Septic tank maintenance

Do garbage disposals harm raised mounds?

Raised mounds have always been known as an extra sensitive type of septic system. It is basically installed for houses or establishments that are built on properties with high water tables. Because it is above the surface, it is exposed to the elements and should be well-protected especially during the winter. A special construction fabric should cover the raised mound before it is covered with a thin layer of top soil. The construction fabric keeps the heat in the raised mound system. The bacterial activity results to heat. This is because of the constant metabolism that happens. Knowing this, you became very concerned about your newly installed garbage disposal unit. Do garbage disposals harm raised mounds? This is a question that has been haunting homeowners for years.

There were friends who told you that they didn’t use their garbage disposals because it was known to increase the amount of sludge in the raised mound’s tank. But even if they did say this, why do other homeowners still use their garbage disposals? You were in need of a confirmation. Do garbage disposals really harm raised mounds?

Garbage disposals are installed and used by many because it is important to keep sanitation in your home. When you just use the conventional way of disposing organic garbage, decomposition ensues in your trash cans. As you know, when there is decomposition, the smell is strong and pungent. This attracts so many pests and other animals to your property, particularly to your garbage bin. You will often discover your trash bins opened or toppled over, surrounded with flies, or even crawling with maggots. This is a serious way of getting various diseases and skin irritations that you never thought you could get in your own yard. Through garbage disposal units, your organic garbage could safely go into the raised mound’s collection tank to be broken down by the resident anaerobic bacteria.

As you know, garbage disposals grind the organic garbage. This process turns huge chunks into finer pieces, thus increasing the surface area of the solid wastes before entering the tank. The anaerobic bacteria find it easy to degrade and decompose these solid wastes. With regular pumping and treating, there would absolutely be no problem with your raised mound system and garbage disposal functioning at the same time. It is only disappointing to know that there are homeowners who think that it is all right to dump non-biodegradable materials, grease, and oils into the garbage disposal. They think that these would not affect the raised mound system at all. The truth is that these substances contribute greatly to the clogging, backing up, overflow, and failure of the raised mound.

You should keep in mind that in order to maximize the function of the raised mound and your garbage disposal, you have to use both properly. Just be responsible enough to place used oils, fats, and grease in a jar, seal it, and throw it in the garbage bin. As for non-biodegradables, it would be better to reuse them or just dispose of them properly in the trash bin as well. There are bacterial additive in the septic stores nowadays that you could use exclusively with your garbage disposals. They have non-pathogenic bacteria that help accelerate the decomposition of the organic garbage that you dump in.

Even if the raised mound truly needs extra care and attention from homeowners like you, you should still try your best how to incorporate other appliances in your home so that your life could be made much easier. This is all part of becoming a responsible homeowner. When you called up your septic expert about your dilemma, he told you that it was perfectly fine to start using your garbage disposal unit. You asked him again, do garbage disposals harm raised mounds?  The same routine would continue with your raised mound when it comes to care and maintenance. Just treat the garbage disposal unit the same way as your drains, toilets, and sinks and you will reap benefits of having appliances in your home and a smooth running raised mound as well.

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