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4 Ways to Ensure You Won’t Have to Pump Your Septic Tank Frequently

joan croug

July 30, 2021

How often do you pump your septic tank? Every three years? Every five years?

Most people have their septic tanks pumped every few years, depending on the size of the tank and the number of people living in their household. Other people don’t pump their septic tanks at all.

Which method is correct? It depends on your system, how you maintain your tank, and which experts you believe. Experts don’t always agree with each other, and septic tank maintenance is no exception.

Some say with the right care, you never have to pump your septic tank. Others say that’s never true. However, one thing is true across the board – taking great care of your septic system can reduce your need to have it pumped.

For example, use a bidet instead of putting toilet paper into your septic tank. You’ll save room in your tank, reduce the potential for blockages, and you’ll save money.

Tired of calling out the pump truck every year or two? Here’s what you can do to pump your septic tank less frequently.

Use septic-approved enzymes

You can flush enzymes into your septic tank that will eat the top layer of scum and drop it to the bottom of the tank. It’s important to use enzymes, but don’t buy into the idea that you never have to pump your septic tank.

Even if it’s true that you’ll never need to pump your septic tank with the proper care, don’t hold onto that belief. If you do, you might get lazy with your maintenance and end up with a sewage backup inside of your home.

Septic systems aren’t just barrels of waste

Although it seems like septic tanks are just simple barrels that get pumped every so often, there’s much more to a septic system than meets the eye. Septic tanks are designed to separate solid waste from the liquid, and the liquid is normally released right onto the land.

The process sounds simple enough, but there’s a lot going on in a septic tank that you can’t see. It’s possible that at some point, an un-pumped septic can spew out sludge into the drain field. Over time, this will reduce the effectiveness of the entire system and can lead to total failure.

The truth is, you can’t see inside of your septic tank to know if the contents are breaking down properly. Getting it pumped periodically is the safest way to care for a septic system.

Don’t put toilet paper into your septic system

Instead of putting toilet paper into the septic, get a motion-detected trash can for all used toilet paper and wet wipes. This will drastically increase the amount of space in your tank, which will reduce your need to have it pumped.

Change your diet

The truth is, the less you put into your septic system, the less you’ll need to have it pumped. If you’re having multiple bowel movements during the day, you may want to consider changing your diet to go less frequently.

If you eat foods with plenty of fiber, fruits, and vegetables, you’ll be regular, but your bowel movements won’t catch you completely off guard and they won’t be messy. On the other hand, eating a lot of meat and dairy can back you up or make you run to the restroom several times a day.

It’s healthy to have one bowel movement per day, sometimes every two days depending on what and how much you’re eating. If you’re pooping more than once each day and it’s not smooth and clean, changing your diet will support more than your septic system.

Build a proper septic system

The ultimate key to pumping your septic tank less frequently is having a high-quality septic system in the first place. DIY jobs are risky. Although, some DIY septic tanks can last for decades and function perfectly.

If you’ve never built a septic system before, leave the job to the pros. They’ll make sure your septic system uses a proper septic tank, drains correctly, and will give you instructions on how to handle maintenance. You’ll also have the chance to install an alarm in the wall that will sound when the system overflows.

Always stick to a regular maintenance schedule

It would be great if you never had to pump your septic, but there are too many factors at play to know for sure. To be safe, plan on performing regular maintenance even when you take steps to reduce your need to have your septic pumped.