Great Septic Information from the US EPA
https://www.epa.gov/septic/how-care-your-septic-system
https://www.epa.gov/septic/how-care-your-septic-system
Our favorite part of this article:
In addition to sludge, scum, and effluent, your septic tank contains a floating island of toilet paper.
“The heavier the toilet paper, the less likely it is to dissolve in the tank,” Seipp says. “When you open up the tank of a family of four daughters, you’re going to see a lot of TP.”
You can even identify the brand by what it looks like inside the tank. For instance, Cottonelle looks “just like cotton,” Seipp says, while Quilted Northern and Charmin are dense and clumpy.
Also, fun fact: If you eat a lot of fatty food, your septic pro will know it. Leftover oils and grease also float, which can make that TP “frothy.”
Read the whole article at this link:
https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/gross-things-about-your-septic-system/
~The Doo Doo Guru
615-504-7178
-Fats or Grease
-Motor Oils or Fuels
-Disposable Papers
-Coffee grounds, egg shells and nutshells
-Feminine Hygeine Products
-Paper towels or Rags
-Paints or Chemicals
~ The Doo Doo Guru
We did a job today at a home that was built in 1987. Since then, two additions had been made to the home and a detached garage had been built with a guest apartment above it.
The main septic tank had never been pumped, and the lid was actually under an aggregate concrete sidewalk. Along with a sidewalk being over top of the septic tank, the water lines, the electrical lines, and drain lines, were also on top of the septic tank.
There isn’t anything simple we could do to fix every problem here… but we were able to cut the concrete sidewalk to get to the lid without ruining any of the lines, we installed a riser so that the tank has easier access, and were able to put the concrete back and it didn’t look too disturbed. The main tank was dangerously close to backing up.
In the guest house, an old water tank from Tractor Supply seemed to be what prior owners had installed for a septic tank…. now the guest apartment has a real septic tank that will meet the needs of the homeowner.
Moral of the story, when you do additions on a home, make sure you get a permit and do not do anything that would impact your septic tank and the location and its’ accessibility.
And of course, if you’re in need of our services, give us a call at 615-504-7178
~the Doo Doo Guru
Quit flushing anything besides toilet paper down your toilet! A simple google search will show you how destructive flushing feminine products or moist wipes down the toilet is for your septic system. Flushing these products down your toilet inevitably leads to more septic services and more money. If you are on sewer, you are really damaging city waste lines by flushing anything down the toilet besides toilet paper. This is becoming more and more of an issue, so the Doo Doo Guru wanted to post this advice right away so that 2019 will reveal much healthier septic tank systems! 🙂
Happy Happy Spring!
~The Doo Doo Guru
Do you have serious calcium build up in your water? Is it causing calcium build up in your lines? Dump a small glass of cubed ice down your toilet and flush every couple of months. It will help break up calcium deposits.
~The Doo Doo Guru
Septic Tip: Are you thinking about buying a swimming pool? Whether it’s above ground or in-ground make sure you don’t have it built on top of your septic tank or field lines. Get a copy of your septic permit from the county Environmentalist office to show you where your system sits!
Happy Spring…. and then we blinked!
The Doo Doo Guru