Septic Tips for Hosting Thanksgiving Guests

Thanksgiving usually means more of everything—more food, more dishes, more people, and if you're hosting, a lot more activity around the house.

It can also mean a lot more water moving through your septic system than on an average day.

Extra showers, toilet flushes, cooking, dishes, and laundry can all add up quickly when family and friends come to stay. Your septic system is designed to handle normal household wastewater, but a sudden increase in water use over a short period can make it work harder than usual.

The good news is that you don't need to make your septic system the focus of Thanksgiving weekend. A few simple septic tips can help when the house is busier than normal.

Septic Tips for Managing Extra Water Use

The goal isn't to worry about every toilet flush or tell your guests they can't take a shower.

It's really about being mindful of how much water is being used at the same time.

Wastewater entering your septic tank needs time to separate before liquid moves on to the disposal field. Spreading out activities that use a lot of water helps prevent too much wastewater from entering the system all at once.

Get the Laundry Done Before Everyone Arrives

Thanksgiving weekend probably isn't the best time to tackle five loads of laundry.

If you know you'll have overnight guests, try to get caught up beforehand. If laundry does need to be done while everyone is there, spread the loads out rather than running several back-to-back.

Try Not to Run Everything at Once

The washing machine is running.

Someone's in the shower.

The dishwasher is going.

Three people just used the bathroom.

None of those things is unusual on its own. But when they're all happening at the same time in a house that's normally much quieter, that's a lot more wastewater entering the septic system at once.

Spacing things out where you can is one of the easiest septic tips to follow when you're hosting.

Give the Dishwasher a Little Breathing Room

Thanksgiving dinner can create an impressive pile of dirty dishes.

You don't need to avoid using the dishwasher, but try not to run several cycles back-to-back while the rest of the house is also using a lot of water.

Before plates go into the sink or dishwasher, scrape leftover food into the compost or garbage rather than washing it down the drain.

Cooking fats, oils and grease should also stay out of your plumbing.

Check for Running Toilets and Leaks

A house full of guests is already going to use more water. There's no sense adding unnecessary water from a toilet that's quietly running all weekend.

Before company arrives, take a quick look around for obvious leaks or running toilets.

It's a simple thing to check, and it can help reduce unnecessary water going into your septic system.

Make the Bathroom Garbage Easy to Find

Not everyone who visits your home will be familiar with living on a septic system.

Having a small, visible garbage bin in the bathroom makes it easier for guests to dispose of wipes, paper towel, feminine hygiene products and other items that shouldn't be flushed.

A simple rule to remember is that toilets are for human waste and toilet paper. Most other things belong in the garbage.

Know When Your Septic Tank Was Last Pumped

A properly functioning septic system should be able to handle normal changes in household activity.

But if your septic tank is already overdue for pumping or you've noticed signs that something isn't working properly, a busy holiday weekend isn't the ideal time to find out.

Before Thanksgiving, it doesn't hurt to check when your tank was last serviced.

If you regularly have friends and family staying at your home, we've also covered some additional things to consider in our article “Hosting Friends & Family This Summer? Don't Forget About Your Septic System.”

A Few Septic Tips Can Go a Long Way

Having a septic system doesn't mean you need to change your Thanksgiving plans.

Most of these septic tips come down to the same simple idea: when your home is busier than usual, try to spread out heavy water use.

Get some of the laundry done ahead of time, avoid running every water-using appliance at once, keep things that don't belong out of your drains and know when your tank was last pumped.

Then you can get back to the important part of the weekend — enjoying Thanksgiving with the people around your table.

If you're unsure when your septic tank was last pumped or would like to schedule service, contact Dalton Jodrey Plumbing & Heating.