septic tank pumping in Petaluma, CA

Septic Tanks And Garbage Disposals

You might not know that much about septic tanks and the various processes they have to go through, like septic tank pumping in Petaluma, CA, but if you have a home that has a septic system, it’s important to get to know the issues that sometimes arise from those systems. You might think that you can’t have a garbage disposal with a septic tank and that’s not true. However, you do have to be really careful how you use it. Here are some things to remember as you get to know the system and it’s uses.

Use Cold Water When Grinding

When you use the disposal and are grinding things up, make sure you run cold water. The cold water will make sure that nothing going down the drain solidifies and gets stuck. That’s the last thing you want if you have something going down that shouldn’t really be there at all.

Run Disposal Regularly, Use Infrequently

You won’t want the disposal rusting up from infrequent use, but it’s smart to run it regularly so it will be ready for use when you need it. However, it’s not something you are going to want to use constantly, or you could cause problems within your septic system. Use it sparingly but run it often.

Throw Away What You Can

You don’t want to rely on the garbage disposal like you might in a home with a regular system. Throw away any big chunks of food and scrape plates into the garbage can before you rinse them off in the sink. Throw away anything you can, but don’t be afraid if a little goes down the drain. That’s what the garbage disposal is there to help with.

Don’t Pour Oil Down The Drain

One thing you should never do, septic tank or not, garbage disposal or not, is pour oil down the drain. Once you are done cooking, drain the oil, let it cool, and then throw it away. Don’t put it down the pipes. The oil will harden and that will leave a smaller area in the pipe for other things to get through, which can cause clogs.

septic tank pumping in Petaluma, CA

Avoid Expandable Foods

While you will avoid putting anything you can down the drain, other than water, try extra hard with expandable foods. Make sure to get all of the noodles and rice out of the pan and off the plates before you wash them in the sink, so those items don’t end up in the drain, causing issues to the system.

No matter how good you are with your septic tank, there’s going to come a time when it fills up and you will need septic tank pumping in Petaluma, CA. When that becomes necessary, or if you need a checkup or even just advice, call the professionals at American Sanitation Inc. While you have to live with your septic tank, we understand that you don’t know everything there is to know about it. Call us with any questions you have, and we’ll help.