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Laundry Tips to Help Your Septic Tank System

by Ri Industries

Did you know the way you do laundry can affect your septic system? If you read our article last month, you likely do. We discussed common causes of a failing septic system and heavy water usage is one of the most common causes. So, from Ri-Industries to you, here are some laundry tips to help keep your septic system working properly. 

Be careful of washing clothes that are too dirty for the wash. Yes, you read that right. When items with excess dirt on them (like caked-on mud) are added to the wash load, you risk a build up of dirt/mud which can in turn clog the system and damage the absorption of the drainfield.

Spread out your washing. If you don’t accumulate a lot of laundry during the week (2 loads or less), doing it all in one day may be fine. But, if you’re like most of us, the laundry that piles up in your home all week can be too much to put your septic system through in one day. The loads should be spaced apart to give the settlement process time to properly break down the solid matter. If you don’t, the soakage field could fail which can cause extensive damage. 

The septic system uses ‘good’ bacteria to break down the solids which enter it. Excessive amounts of bleach and detergents will damage the good bacteria. By spacing out the load, you limit the amount of bleach and detergent in the system at one time. Also, choose liquid detergent rather than powder. Powdered detergents use fillers or extenders that can clog the soil in the drainfield and permanently damage its absorption ability. Look for a formula with natural ingredients and that is low in surfactants and phosphates.

Did you know many washing machines come with a lint tray, just like dryers do? And, just like dryers, the lint trays need to be emptied and cleaned. Laundry debris and lint can escape into your pipes causing severe blockages. These substantial backups can break down your septic system, so take this tip seriously.

Following these few tips will help avoid costly repairs to the septic system. Do you have questions about these tips or anything regarding the Ri-Industry septic tanks? If so, please call us at 08 8444 8100.

 

Image shows Ri-Industries logo and title of article: Common Causes of a Failing Septic System

Common Causes of a Failing Septic System

by Ri Industries

Image shows Ri-Industries logo and title of article: Common Causes of a Failing Septic System

A failing septic system is a concern shared by many homeowners. Repairs, or replacement, can be costly. But what might be even worse, is living in a home when the septic system is not working as it should. 

Although it’s unlikely that homeowners think about their septic system every day, they do benefit from its function each and every day. When a septic tank is mentioned, most people immediately think of toilets. And yes, the septic tank is extremely important to manage human waste disposal, but it’s responsible for handling so much more in the house. Showers, laundry, dish washing, anything that produces wastewater in the home will use the septic tank. It’s easy to see why it’s important to keep it flowing smoothly and functioning well. 

One of the most common causes of a failing septic system is heavy water usage in the home. To help understand why, let’s take a simple look at how the septic system works: 

  • Wastewater flows from the inlet to the outlet in the septic tank. 
  • Solids and liquids of different densities are separated. 
  • Scum rises to the top, sludge sinks to the bottom, and the watery effluent stays in the middle. 
  • The effluent then flows out of the septic tank into the drain field. 

The size of the septic tank and the drain field will dictate how much wastewater can be processed at a time. If too much wastewater overwhelms the system, it will not be able to break it down properly and can result in clogging the system.

The septic system may be overlooked when plans are made to remodel a home. If space is being added to allow additional people to live in the home, you will want to speak with a professional to help determine if the current septic tank is large enough to handle the extra use. 

The drain field plays an important role in the septic system. Be careful where trees are planted to help avoid clogging due to tree roots. Also, be sure no one drives over the drain field. The weight of the vehicles could compact or crush underground pipes. 

Human waste is the only matter the septic system is designed to break down. A common cause of a failing septic system is the introduction of other materials such as paper towels, cigarette butts, feminine hygiene products, nappies, and even ‘flushable’ wipes. Bacteria is unable to break these products down and can result in forming a blockage in the system.

An often-overlooked cause of a failing septic system is the use of cleaners or antibacterial agents which disrupt or kill the bacteria that is responsible for breaking down the wastewater. 

