If you have recently moved to a new home in Houston that uses a septic system rather than a connection to a municipal sewer system, you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed. But with just a few tips and a bit of information, your comfort level in having a septic system will increase significantly. One of the first lessons that everyone needs to learn is that water conservation is now a part of daily life. It is possible to introduce too much water into a septic tank and harm the bacteria keeping the system functioning.
A Septic Tank Overload
Septic tanks are sized when they are installed to accommodate the estimated waste generated by the household. The size of the house and the number of occupants is a large part of the sizing process. The overall size of the holding tank determines the amount of water that can enter the tank safely each day. If additional water flows into the tank, it becomes overloaded and can harm the bacteria and inhibit the natural process of solid waste settling to the bottom of the tank. So using less water in your home could be a necessity to maintain the health of your septic tank and keep it processing waste effectively.
Water Conservation Tips
Using a little less water inside your home can provide a tremendous benefit when it comes to the health and cost-effective function of your septic tank. While some tips will require a slight adaptation to your lifestyle, others are simple changes that need a bit of attention once to provide long-term water conservation.
- Shorten Showers – If you love to linger in a long, long hot shower, you could be better suited soaking in the tub. Shortening showers to five or 10 minutes is the best way to avoid flooding the septic tank and creating costly issues.
- Install Low-Flow Water Fixtures – Low-flow faucets, showerheads, and toilets will help significantly decrease the amount of water you use in your home each day. These devices can drop water usage by 50% or more in many cases without compromising the function of the water. So you will still enjoy that hot shower and be able to rinse dishes with ease.
- Use Appliances Wisely – Most home’s on a septic system will already have Energy Star rated appliances that use water as efficiently as possible. But it is up to you to only run these machines when fully loaded to maximize water usage. Also, when doing laundry, try to limit to one load per day to spread out the higher water influx into the septic tank.
- Reduce Outdoor Water Use – This could come as a surprise to many first-time septic system owners. But the water used outside your home impacts the absorption rate of the processed water. So limit lawn watering to an as-needed basis, plant low water native shrubs and trees, and sweep dirt and debris from hard surfaces rather than hosing them off.
The tips that you discover to use less water in your Houston home will become habits very quickly in most cases. And you could also find that you are enjoying a bit of a decrease in your water bill as a nice bonus. If you have any questions about how to maintain a healthy septic tank, call (281) 317-6103. The experts at Brown Aerobic Service Company are happy to provide helpful tips and information as well as any service you might need. We are also available to schedule a septic system inspection. And to provide you with more detailed information regarding your system and how to best maintain a healthy bacteria level and function of your new home’s septic system.