The Septic Tank – What’s in There?

Every morning after you brush your teeth and hop into the shower and then shuffle to the kitchen for your morning coffee, the water you use to take a shower is draining into your septic system (that is, if your home is on a septic system). Along with the water that drains through your pipes are the contents of that water. Virtually everything you've washed from your body; your skin cells, soap, dirt and grime, all of it has to have a place to go. Most homeowners don't think twice about the contents of their septic system until they experience a problem. So, today, it might be wise to consider all of the things that wash into your septic system and what you can do to better care for your septic system.

As we all know, waste products from flushing the toilet end up in a septic tank. But that's not the only contents. One of the most prominent contents of the septic tank is the material gathered from laundry wash water. That's right! Your dryer is not the only place where lint accumulates. The difference is, when you wash your clothes the lint is spun out in the rinse cycle and washed down the drain into your septic system. The bad news is that laundry lint is not biodegradable. Virtually every piece of lint that has washed down your septic system is still there to this day.

While this may not seem like a big deal, the overabundance of accumulated lint in the septic system can cause major damage to not only your septic tank and septic drainage, but also to your law. No matter how many over the counter products you put into your toilet tank to help lower the level of waste, laundry lint will not respond. Because of the fact that laundry lint is not biodegradable, the enzymes and flushable products homeowners use to combat this problem will seek only to lower the level of actual human waste. You're basically flushing money down the toilet.

The best way to combat the issue of laundry lint is through the utilization of a laundry lint filter on your washing machine. Laundry lint filters are relatively inexpensive and can end up saving homeowners thousands of dollars in terms of septic repair. If you'd rather not have your lawn dug up, it is wise to consider purchasing a laundry lint filter. While the utilization of a laundry lint filter may seem insignificant but, the second a problem arises you're certain to think twice about the choice you made to buy one. Be smart and cut problems off at the pass. You'll be very happy you did.