Now that we know about some of the common causes of a failing septic system, let’s talk about common signs to help homeowners contact the experts when needed:

 

  • Unexplained slow drains (sinks, bathtubs, and showers)
  • Sewage backup into your home (sinks, bathtubs, showers, laundry)
  • Wet or spongy spots in the yard (that are not due to rain or other water source)
  • Grass that is unusually green over the septic system 
  • Foul odor near the septic system

The experts at Ri-Industries can help homeowners determine the proper size tank needed for their home and will ensure it is properly installed. To learn more please visit our website or call us at 8444 8100.

EP33 3 tank system

Introducing the EP33 Secondary Treatment System

by Ri Industries

EP33 3 tank system

Ri-Industries has launched a new Ri-Treat product called the EP33 Secondary Treatment System. This three-tank system replaces the Ri-Cycle, which came in three models used in commercial settings. The EP33 can still be used for commercial purposes and has capacity for up to 33 people.

Like all our products, the EP33 is guaranteed superior quality and engineer designed, and it comes with the usual stainless steel Lowara pumps and Mac air blowers for reliability and efficiency. It offers building owners and occupants the chance to reclaim their wastewater by recycling and reusing water, and can be used in many commercial settings such as caravan parks, hotels, factories, mining camps, schools and wineries.

What’s particularly exciting is that the EP33, along with the Ri-Treat EP10 which launched last year, is the only SA-manufactured secondary treatment system that’s been tested, certified and approved to the Australian Standard (AS/NZS 1546.3:2017) for South Australian conditions. After rigorous testing over the last two years, it has been approved by SA Health and carries the SAI Global ‘5 ticks’ StandardsMark License.

The Ri-Treat EP33 offers several features and benefits:

  • Consisting of three pre-cast 50 MPa reinforced concrete tanks, with no fibreglass or plastic structural components, means that no untreated effluent will escape into the environment.
  • The high-quality biofilter medium, with the added bonus of bristle filters, enhances the purity of the recycled water.
  • All irrigation pumps are Lowara stainless steel and are submersible, quiet, reliable and inexpensive to operate.
  • The Japanese Mac100 air blower offers the most reliable and efficient aeration and has a 2-year warranty.
  • A 15-year warranty on tank construction.
  • Other unique features, such as automatic sludge and skimmer returns.

Please note, our approvals only cover the manufacture and sale of the unit. Therefore, installation and commissioning are the responsibility of the purchaser and all servicing must be carried out by an authorised service agent in accordance with the Installation and Maintenance Manuals.

Our website has more details about the new EP33, including a new brochure and copies of the new Owner’s Manual, along with the Installation and Maintenance Manual. We have also updated our Product Catalogue. All manuals are also available in the PDF manuals section of the website.

 If you have any additional questions about the EP33, please do not hesitate to contact us on 8444 8100.

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Personal Hygiene Habits and Cleaning Tips to Keep You Healthy

by Ri Industries

Personal hygiene habits can help keep you healthy or, when done poorly, can make you susceptible to illness. With summer holidays and borders opening, now is a great time to review some extra bathroom tips to help keep you healthy. 

The University of South Australia has recently conducted a study on public restrooms. In short, it highlighted the dangers of open toilet lids, uncovered rubbish bins and defective plumbing drains in spreading infections in public washrooms. To best protect yourself when using a public restroom, the authors of the study recommend you minimise your time in the bathroom, wash and dry your hands properly, and don’t use your mobile phone or eat/drink. With these precautions, your risk to infection and illness should be relatively low. 

That covers public toilets, but what about the bathrooms in your home? We’ve previously shared articles with tips to help clean your bathrooms. 

Our article, Helpful Household Cleaning Tips: Bathroom Edition offer these tips:

  • Keep your toilet clean and fresh by scrubbing the inside bowl with toilet cleaner, white vinegar or bi-carb soda.
  • Remove hard water stains with lemon.
  • Remove shower scum with White Magic Eraser or White Vinegar.

For organic cleaning methods, read our article Natural Ways to Keep Your Bathroom Clean. Three simple tips from that article are:

  • Daily Maintenance
  • Use Natural Cleaners
  • Safe Disposal

If you’re looking for information on natural cleaners, we have an article to help you too! Natural Cleaning Products for Your Home will instruct you how to use lemon, vinegar, and baking soda to clean different areas of your home. 

