Avoid Septic Backups In Your Show Low Home

How to Prevent Septic Backups

Jul 11, 2022

Septic backups occur when a clog is somewhere in the system, preventing sewage from reaching the tank. It can then make its way back up into your drains and plumbing fixtures, resulting in significant damage. Fortunately, these problems are almost always avoidable with the following steps.

5 Ways to Avoid a Septic Backup

1. Be Selective With Kitchen Drains 

Certain cooking materials and food items can create clogs in the septic system when poured down the kitchen drain. Grease, for example, will solidify in pipes, creating a sticky substance that attracts other debris and forms a clog. Collect your cooking grease in a can and dispose of it in the trash. Additionally, avoid putting food scraps down the drain and instead wipe your plate clean into the garbage.

2. Watch What You Flush

Avoid flushing any foreign objects other than toilet paper down your toilet. Always throw away sanitary napkins, cotton balls, and floss, which could otherwise create clogs and cause a septic backup. Even if wipes claim to be flushable, they’re generally not safe for septic systems as they don’t break down. Additionally, look for a brand of toilet paper that’s marked “septic safe” on the packaging.

3. Avoid Excessive Water Use

When you use too much water at once, it overwhelms the septic system, which can’t process all the waste water in a short period of time. Be mindful of how much water you use each day. Try to spread out your laundry loads over several days instead of doing many back-to-back, for example.

4. Protect the Drain Field 

Your drain field is the area where the septic system’s wastewater is filtered and returned to the ground. This complex infrastructure of pipes must be protected to prevent damage, leaks, or clogs that could result in a septic backup. 

For instance, avoid planting trees over the drain field, as the root network could cause an obstruction in the pipe. You should also keep heavy objects such as vehicles and sheds off the area.

5. Pump the Tank

A final, but important, way to maintain your septic system is to have the tank pumped at regular intervals. If the tank becomes too full, the wastewater will have nowhere to go and could back up. Your optimal pumping schedule will depend on variables such as the tank size and number of people in your house. Most homeowners need their systems pumped every three to five years. 

Feel free to call us at Atteberry Portable Toilets in Show Low, AZ with questions. We can be reached at (928) 242-2802.