Get matched with top septic tank pros in Jackson, LA

The bacteria already present in your septic system should be enough to break down solids in a properly maintained septic tank. However, if you’re in a DIY mood, you can try adding (well-mashed) rotten tomatoes to help the good bacteria fulfill their duty. Just make sure you give them a couple hours to work after flushing them down.

How deep your septic system needs to be into the ground depends on several factors. In extremely cold environments, the tank needs to rest below the maximum frost line, which can be up to six or eight feet deep. The standard burying depth for most systems is between a few inches and four feet below ground level. Depth can also depend on the slope of the landscaping and other property variables. 

Yes. A metal detector is one of the quickest and easiest ways to find your septic tank. However, metal detectors can be too expensive (costing upward of $300 in some cases), and not everyone has a metal detector just lying around. If that’s the case for you, you can also take a long metal rod and poke it into the ground at regular intervals until you hit something—likely your septic tank lid.

How do you set your well’s pressure tank? All you need to do is first drain the tank of water and find the pressure switch. Remove the switch cover and adjust the switch with a wrench—clockwise to increase water pressure, and counter-clockwise to reduce it. Each complete turn of the nut on the switch should equal 2.5 psi. Once this is done, replace the switch cover. All that’s left is to adjust the pressure of the tank itself using an air compressor and a tire gauge to support the new setting.