Most homeowners give little thought to their septic systems, until they have seepage in the yard or a backup into the house.  Not only can these situations be expensive, but they are inconvenient, messy and harmful to the water supply & health of the community.

Heritage Plumbing can help you maintain your system.  We have a full line of septic services that range from being able to camera the lines to inspect and diagnose issues, pumping the tank, to replacing the entire system.

Some septic system “Do’s” to help you maintain your septic system.  It is very important to know the location of your septic system and assure there is access to the lid for pumping and inspections.  It may be necessary to have a clean out installed.  Have your tanks pumped every 3 – 5 years and keep a record of all inspections, repairs and dates the tank was pumped.

And now for the Don’ts….  DO NOT go down into or try to make repairs to your septic tank, please call a professional!  Do not drive or park on your septic system.   Do not dig, bury, build or plant anything but grass on your drain field – The grass will help prevent erosion and remove excess water.  Please do not use septic tank additives, flush garbage or use harsh chemical cleaners – adding anything to your septic system that doesn’t belong there can be disastrous.

Please call a licensed professional, like Heritage Plumbing, Inc. at the first signs of septic failure.  It takes all of us to keep our community safe & bacteria free.

~ Your Local Septic Specialist, Heritage Plumbing, Inc

It doesn’t matter if you have a septic system or you’re on a city sewer, the following  items should never be flushed down the toilet:

• Wipes of any kind – Cleaning wipes, baby wipes or paper towels… Even if they say “Flush-able” they are not flush-able.  Trust me on this.  We pull more wipes and paper towels from clogged drains than anything else.
• Sanitary napkins, diapers, tampons, cotton balls or cotton swabs – These items are absorbent…  Super absorbent and they will continue to absorb and grow.  They do not break down easily & get caught in U’s  and cause terrible backups.
• Fats, Oils & Grease – I know it’s a liquid when you pour it down the drain, but as soon as it hits the cool water it congeals and hardens creating a pipe clogging waxy mess.  Ever hear the phrase “Oil & water don’t mix”?  Drain your cooking fats into a separate container and toss in the garbage.
•  Rubber Gloves, Band-Aids or Prophylactics – Flushing these items may seem the most sanitary way to dispose of these when they are soiled.  Please don’t, they need to go in your trash can.  These easily get caught in pipes, never break down and cause countless number of problems in your septic system and water treatment facilities.
• Cigarette Butts & Prescription Medication – These items, when flushed contaminate ground water supply, destroy good bacteria, release toxins and can adversely affect wildlife.
• Dental Floss – It seems innocent enough, right? Wrong. It’s plastic which means it’s not biodegradable.  Once it has been flushed it wraps its self around other objects, which can create a very large clog in no time at all.
• Kitty Litter – Kitty litter is made up of clay and sand.  When the clay and sand gets wet, it hardens into a ball which makes it easy for you to clean up after your pet.  When you flush that sand and clay down your toilet, it remains hard.  Would you flush rocks down your toilet?

Just some money/septic/sewer saving tips from your friendly Local Plumber! Have a great day!