Category Archives: Uncategorized

Bathroom Cleaning and Septic Systems

July 30, 2024Uncategorizedbathroom cleaning, chemicals, cleaning products, Maintenance, septic, Septic Safe, septic system, Septic System Tipskuettels_septic

Bathroom Cleaning and Septic Systems

It’s always good to be aware of the products that go down your drains and the impact it can have on your septic system’s efficiency, performance, and reliability. Septic systems are designed to break down approved materials such as human waste and toilet paper, but many traditional cleaning products have the potential to damage. Here are a few natural products that are effective cleaners and won’t interfere with your septic system:

1. Epsom Salt

Mixing one cup of Epsom salt, a half-cup of baking soda, and a quarter cup of septic safe dish soap is an excellent toilet cleaning paste! Simply apply the paste to the inside of the toilet bowl and let it sit for 3 minutes. Use circular motions to lightly scrub with a cotton cloth until hard water stains and grime are gone. Finally, rinse away with warm water.

Bonus: Epsom salt contains magnesium which will encourage healthy plants around your septic drain field!

2. Vinegar

Combine one part white vinegar to one part water in a spray bottle for a completely natural cleaner! For especially tough grime, get some baking soda and sprinkle it over the area first, then spray the solution. The stain will loosen from the fizzing reaction. To add a fresh scent add a few drops of an essential oil!

3. Products Labeled “Septic Safe”

Some people do prefer to use store-bought cleaners. As long as the product is labeled as meeting the “EPA’s Safer Choice Standard” it should be okay for your septic system. But these products should be free of phosphates, non-toxic, and should not be chlorine-based.

The Danger of Flushing Wipes

August 17, 2022Uncategorizedkuettels_septic

Disposable wipes have gained popularity in recent years, and sanitizing wipes are found in every household now during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please remember that these wipes can do extreme harm to the plumbing and septic system. The sanitizing wipes that you use to clean should never be flushed! They are resilient and do not break down, causing plugged lines, filters, drainfields, and high levels in septic tanks. Our technicians have found wipes wrapped around pumps, causing them to malfunction, often leading to a hefty bill to fix the problem.

Even the so-called “flushable” wipes can cause similar problems. Besides the material of the wipe itself, the lotions and chemicals on these wipes are not beneficial to a septic system. These wipes should simply be placed in the garbage once used.

A good rule to live by: the only things that should be flushed are human waste and toilet paper!

Do Garbage Disposals Affect a Septic System?

May 18, 2022Uncategorizeda lot of water, garbage disposal, kitchen sink, pump septic tank, pumping, septic system, solids in septic tankkuettels_septic

While garbage disposals may be useful to have in the kitchen, misuse can create unexpected issues. Depending on how it’s used, it can deliver large amounts of water to the system. But even more than that, the solids delivered through the garbage disposal don’t settle properly in the septic tank. Bone fragments and other materials that don’t break down well, like fats, can begin to plug the lines even before reaching the tank. We recommend limited and proper usage of your garbage disposal, as well as having the septic tank pumped more frequently due to the increased solids.

Landscaping Options for Your Septic Drainfield

April 6, 2022Uncategorizeddrain field, landscaping, overgrown, plants, roots, septickuettels_septic

When it comes to landscaping around your drainfield, keep in mind the damage that roots can do. They can get into the lines and begin to plug them, leading to serious drainage issues. While shrubs, trees, and vines are the biggest culprits, plants & flowers should also be researched before planting near your system. For anything being planted directly on the drainfield, you don’t want anything with a deep or wide root-system.

Below is a list of common flora that can be worth considering for planting near drainfields: Traditional lawn (seed or turf), eco-grass naturalized lawn/meadows, gladiolus, hyacinth, iris, lily, tulip, bleeding heart, forget-me-not, ferns (most), sedums, native mosses, violets, columbine, and poppies.

Slow-growing shrubs with a contained root system can usually be planted at a recommended distance from the drainfield: boxwood, rhododendron/azaleas

Trees with more vertical root growth can usually be planted at a recommended distance from the drainfield: cherry, crabapple, dogwood, maple (griseum, amur), Japanese snowbell.

Of course, this is not a full list of possible landscaping options. When considering landscaping near your septic system, it’s a good idea to talk to an experienced landscaper and see what they suggest. Remember, you are looking for plants and trees that don’t have wide, deep, or intrusive root-systems.

Based on the article “The Best Landscaping Options for Septic Drainfields” by Wynn Nielsen, Pumper Magazine.

Why should I install risers on my septic?

March 30, 2015Uncategorizedburied cover, cover, digging, Risers, winterkuettels_septic

Installing risers on your underground septic cover will obviously save you a lot of time and effort digging it up when pumping or other work is needed. Homeowners may not know where their covers are and go to great lengths searching for them. This may not seem that inconvenient in the summer months, but it is very difficult in the winter. All too often, people experience septic back ups and other problems when the ground is frozen solid. Not only do they have to experience the stress of a backed up septic, but it tends to be very time consuming and costly to thaw the ground and access that cover, which is essential to fixing issues. Installing risers can save all of these headaches.

Some are concerned that risers are an unattractive addition to their yard, but there are many options to beautify it. Poly plastic covers are dark green and can easily blend into the surrounding greenery. The risers can be covered with fake rocks, landscaped around and even painted! There are many possibilities. Call us today to set up an installation!

Can my system still have root problems in the winter?

January 27, 2015Uncategorizedkuettels_septic

Yes. It is strange to think that even though a tree doesn’t appear to grow in the cold winter months, the roots still do. In fact, they search for warm areas like your septic lines. Fortunately we are still able to treat these issues in the winter. The trusted product we use for roots, RootX, is effective 365 days a year. Whether it is your drainfield or city sewer line that is having root problems in the cold, we can help.