As a homeowner, there are many different maintenance tasks you need to oversee, but nothing is as vital as your septic tank. Septic tanks are present in over 22 million American households, according to the EPA. Keeping these tanks in good working order is essential for your family's health. That said, here are some basic guidelines on septic tank maintenance you need to know.

There is a huge misconception that because the septic tank is your own private system, you can flush anything down the drain. However, that’s not the case at all. Your septic tank is built to only handle human waste and toilet paper. You should never flush anything else down the toilet. You should also not allow anything to go down drains except water. Do not put grease or food particles down the drain. Do not flush menstrual pads, tampons, diapers, Q-tips, dental floss, "flushable" wipes, or anything else down your toilets. This will lead to serious septic tank problems in the future.

Having your septic tank pumped out on a regular basis is part of basic septic maintenance. You’ll need to contact a septic pumping company for this job. You aren’t allowed to clean out your tank yourself for your own safety. This is against the law and against local health codes. Septic tanks can only be serviced by qualified licensed professionals. Your tank needs to be pumped out every three to five years depending on the amount of use it gets, LinkedIn reports. This usually depends on how many people live in your home.

When you have regular pumping done, your septic pumping company will also perform an inspection of the tank. This is when you’ll get a heads-up on any potential problems that might be developing. Since the septic tank is closed, this is the only time you have an insider look into what could be going on below the surface. If problems are developing, you need to have those dealt with immediately in order to avoid more expensive problems in the future.

These are just some basic septic tank maintenance tips you need to be aware of as a homeowner. If you’re looking for a septic pumping company in your area, please contact us today at Howdys Doody Service Inc.