Can you smell the turkey? Oh, wait, that is not turkey I smell! Could it be sewage?!
There could be nothing worse during the holidays than a backed up septic system. And, even though your holidays may look a little different this year with fewer guests, you may want to read these tips and tricks on how to avoid future septic situations.
Stagger Shower Times: This is a good rule of thumb even if it's just your large family of 6 in the home. Doing this will decrease any stress on your septic system. Ohm, less stress during the holidays for everyone, and everything.
Loads of Laundry: Again, this can be handy with large families, not just when you have out-of-town guests. Avoid doing load after load of laundry in one day, spread it out over a few days. Make sure to do the essentials first, to dodge any embarrassing encounters with a pant-less Uncle Ralph. Yeah, not what you want to see running around the house. And, always do full loads. Not too full, not too empty, just right.
To Flush or Not To Flush:
That is a question to which every household should have an answer. Absolutely DO NOT FLUSH the following: Feminine hygiene products. Wet wipes, yep, even those that say they are flushable are not flushable. Cooking grease, really?! Diapers. Now come on, those are just way to bulky to flush down a toilet. Really, the only thing you should be flushing besides the obvious is toilet paper. No one wants to plunge a clogged toilet after Thanksgiving Dinner.
Prep for the Future: If you are preparing the entire meal yourself, may I introduce you to a novel idea: delegate dishes. However, if you insist on making everything yourself, try to prep those veggies and anything else the day before. This will save on loads of water usage cleaning the produce. Now may be the perfect time to begin composting fruit and veggie scraps to save your disposal from overuse. Never too early to get a start on next years gardening.
Pump Up the System: Well, don't pump it up, pump it out. If you haven't pumped your septic system in the last five years, start pumping. Call a local plumbing or septic company.
