If you want to get away from the madding crowd, you may be thinking about building a home in a very rural location. You may not mind being cut off from the rest of the world to a certain extent, but nevertheless need to consider the practicalities of living as you do so. One of your big tasks ahead will be the installation of a sewage treatment unit to process your domestic waste. If you know very little about this type of installation, what do you need to bear in mind?
How the System Works
Firstly, you need to understand the practical limitations of your own treatment plant, so that you do not overload it and so that it works efficiently and reliably for the years ahead. Remember, these domestic plants are intended for a small number of people and are not designed for heavy throughput and you've got to make sure that you treat them carefully.
This type of installation relies on very complex colonies of microorganisms that will process what you send into the plant very efficiently, so long as you understand their limitations. If you treat these colonies fairly, then they will work perfectly well and while they are quite hardy, certain activities will cause significant problems.
Good Habits
You need to get into the habit of thinking very carefully before you dispose of anything down the drain. In particular, think twice or three times before putting anything that is chemical-based into the system. The majority of household cleaning products can be disposed of, so long as they are diluted properly and if you're in any doubt, don't proceed.
What Not to Do
You should be particularly careful when you are washing clothes and shouldn't do a number of successive loads in a short space of time. This will ensure that the chemicals within the cleaning products do not build up to problematic levels. If using bleach in any situation, make sure that it is thoroughly diluted before you even think about pouring it down the drain.
Sensible Practices
It's also a good idea to compost food scraps rather than putting them into the system, as they can be quite difficult to break down and you should also avoid introducing any alcohol, as this is especially difficult for the microorganisms to process.
Being Especially Careful
Remember, the microorganisms are living and cannot tolerate, under any circumstances, chemicals used to rid your garden of fungus, insects or weeds. If you introduce any of this product to the system, you will seriously compromise its ability to process anything and this could lead to blockages, unpleasant odours and an expensive service call.
Taking the Plunge
If you feel that you are ready to live the remote life, get in touch with septic tank specialists, in order to start the ball rolling.
For more information, contact a business such as Econocycle.