Preventative septic maintenance is key to maintaining a healthy septic system. With proper care, the average septic system should last anywhere between 20 and 30 years. Unfortunately, many homeowners neglect septic system maintenance in Rochester and other towns throughout Southeastern Massachusetts, resulting in an early deterioration of the septic and drainfield system, which leads to costly repairs and replacements before they should ever be needed.

With regular preventative septic maintenance and inspections by licensed, certified technicians, you could avoid costly septic system repair in Massachusetts. Most problems, if caught in the early stage of development, can be fixed quickly and easily. Ongoing problems that are not addressed can lead to a complete system failure, which can cost thousands of dollars to get back on track.

This article features 9 steps that you can take as a homeowner to have a healthy septic system that will serve you and your family for many years to come. Quality septic system maintenance in Rochester is available through All-Clear Septic & Wastewater, a reputable septic and wastewater services provider with nearly 20 years of experience working for customers in Southeastern Massachusetts, Eastern Rhode Island and Cape Cod.

Step One – Get Inspected
Regular septic system inspections are key to a solid preventative maintenance program. Inspections should be performed annually or more frequently if your system is getting a lot of use or has been deemed at-risk in the past. Regular inspections of your healthy septic system can help spot potential problems before they occur or catch small problems before they get bigger and more costly to repair. Most preventative septic maintenance programs offer regular inspections as part of their annual service programs. Speak with your All-Clear representative for information about preventative maintenance services.

Step Two – Get Pumped
Statistics show that the average septic system maintenance in Rochester will require the tank to be pumped every three to five years. However, each tank and client is different, which is why the inspections suggested in Step One are essential to a healthy septic system. While some homeowners will require more frequent septic tank pumping than others, it is important that you hire a trusted septic system inspection and service provider to ensure you don’t pump too often. Over-pumping can also be harmful to the natural bacteria and process of your septic system.

Step Three – Control Water
Water control is a big part of preventative septic maintenance. If too much water gets into your drainfield, it can prevent the wastewater filtering process from working effectively. Ineffective filtering can lead to hazardous wastes making their way into local groundwater and drinking wells, which can cause sickness, disease and other health risks to you, your family and your neighbors. Make sure all drainpipes and gutters are directed away from your tank and drainfield to prevent a water overload of the system.

Step Four – Keep It Sealed
Make sure that all access lids and ports to your septic system are sealed tight. If water is able to penetrate your system through lids and ports that are improperly sealed, or through other cracks and crevices in the system itself, it can overload the system and saturate the drainfield. Once again, this prevents the wastewater filtering process from working effectively, which can lead to a whole host of health risks and problems. Contact septic system repair in Massachusetts if you see any problems with lids, ports and other potential cracks in the system.

Step Five – Be Prepared
Another important part of proper preventative septic maintenance includes being prepared for an emergency. The best way to do this is to have all of the proper sitemaps and drawings readily available for your system. Keeping this information handy can help you and/or a repairman locate your pump tanks, septic tank, transport lines and drainfield quickly and easily without wasting time on guesswork. You should be able to get one from your local Health Department, which keeps track of septic system repair in Rochester, such as Title V Inspection results and records.

Step Six – Stay Alert
Knowing where the various components of your septic system is key to preventative septic maintenance. When you know where your tank, lines and drainfield are located, it is easier to ensure that they are never obstructed or covered in any way that might cause damage or reduce the effectiveness of the process. Don’t park vehicles on top of your drainfield, plant anything other than grass or septic-approved short root plants over top of your drainfield and make sure that there is access to all components at all times for septic system repair in Massachusetts.

Step Seven – Get Informed
Know what you can flush – and what you can’t. The more you know about how to keep a healthy septic system, the better. If you aren’t sure or don’t have a lot of experience working with a septic system, speak with your an All-Clear representative or your technician for professional advice and guidelines.

Step Eight – Don’t Help
A lot of homeowners think they need to “help” their septic system to run more smoothly by adding tank additives or other rejuvenators to the system. These products all claim to break up sludge or scum, unclog drainfields and aid in the health of your system, but what they actually do is cause damage to your system. Excessive frothing and the killing off of important septic tank bacteria are just some of the side effects associated with using these additives.

Step Nine – Be Smart
Some of the biggest problems that result in costs associated with septic system maintenance in Rochester are caused by the homeowners themselves. Never dump greases, oils or other similar substances into your sinks or toilets – even in the kitchen. These substances float on top of the wastewater and can clog the inlet pipes in the septic tank. Never dump pesticides, paints or other chemicals into your sinks or toilets. These substances can damage the effectiveness of the septic system and eventually end up damaging local drinking and ground water supplies.

For more information about preventative septic maintenance or to sign up for annual septic system maintenance in Rochester, contact All-Clear Septic & Wastewater. With proper maintenance and regular inspections, you can potentially increase the life of your healthy septic system by several years.