Be sure to click over to each article for more details on each bullet point. 

To wrap-up, wash your hands well, keep the bathroom clean, close the toilet lid when flushing, cover rubbish bins, and make sure the drains are functioning properly to best help reduce the risk of infection when using the toilet. 

If you’d like information about our residential or commercial products, please click over to our website or call us at 08 8444 8100.

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Keep the Septic Tank Flowing Smoothly During the Holidays

by Ri Industries

Happy Holidays! (nearly)

Despite the changing rules about COVID and travel, it seems many people are opting to stay within the borders of South Australia for the holidays. Opening your home to friends and family means extra work for the septic system. In the spirit of best wishes for happy holidays, Ri-Industries offers the following tips to help keep the septic tank flowing smoothly in your home.

  • Limit water use by planning ahead. Don’t do laundry on the same days your house will be full of guests. When guests are arriving in the afternoon or evening, ask family members to shower early in the day. Wash dishes before guests arrive. Prepare as much of the food as possible before the guests arrive. Septic systems can only handle so much water at one time therefore spreading out the water use gives the system time to work.
  • Don’t use the garbage disposal! Yes, there are still homes in South Australia with garbage disposals and yes, they can make clean-up a bit easier. But, they can also tax the septic system. Make sure anything caught in your strainer goes directly in the garbage – not your septic tank.
  • Toilet paper and human waste. That’s all. Nothing else should be flushed down the toilets. Be sure your family members and your guests are aware of this rule. All other items such as feminine hygiene products, baby wipes, cleaning products, cigarette butts and other items should be thrown in the bin. This will help prevent those items from getting into your septic tank and causing a blockage.
  • Plan when to water the lawn. Since the septic system can only handle a certain amount of water at one time, plan to water the lawn on a day when you won’t be having guests. This goes for car washing and any other water use too. 
  • Pump it out. Don’t wait for a problem to occur, especially when you’re entertaining! Be proactive and have your system pumped before the holidays if you’re due.

From our families to yours, we wish you happy, healthy, and peaceful holidays!

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Tips for Planting Over Septic Drain Fields

by Ri Industries

Will your spring gardening include planting over the septic drain field? If so, Ri-Industries has the following tips for you:

  • Choose plants with roots that won’t extend past 1m deep. Flowers, hedges, and grasses with more shallow roots will avoid affecting the pipes or the septic tank. They also assist absorption trenches and purify the effluent before it enters the environment.
  • Grass is an effective option for planting directly above the drain field. Grass over the drain field holds the soil in place and helps the absorption of nutrients, prevents soil erosion and ensures the proper functioning of the septic system.
  • Climbers, shrubs, and shallow rooted plants work well in the surrounding area, but not directly above the drain field. 
  • DO NOT plant fruits or vegetables directly over the drain field. They can become infected by bacteria and will be dangerous to consume.
  • Avoid planting fast growing trees on or surrounding the drain field. In fact, avoid planting trees in the area altogether. When searching for moisture, the roots can extend deep underground and in turn can cause damage to the pipes and septic system.
  • Plants that require less water make good choices. 
  • The area around the septic system can be salty from detergents, fabric softeners, and household effluent, so choose plants that thrive in a salty environment.
  • It’s important to wear gloves when planting on or around the drain field as the soil can have bacteria in it. 
  • Be careful when tilling the soil to avoid damaging the pipes. 

Here are some suggestions of good choices to plant near the septic system:

  • Shrubs – Oleander, Papyrus, Umbrella Grass, Swamp Mahogany
  • Climbers – Purple Coral Pea, Snake Vine, Common Jasmine, Passion Flower
  • Ground Covers –  Shasta Daisy, Marguerite Daisy, Black Eyed Susan, Bog Salvia

We’d love to hear some of your gardening tips especially for planting over septic drain field!  Please share in the comments, or head to our Facebook page and leave us a post. 

For information on our septic tanks, please call us at 08 8444 8100