A garbage disposal grinds food waste to easily flow through a home s plumbing and into a septic tank.
Can you use a garbage disposal with septic.
Natural bacteria can t decompose the materials quickly enough meaning your septic tank will need to be inspected more frequently and pumped as much as twice as often.
The way that the septic system is set up involves a large tank filled with water and the waste from your home.
Do pump out the septic tank more frequently if garbage disposal is being used heavily.
Don t put food macaroni veggie peels grease egg shells etc.
Garbage disposals are septic safe.
Once there food scraps decompose faster than other waste sent into the tank.
Below is a list of things you should never put down the garbage disposal if you have a septic tank.
When you use a garbage disposal with a septic tank the ground up food particles contribute to the layer of solids that is deposited on the bottom of your septic tank.
The reality is it won t.
The solid waste settles to the bottom where bacteria go to work breaking it down.
However since septic tanks are usually designed to break down human waste added measures need to be taken to ensure that they work well when paired with a garbage disposal.
A garbage disposal is used to grind food scraps into tiny pieces making is easier to dispose of and process the waste.
However before you go out and buy a waste disposer there are a few things that you need to be aware of.
Just because you have a septic tank doesn t mean that you have to give up on the convenience of a garbage disposal.
Unfortunately though they are not the best choice for septic systems.
Unlike a sewer system that is taken care of by the city a septic tank can be a little difficult to take care of.
The best advice you can get is to just not use a garbage disposal with a septic system.
It is not ok.
The second best advice you can get is to use it minimally and responsibly.
You ve probably been told that using a garbage disposal to get rid of food waste is going to upset that delicate system.
After all garbage disposals are environmentally friendly by keeping scraps from entering landfills across the nation.
Otherwise bacteria cannot break it down.
It is okay to make use of garbage disposal with a septic tank.
Do consider building a compost pile for all those leftover peelings coffee grounds and egg shells.
You really shouldn t be using a garbage disposal with your septic system.
Fitting the wrong garbage disposer can put a strain on your septic system so make sure you read this page and the waste disposal buying guide before making a purchase.
Regular use of a garbage disposal can drastically increase the amount of waste you are pumping into the septic tank.
For example you will have to ensure that the waste going down your garbage disposal to your septic tank is entirely biodegradable.
The do s and don ts for using a garbage disposal with septic systems.
The simple answer to can i have a garbage disposal with a septic tank is yes.
However making use of garbage disposal and a septic tank is different from making use of garbage disposal and a sewer system.