Are you new to using a septic tank? If so, you may be wondering how you need to change your behaviors compared to using a city sewer system. A septic tank does have some maintenance involved to keep it running since the tank uses bacteria to break down solid waste. Here are some tips for maintaining a septic tank after having one installed for your home. 

Watch Water Usage

One mistake that you can easily make is using too much water in your house. All of that water will flow into the tank, which dilutes the number of bacteria in the water. This prevents solid waste from turning into sludge, which fills up the tank quickly.

You can easily use too much water by running consecutive loads of laundry, taking a very long shower, or having a big family that tends to shower all at once in the mornings. Try to space out water use so that this isn't a problem.

Avoid Antibacterial Cleaning Products

The soaps that you put down your drain can have an impact on how well the septic tank breaks down waste. If you are using a lot of cleaning products that have antibacterial properties, it is going to kill off the bacteria in the tank as well.

Be mindful of what kind of soaps go down your drain, and try using products that are not going to be bad for the bacteria in the tank.

Use Enzymes

If you are worried about the septic tank not having enough bacteria to it, you can actually add some enzymes to your tank that add more to the waste. Just put them directly down a drain, and they'll end up in the septic tank where they can help break down the solid waste.

Use Products That Are Safe For Septic Tanks

Be mindful of all solid waste that goes down a drain, such as the kind of toilet paper that you use. There are products specifically designed for being safe for septic tanks, which are designed to break down easily.

Let everyone know what should and should not go down your drains so that they don't cause a problem. For example, flushing tissues or paper towels down a toilet can be much harder for a septic tank to break down than septic-tank-safe toilet paper.

Looking for additional tips on maintaining a septic tank? Contact a septic systems company for more information.