How COVID-19 Transformed Home Septic Systems: The Hidden Crisis Beneath Our Feet

The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed how we live, work, and use our homes. While much attention focused on visible impacts like remote work and supply chain disruptions, a hidden crisis was developing beneath our feet. In unsure times, like a quarantine, household members being home more contributes to the production of more wastewater. Increased home activities might be impacting your septic system, especially if it’s been a while since the last pumping.

For homeowners in the Chicago area and beyond, the pandemic created unprecedented challenges for septic systems that many weren’t prepared to handle. Understanding these impacts and adapting maintenance schedules became crucial for preventing costly emergencies during an already stressful time.

The Perfect Storm: Increased Home Usage During Lockdowns

People are having issues because they are using more water – whether it’s because they went from 4 to 5 hand washings a day to 10 to 12, or making more meals at home. Plus, in many households, people are gone 8 to 10 hours a day during the week, but now they’re there 24/7. This dramatic shift in household patterns created multiple stress points for septic systems.

COVID-19 has caused a lot of changes in people’s daily routine. Those that once commuted to work may be performing daily tasks in their home office space. Children that attended school face to face may now be home schooled or attend class remotely. The additional daily hours spent at home can be extra taxing on your septic system.

The increased usage manifested in several ways:

• More frequent handwashing and personal hygiene
• Additional meals prepared and cleaned up at home
• Increased laundry from home-based activities
• More bathroom usage throughout the day
• DIY projects and home improvements

The Chemical Challenge: Cleaning Products and System Health

One of the most significant but overlooked impacts came from increased use of cleaning and disinfecting products. Largely in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, many homeowners are disinfecting their houses from top to bottom. By adding bleach to their laundry and cleaning every surface with Lysol, septic owners are flushing higher than normal amounts of these chemicals into their septic systems. These chemicals are designed to kill viruses and bacteria, which is why we use them to prevent the spread of disease. Unfortunately, the bacteria within our septic systems is not immune to these chemicals. Overuse of antibacterial chemicals can have a devastating effect on the ecology of your septic system.

The natural bacteria that forms in a septic tank is a key component that works to break down solids. A properly functioning tank removes pollutants such as phosphorus, nitrogen and the disease-causing bacteria found in household wastewater, but when the natural chemistry in the tank is interrupted by cleaning chemicals, the treatment of the wastewater is impeded and this can result in groundwater contamination.

Adjusting Pumping Schedules for the New Normal

Traditional septic pumping schedules, typically every 3-5 years, suddenly became inadequate for many households. Generally, as the household gets more use, you’ll want to increase your septic pumping frequency as well. In fact, even if you usually only need to have your septic tank pumped every two years in most cases, there may be during these higher usage times that you need it done more often.

Most septic tanks should be pumped every 3 – 5 years, but if you’ve spent more time at home, you may want to consider pumping every 2 – 4 years. This adjustment became particularly important for Chicago-area homeowners dealing with both increased usage and the challenges of finding reliable service during pandemic restrictions.

Professional septic tank cleaning services became more critical than ever during this period. It is important that you stay on top of your routine septic tank pumping and cleaning appointments. You may need to reduce the amount of time between services to adjust for the increased water usage and waste materials entering your system.

Warning Signs and Emergency Prevention

The pandemic led to an increase in septic emergencies that could have been prevented with proper monitoring. We are experiencing an increased number of service calls due to septic pump alarms and wastewater backup and expect to see these issues continue to increase as more people begin to act on local, state and federal recommendations.

Homeowners should watch for these warning signs:

• Pipes start running slowly and the water doesn’t drain as quickly as it normally did. If there is gurgling in the pipes, that is another indication that it is running slow.
• Water where the tank should be, or your drain field is soft, mushy or, heaven forbid, there is actually water sitting on top and it hasn’t rained
• Unusual odors around the septic area
• Sewage backups in the home

Practical Solutions for Chicago-Area Homeowners

Local plumbing experts in the Chicago area, like All Rooter Plumbing, emphasize the importance of proactive maintenance and water conservation during high-usage periods. Their commitment to fast response times and local expertise became particularly valuable during pandemic-related emergencies.

Key strategies include:

Water Conservation Techniques

Stagger water-heavy chores, like laundry and running the dishwasher, throughout the week. Some real basic things are first: Conserve water wherever you can. This means turning off the water while you’re brushing your teeth and only do full loads of laundry, for example.

Safe Cleaning Practices

To disinfect your home, rely on septic safe household cleaners and minimize your household use of bleach as much as you can. Opt for “natural” cleaners whenever possible. Natural alternatives like lemon juice, vinegar, and baking soda can effectively clean without harming septic bacteria.

Proper Waste Management

As always, sanitary napkins and “flushable” wipes should never be flushed into your septic system. Neither should Clorox wipes, paper towels, tissues, or napkins. This became especially important as households stockpiled cleaning supplies and paper products.

Long-term Implications and System Health

The pandemic’s impact on septic systems extends beyond immediate maintenance needs. Septic owners should be mindful that every septic system has a finite capacity. If your system is stressed or overloaded beyond its capacity, you could end up with a messy, costly failure.

Pumping your tank is the single best think you can do to prolong the life of your system. Regular maintenance not only prevents emergencies but also protects groundwater and maintains property values.

Moving Forward: Lessons Learned

As we continue to adapt to post-pandemic life patterns, many households maintain higher home usage than pre-2020 levels due to continued remote work and lifestyle changes. This makes understanding your septic system’s capacity and maintenance needs more important than ever.

For Chicago-area homeowners, working with experienced local professionals who understand both the technical aspects of septic systems and the unique challenges of increased home usage ensures reliable service when you need it most. Companies that demonstrated their commitment to customer service and emergency response during the pandemic have proven their value to the community.

The COVID-19 pandemic taught us that our home systems – including those hidden underground – require attention and adaptation during times of change. By understanding these impacts and adjusting maintenance schedules accordingly, homeowners can prevent costly emergencies and maintain healthy, functional septic systems for years to come.