When you own a home, it’s more likely than not that you own a plumbing system too. After all, the conveniences and ease that modern plumbing provides us is not something that the majority of us would be happy to live without out. In fact, the vast majority of us would be none too pleased with needing to live without modern plumbing in our homes (and in just about all of the places that we go as well).
But we also should take our plumbing systems for granted, from our pipes to our toilets to our septic tanks and septic systems as a whole. Taking them for granted could easily allow them to fall into disarray, something that can lead to a number of costly problems. But when you care for your plumbing system and septic system well, you are more likely than not going to be pleased with the condition that it stays in.
First, let’s consider the septic tank. Septic systems are very popular in the United States, used by up to twenty five percent of all household. If your home has a septic tank system, you’ll need regular septic tank pumping to keep it in good shape. However, the rate of this septic tank pumping will depend on a number of factors.
First of all, septic tanks come in different sizes. When you move into a new home, you will first need to ensure that your septic tank is large enough to accommodate the water used and waste produced by your family. Typically, a septic tank should be able to hold two days of wastewater at a minimum, due to the fact that this is the amount of time it takes for solid waste products to settle out. For different families of different sizes, this will of course require differently sized septic tanks, with the average sized family of four requiring a septic tank that is, at the very smallest, one thousand gallons..
Once you have a septic tank that is the right size to accommodate the needs of your family, you can then look at the four most important factors that will determine the frequency with which you should be pumping it. Just as the number of people in your home will determine the size of your septic tank in the first place, it will also be a determining factor in the frequency that you need to pump your septic tank with as well. In addition to this, the amount of wastewater that is generated by your family will also be a factor, as will the amount of solids found in that wastewater, which is something that, again, will vary from household to household. Finally, the size of the septic tank itself will determine how frequently it needs to be pumped, as smaller sized septic tanks will likely need be pumped far more frequently than a septic tank of a larger size.
Aside from your septic system, the average home owner will also need to consider other aspects of their plumbing as well. Household leaks, for instance, can pose a real threat when it comes to wasted money and, of course, wasted water. In fact, even small leaks can waste a good deal of water, with the typical family able to save up to ten percent on their overall water bill just by having these small leaks repaired. And many leaks are of a much bigger scale, with up to ten percent of all households in this country wasting as many as ninety gallons of water – if not more – in just one single day thanks to leaks of a considerable size in the plumbing system of said home.
Reducing water consumption is also something that just about every single family can do, especially since the typical person will use up to seventy gallons of water over the course of just one day. Small changes can lessen this amount, such as turning off the sink faucet when you’re brushing your teeth and taking shorter showers. Even turning off the water periodically while you do the dishes can have a big impact. The environment will thank you, as will your wallet, as you’ll save considerable money.