Proper septic tank maintenance

Proper septic tank maintenance

As an RV technician I have worked on my share of plugged tanks and valves that stick.  Septic tanks are the most hated job in my line of work for good reason. Many of the problems are preventable with good maintenance.

Always start your trip by perching your tank with a few gallons of fresh water, the proper amount of tank sanitizer and a little gate valve lubricant. As you drive to you destination the fresh water mix will slosh inside of the tank. The mix will clean the sides of the tanks, lube the valves, and keep probes clear of debris.

When arriving at your destination you will stretch a hose to the sewer hole. If you are staying for a while you will want to have a hose support that causes a slight down hill run from the RV to the sewer hole. The black tank valve will remain shut while using the RV. You want the liquids to build up to help flush the solids out of the tank when the time comes to dump the tanks. Flush the tank after dumping by closing the black tank valve and running water into the tank. It is very important to stay with the hose as you flush the tank. Getting distracted while flushing can be a disaster if you flood the coach. The gray water tank valve can be left open if you prefer. In my opinion, I would leave the gray valve closed and use the gray to help flush the black water out of the hose.

Always store the RV with the tank charged with water and gate valve lubricant.  If you are winterizing the RV, you must drain the water and replace with potable antifreeze. Failure to do this can result in broken valves, pipes and tanks.