaminate other water sources.

Another issue with soda is that it contains sugar, which feeds bacteria and can lead to excessive growth in your septic tank's waste tanks. If this occurs, it will result in high levels of methane gas being released into your home's environment. The best way to avoid these problems is by keeping soda out of contact with your septic system altogether.

Bleach

Bleach is a highly alkaline substance that contains chlorine, which can affect the beneficial bacteria in your septic tank and lead to drainfield failure. When these beneficial bacteria are killed off by bleach, they cannot break down organic matter properly in the soil surrounding the drainfield. This leads to more solid waste being discharged into the ground and clogging up your drainfield pipes.

In addition to killing off beneficial bacteria, bleach can corrode metal parts of the septic system if not flushed away entirely after use. This includes PVC pipes and aluminum leachate pumps, which can lead to leaks or even complete drainfield failure if there are too many holes in them from corrosion over time.

Juices

Juice is also very acidic, which means it can have an impact on your septic tank. If you live in an area with well water that has a high mineral content, you may already have an issue with your septic tank. This could be caused by hard water or minerals in well water. The addition of juice to your diet can make things worse when it comes to your septic tank and well water quality.

Juices contain a lot of sugar, which can cause bacteria growth inside your septic tank if left unchecked for too long. If enough sugar builds up inside the tanks, it can cause them to fail entirely and require replacement at great expense to homeowners. Juices are also acidic, which could irritate the lining of your septic tank and erode it over time if not professionally cleaned regularly.

Liquid Drain Cleaner

Septic systems are designed to handle solids, but they may not be able to handle liquids. Liquid drain cleaners are designed to dissolve the clogs that occur in plumbing. They contain chemicals such as sodium hydroxide, which is corrosive and can damage septic tank systems if it enters them.

Many drain cleaners include warnings about using them near drains located above or below septic tanks. These warnings are there because of the dangers of using a liquid drain cleaner in these situations. The concerns involve how liquid drain cleaners work and how they might affect a septic system if they get into it. Liquid drain cleaners contain sodium hydroxide (lye), which will harm your septic system and kill off beneficial bacteria that help break down waste naturally.

Metro Septic Pumping

Most of us wouldn't think twice about pouring one of the five liquids into our septic tank. From your garden to your laundry room, these are everyday products and uses that we don't consider when it comes to the health of our wastewater system. Contact our professional septic company at any time if you are experiencing a problem with your septic system.