Maintain Your Septic System

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If you are connected to a septic tank there are a few different things that you need to know about because it is much different than being connected to city sewer. First of all, a septic system is an amazing system that keeps the sewage near and allows it to decompose and drain right on the property. If taken care of it is possible for these plumbing systems to run flawlessly for a very long time. However, they do need to be treated differently than a city sewer type of sewage system. Here are a few things to keep in mind. 

Garbage Is Bad

When you are connected to a septic system remember that garbage is bad. In fact there are two different types of garbage that are bad. The first garbage that you need to know is regular garbage like wrappers, cigarette butts, condoms, plastic wrappers, and any other type of garbage can really block up and damage your septic system. The other garbage that you need to avoid is the garbage disposal. If you are constantly using the garbage disposal then you will actually damage the septic system as well. So keep a garbage can near the sinks and toilets in the house for regular garbage, and do not use the garbage disposal in the home.

Liquid Drain Cleaner

The septic system really depends on the fact that the sewage breaks down over time, and one of the biggest factors in this process are the bacteria. The bacteria will break down the sewage and allow the septic system to actually work. One problem that is very common is that liquid drain cleaners will kill the bacteria. If the bacteria are dead then the break down of sewage will not occur at a rate that it needs to. The main reason the bacteria are killed is because of harsh chemicals being flushed or drained. So, do not use the liquid drain cleaners, or if you do use them, do so sparingly.

Pumping

No matter how well you try to maintain your septic tank, it is important that you have it pumped every other year. This will clean out the septic system and ensure that there are no natural buildups that will block the flow of sewage into the tank. Pumping the tank simply allows it to reset and stay working properly for a longer amount of time. Septic systems are great, but they do need to be maintained.  

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17 September 2017

Cool off Your AC Bill

Every summer, I agonized over energy bills that would shoot into the stratosphere as a result of my efforts to keep cool in the heat. Every time I turned the temperature down, my bills increased. This summer, I decided to take some of the control over my energy bill back. I installed reflective film on my windows that reduced the amount of light and heat coming into the house. I started serving more cold meals or asking my husband to barbecue outside, so that my air conditioner didn't have to compete with the hot stove, and I started doing laundry at night to reduce appliance heat in the house at peak times. I also had ceiling fans installed. So far, the difference in my bill has been tremendous. This blog is a way for me to explore other ways to reduce energy drain during the summer months.