Spring Break and Septic Tank Etiquette

Spring Break and Septic Tank Etiquette

For millions of people, spring break means one thing: a week-long holiday. As everyone heads out to their favorite warm, sunny vacation destination with bathing suits and beach toys in hand, the last thing on their minds is the contents of the septic tank at their Airbnb.

Unfortunately, that mindset can lead to an overloaded septic system, clogged drainpipes, mass annihilation of beneficial bacteria, and blaring alarms – not the shindig most hope for on spring break.

You can protect the septic system (and your time off) by following good septic etiquette. Whether you’re travelling to the coast or mountains or staycationing near home over spring break, the experts at Orenco Systems offer these tips to follow before enjoying your time at a vacation home-away-from-home.

1. Adjust the Settings: At home, before you leave for vacation, adjust your septic system’s control panel to slow down the pump. “If you’re going to be gone for a period of time, you can start lengthening the amount of time between pump cycles,” says Aaron Yates, customer service lead at Orenco Systems. “So, if it’s at a default setting, like 150 to 200 gallons a day, you’ll start creeping that out to where much less goes through the system.”
2. Watch System Overload: Once you’re at your destination, avoid long showers, nonstop dishwasher, and tons of laundry – all these things can lead to an overloaded septic system. When excess water or waste enters the tank faster than it can process it, it’ll result in gurgling pipes, slow drains, sewage backups, and a saturated drainfield. “You don’t want big upsets or swings in hydraulic surges that are unexpected or biological upsets where you blow through the system,” says Cory Lyon, product management director at Orenco. Make it a practice to take shorter showers and baths, turn off the water while brushing, and use water-saving sanitaryware.
3. Safeguard the Flushing: Ensure “flushable” wipes, hair trimmings, septic tank additives, and other such un-flushables are banned from your vacation pad’s toilets and pipes, Lyons says. The same is true for food scraps, grease, medications, and feminine hygiene products. The only thing circling the drain should be water, human-generated waste, and septic-safe toilet paper.   
4. Don’t Mix the Chemistry: Certain household cleaners, like ammonia and bleach, can disrupt or harm the work of the beneficial bacteria living in a treatment system. Before you leave your holiday home, clean it with environmentally safe cleaners, liquid (not powdered) laundry detergent, baking soda, white vinegar, and a plunger rather than chemical de-cloggers. The microbes in the tank will thank you!

Septic system etiquette doesn’t have to be limited to spring break excursions – it’s something that can be practiced year round, no matter where you’re staying. All it takes is being mindful of what and how much you put down the drain.

For more information about septic tank smarts, listen to our podcast, “Make It Clear: Vacation Homes and Wastewater Systems,” or check out the Homeowner Tips on Orenco’s YouTube page, @OrencoSystems.