Be responsible; Watch your drains!

What goes down the drain can have a major impact on how well your plumbing system works and cost you money in unneeded repairs.

Waste disposal

What shouldn't you flush down your toilet?

Dental floss, feminine hygeine products, condoms, diapers, cotton swabs, cigarette butts, coffee grounds, cat litter, paper towels, and other kitchen and bathroom items can clog and potentially damage both sewer and septic system components if they become trapped.

Flushing household chemicals, gasoline, oil, pesticides, antifreeze, and paint is illegal in most public municipal sewer systems and can stress or destroy the biological treatment taking place in a privately owned septic system or might contaminate surface waters and groundwater.

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Whatever you wrongfully put into your drainage system is ultimately removed by someone else and does cost you money in maintenance or repairs in the long run.

Trash belongs in the trash can, not in the plumbing!

What are the two things you should  flush down the toilet?

☞ 1. Food that you've eaten.

☞ 2. Toilet paper.

Everything else should probably go into the trash can. Just because it says flushable, doesn't mean you should!

F.O.G.s

Fats, Oils and Greases are a serious problem for all drainage systems. You should avoid pouring these pollutants down your drain system.

Just as they can clog the drain system of your home, they also cause millions of dollars of problems for the public sewer systems in maintenance and property damage. 

☺Tip: If you must dispose of cooking oils, pour it in an old coffee can (be sure it's not still hot) and put in the freezer. When the can is full, dispose of it in the garbage.

Septic Tip: If your septic tank pumper is concerned about quickly accumulating scum layers, reduce the flow of floatable materials like fats, oils, and grease into your tank or be prepared to pay for more frequent inspections and pumping.

Washing machines and water waste.

By selecting the proper load size, you'll reduce water waste. Washing small loads of laundry on the large-load cycle wastes precious water and energy. If you can't select load size, run only full loads of laundry. Conserve water and conserve money.

If you are on a septic system, doing all the household laundry in one day; might seem like a time-saver, but it could be harmful to your septic system.

Doing load after load does not allow your septic tank time to adequately treat wastes. You could be flooding your drainfield without allowing sufficient recovery time. Try to spread water usage throughout the week.

Did you know?

A new Energy Star clothes washer uses 35 percent less energy and 50 percent less water than a standard model.