It’s the little things that can mess up your septic system, and laundry is one of those little things. Your septic system is sensitive despite what it does, and we here are Express Septic Services like to educate people on how to best care for their systems. One of those things is to spread your laundry out across the week rather than have an official laundry day. Here is why this is important.
How Your Septic System Works
Let’s start by talking about how your septic system works. Your septic system is made up of three primary components: a main line, the septic tank, and the drain field. As with a sewage system, your household or business’ plumbing empties through the piping system into the main line. This main line then empties into your septic tank. Solids sink to the bottom of the tank. Liquids filter through the tank into the drain field. Both the tank and drain field have beneficial bacteria to treat the waste.
Your Septic System and Laundry
This whole process might seem easy enough and it is, provided the system doesn’t become overwhelmed. Because the solid waste sinks to the bottom of the tank where it is treated, and your laundry waste is strictly water, doing your laundry all in one day doesn’t necessarily affect the tank. It can affect the drain field, however, as this is part of your septic system responsible for all wastewater that comes out of your home or business and into the system.
It takes time for the beneficial bacteria to treat the wastewater, which is eventually released into the ground once it is safe. A large household or business that washes linens, for example, can wash as many as five or more loads of laundry in one day. This does not give the drain field time to treat the wastewater before more is flushed into the system. Consequently, this can not only cause premature drain field failure but it can also release untreated water into the ground.
Better Safe Than Sorry
If you spread your laundry out throughout the week so you’re only doing one or two loads each day, you give your septic system drain field time to treat the wastewater properly and restore itself. This ensures you don’t end up with a septic system issue. One way to decrease the number of loads you do is to make certain you only wash full loads. Also, make sure to use laundry detergent and fabric softener that are safe for septic systems. Don’t use bleach; it will kill the beneficial bacteria.
If you would like your septic system inspected and serviced, call Express Septic Services at 864-302-1810. We’re located in Greenville, SC.
