According to some recommendations, if you have a garbage disposal, you should pump your septic tank annually. Without a disposal, you can wait three years or even more (depending on your situation) between pumping. If you have a garbage disposal and you want to extend the amount of time between pumping, there are a few tips you may want to try.

1. Minimise Grease

Whether you have a garbage disposal or not, grease is one of the worst things you can put down a drain. That's especially true if you have a septic tank. The grease coats the inside of the tank and its components.

When dealing with certain types of fat such as animal fats, the fat will also solidify at certain temperatures. That can cause malfunctions in your pumping system. Don't ever pour old fry grease down your drain. Also, try to minimise the amount of greasy leftovers that you put in the disposal.

2. Compost What You Can

Vegetable peelings, fruit pips and similar items can build up in your septic tank if you put those items down the disposal. If possible, skip the disposal on these items and compost them instead. It doesn't take a lot of effort.

Simply put a bucket with a lid under your sink for scraps. Then, sign up for a community program where the local council picks up your compost or transfer it to an outside compost bin. That way the scraps go back to nature, without clogging up your septic tank along the way.

3. Use the Disposal for Sink Scraps

If possible, only use your garbage disposal for the random scraps that end up in the sink. Make a point of scraping dishes into the rubbish bin rather than the sink. If you're cleaning out the fridge, also make a point of throwing the leftovers in the rubbish.

4. Invest in a Stronger Filter

In addition to minimising how often you use the garbage disposal, you may also want to invest in a stronger filter. Consider a sand filter. As suggested by the name, a sand filter allows the water and waste to run through a filter made of sand. Those fine grains help to sieve out any solids that are in your waste, whether they come from the toilet or the garbage disposal.

5. Check Levels Manually

Finally, rather than just scheduling a regular pumping appointment, you may just want to schedule pumping when you truly need it. To figure that out, you need to be able to manually check the level of solid waste in your septic tank. The process varies so check with your manufacturer or a septic professional for more details.

Share