HELP!!!! (septic system)

[MizTink]

I know there are things that can't be flushed down the toilet when you have a septic sytem. I had company over the weekend who "forgot" what I had told her and flushed tampons and wipes. Is there anything I can do now, or do I just hold my breath and pray it doesn't cause a problem?

 

[Erin1700]

I saw a commercial for something you can pour down as a preventative. I don't recall the name though.

 

[EeyoreEma]

Oh my goodness. What lovely company. I'm not sure if this would help or not, but try getting some Rid-X and see if that will help. I wish you luck! Septic tank troubles are no fun at all!

 

[Mandychelle79]

Im sure on tampon isnt going to muck things up.

 

[MichelleVW]

I wouldn't panic, I'm sure everything is fine.

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

If you have any YEAST in your pantry flush some down.

 

[MizTink]

i've only had a septic tank a few times in my life and 1 backed up into the house. i never want to go through that again!!
i'm just not sure if it's something that would happen later, or if it were going to cause a problem, it would happen right away...
and the stuff like rid-x, maybe that would help break them down??? i'm sure it was several tampons (a couple days worth) plus some little wipes. ugh.....

 

[Disney Doll]

Is there a septic company in your area that could give you some advice?

In the course of a relatively short visit, the number of tampons that would have been flushed would probably not harm the septic system, especially if it is a well-maintained system. Septic tanks tend to be fairly large.

Assuming you get it cleaned out regularly, I wouldn't worry too much. If they don't disintegrate, they be removed with the next cleaning. If you haven't gotten it cleaned out regularly, now might be a good time to do so.

 

[John VN]

If you search the net regarding septic systems, you will find MANY university and State studies that show the additives you put down the toilet do nothing.

If you allow grease to go down your kitchen sink on a regular basis, chances are that will cause more issues than a tampon and wipes. Grease can find its way to the drain field and plug the holes in the pipes or the field itself thus preventing the water from seeping down into the ground.

What can cause septic tank failure is the introduction of bacteria killing substances. Harsh soaps, bleach, phosphates can kill the bacteria that digests the organic waste.

It is advisable to have the TANK pumped out at least once every 5 years. In some communities, sanitation codes require tanks be pumped out every 3 years.

Our septic system is 25 years old and I have had it pumped out twice. When it was being done I was told the tank was very healthy and just keep on doing what we have been doing which has been NOTHING. I keep grease from going down the drain, use proper cleaners, use septic system approved TP and make sure that anything else had to pass through us first.

If in doubt, have it pumped out.

 

[Rylee]

When is the last time you had the septic pumped?

It really shouldn't cause any problems since it's not a daily occurrence.

 

[Kellydelly]

I would not stress about it. I would put up a sign by your toilet that expresses no feminine products or wipes should be flushed the next time you have company . Who does that anyway except a child that doesn't know any better.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

We have a septic tank, have lived here 24 years and had it pumped only once. Both DD and I flush tampons and have never had a problem.

Maybe I don't worry enough.

 

[jen0610]

We have a septic tank, have lived here 24 years and had it pumped only once. Both DD and I flush tampons and have never had a problem.

Maybe I don't worry enough.

My in-laws have been at their place 50+ years and they have only had to have theirs pumped out 3 times. They have had 2 DD's and 4 GDD's grow up in that house. Never had an issue.

I do know that like clock work the 1st saturday of the month, my mil flushes yeast down to the system. She's been doing this since they built the house. Does that work, I don't know if it does or doesn't, but seeing as they have never had an issue, I wouldn't stop keeping to her schedule.

 

[RitaE]

Wow, I don't know how all you people do it with the never pumping.
We have to get ours pumped at least every two years and I just got another notice last week that our tank failed the quarterly test. I have a feeling our tank is actually too small for our house but I don't even have a garbage disposal or anything like that.

But for the OP, one weekend of that isn't going to do anything drastic that is cause for immediate alarm. Just don't make a habit of it.

 

[PatsMom]

Wow, I don't know how all you people do it with the never pumping.
We have to get ours pumped at least every two years and I just got another notice last week that our tank failed the quarterly test. I have a feeling our tank is actually too small for our house but I don't even have a garbage disposal or anything like that.

But for the OP, one weekend of that isn't going to do anything drastic that is cause for immediate alarm. Just don't make a habit of it.

You don't want a garbage disposal with a septic system. Hopefully you would just be adding compostable stuff that would decompose but why add it when you can compost or trash it? When we have company we don't make a big deal out of what they flush. I think occassionally anything is OK.

We get pumped every five or six years. And even then the septic service generally tells us that we really didn't need it. A very healthy system he said last time! We add nothing - no RidX, no yeast. I am careful with grease - as mentioned, it can really gum up the leach field and back things up in a hurry.

I've never heard of a quarterly test for the septic. Is that something required where you live or something that a service offers for money? I don't think I would like it if I had to worry every three months about the septic!

 

[RitaE]

You don't want a garbage disposal with a septic system. Hopefully you would just be adding compostable stuff that would decompose but why add it when you can compost or trash it? When we have company we don't make a big deal out of what they flush. I think occassionally anything is OK.

We get pumped every five or six years. And even then the septic service generally tells us that we really didn't need it. A very healthy system he said last time! We add nothing - no RidX, no yeast. I am careful with grease - as mentioned, it can really gum up the leach field and back things up in a hurry.

I've never heard of a quarterly test for the septic. Is that something required where you live or something that a service offers for money? I don't think I would like it if I had to worry every three months about the septic!

Yeah, our County Health department requires a permit and then a quarterly test of the discharge to make sure it is all working correctly. We are also required to keep it all under contract with a licensed Maintenance company who does inspections every so often.

 

[zurgswife]

I have septic for over 10 years; 3 females living in the house and never have had a problem with flushing tampons....I could see if they were in plastic cover but the makeup is cotton which should degrade just fine.

 

[tzolkin]

We have a septic tank, have lived here 24 years and had it pumped only once. Both DD and I flush tampons and have never had a problem.

Maybe I don't worry enough.

This makes me feel a little bit better.

We attempted to have our septic tank pumped last summer, only to dig up a large area of the yard and discover that the top is just a solid block of concrete with no opening. So ours has apparently never been pumped.

Right after this discovery we got a foreign exchange student who was taking 20+ minute showers and flushing all sorts of things (tampons, makeup wipes, cotton balls, etc). I was about to go out of my mind with being paranoid that our septic system was finally going to fail until we got her water usage under control.

I do still worry about it every day, but I really don't want to have a whole new system put in when the one we have seems to be working fine. On the other hand, I don't really want to wait until we have a major problem and they can't get to it under feet of snow.

 

[Hillbeans]

Am I the only one wondering how you came about this information from your friend in the first place?

 

[MizTink]

Am I the only one wondering how you came about this information from your friend in the first place?

lol, it's my son's girlfriend. they're here often, but i noticed wrappers in the trash, so i reminded her! she said she forgot.... guess she's probably done it other times too.

oh, and some of you questioned when it was pumped last or suggested we pump it now. i'm a renter si i have no idea what they've done with it. considering the type of landlords they are, i will assume they've done nothing, and won't unless forced to. they truly are slumlords, lucky me.