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Shouldn't have flushed into the septic

Shouldn't have flushed into the septic (post #193001)

smitty123 on Tue, 08/31/2010 - 21:11

General Discussion

So...

I recently borrowed my friend's home that is on a septic system, but didn't really think about that until later. Habits being habits, I flushed a condom into the system. Everywhere I search lists this as one of the number one things not to put into a septic, and has horror stories of the costs to repair...

I found one site that said a single one would probably just be "taken out with solids" next time around, which put my mind somewhat at ease, but I'd hate to be the jerk that caused $1000s of dollars in repairs and hadn't said anything about it earlier.

If you have any thoughts/experience in the matter it would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Hopefully........ (post #193001, reply #1 of 14)

by calvin in reply to smitty123 [original] on Wed, 09/01/2010 - 02:45

all you borrowed was the house. If you borrowed his wife too, you're in deeper [JOBSITE WORD].

A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.

Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

http://www.quittintime.com/

Well, sorry, but you have no (post #193001, reply #2 of 14)

by DanH in reply to smitty123 [original] on Wed, 09/01/2010 - 05:03

Well, sorry, but you have no choice but to grab a shovel, dig it up, dive in there, and fish the thing out.
(Then you'll find out that his wife has been doing it with the mailman and the tank is loaded to the brim with the little suckers.)

In the grand scheme of things I wouldn't worry about it. One condom won't clog anything, and likely the thing will disintegrate in a few months.

We are like tenant farmers chopping down the fence around our house for fuel when we should be using Nature's inexhaustible sources of energy -- sun, wind and tide. ... I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that. --Thomas Edison

May I be the first to point (post #193001, reply #3 of 14)

by cussnu2 in reply to smitty123 [original] on Wed, 09/01/2010 - 06:09

May I be the first to point out that

YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS FLUSHING THEM DOWN ANY TOILET!

Good Lord almighty.

but the OP allready knew (post #193001, reply #6 of 14)

by Clewless1 in reply to cussnu2 [original] on Fri, 09/03/2010 - 05:56

but the OP allready knew that.

Flush NOTHING but poo, pee, and toilet paper. No tampons, condoms or other 'stuff' ... in ANY toilet!! I don't care if it says 'flushable' or not; IMO you shouldn't do it.

There ain't NO free lunch. Not no how, not no where!

No the OP didn't already know (post #193001, reply #7 of 14)

by cussnu2 in reply to Clewless1 [original] on Fri, 09/03/2010 - 07:23

No the OP didn't already know that.

He said HABITS being HABITS he flushed the condom and only worried about it because it was a septic system. Meaning he always flushes them WHICH HE SHOULDN'T. If it doesn't cost him directly in a stopped up drain, it certainly does create havoc for the sewer system he is on.

Oh and add goldfish to your list, they are extremely flushable. Just don't get crazy and try to flush the KOI sized monsters.

So it is my HABIT not to read (post #193001, reply #9 of 14)

by Clewless1 in reply to cussnu2 [original] on Fri, 09/03/2010 - 19:13

So it is my HABIT not to read [carefully & thoroughly] typed prose. But actually, I did assume he didn't know ... which is why my comment. People love to make disappear all kinds of things in places they shouldn't. Out of sight out of mind mentality I guess. But this is the 21st century (right?), so things and attitudes need modification ... why? Because we know it is right to do it, even though it doesn't make an immediate impact on us to do the right thing ... it impacts the future. Now I'll step off my soap box ... sorry.

There ain't NO free lunch. Not no how, not no where!

So where should one take (post #193001, reply #10 of 14)

by DanH in reply to Clewless1 [original] on Fri, 09/03/2010 - 20:17

So where should one take condoms for recycling?

Personally, I'm with C & C on (post #193001, reply #11 of 14)

by Scott in reply to Clewless1 [original] on Fri, 09/03/2010 - 20:21

I'm with C & C & S on this one.... sewage is for dissolvables.

Only one? Weak (post #193001, reply #4 of 14)

by JAlden in reply to smitty123 [original] on Wed, 09/01/2010 - 12:09

Only one?

Weak

condom (post #193001, reply #5 of 14)

by Shacko in reply to smitty123 [original] on Thu, 09/02/2010 - 13:51

Pee, poo and toilet paper and sometimes barf, thats all that should be flushed!! And don't think that one can't cause a major problem.

The drain cleaners love people that do that,$$$$

"If all else fails, read the directions"

Smitty, keep in mind that (post #193001, reply #8 of 14)

by DanH in reply to smitty123 [original] on Fri, 09/03/2010 - 11:17

Smitty, keep in mind that some people are so anal-retentive (& therefore constipated) that the toilet clogs up when they even walk past it. They then naturally transfer their fears onto everyone else.

An occasional condom isn't going to hurt a properly-operating septic system, and even more than occasional ones won't hurt a standard city sewer system. Yes, sometimes a sewer system clogs, and when it clogs it's likely some condoms or tampons will be found in the area of the clog and accused of being the cause, but the cause is generally poor design, poor maintenance, or the system being overwhelmed by some other factor.

Sewer Line Clogs (post #193001, reply #12 of 14)

by Shacko in reply to DanH [original] on Sat, 09/04/2010 - 13:14

>>>An occasional condom isn't going to hurt a properly-operating septic system, and even more than occasional ones won't hurt a standard city sewer system.<<<

Since I cleaned out thousands of sewer lines over the years you would be surprised what one comdom can do to your line when it fills with water, get down into a manhole with a shovel to clean it and I think you would get an idea of what thousands of them will do. I always post the caveat of not putting them in there and you will save money in the long run.

>>>poor maintenance, or the system being overwhelmed by some other factor.<<<

Thats exactly what it is, using your toilet for a trash can. The drain cleaners got to be smacking their lips$$$

"If all else fails, read the directions"

How 'bout disposable (post #193001, reply #13 of 14)

by junkhound in reply to smitty123 [original] on Sat, 09/04/2010 - 15:13

How 'bout disposable diapers.

Heck, round here, folks that pay $50 month for sewer flush everything they can....

I'm on my own septic, so am careful what goes in.

I have shoveled out my own tank and found condom wrappers that were not mine, assumed what you say <G> . Condom foil wrappers stay just like new.

Condoms had all disintegrated apparently.

Back in the 50's in old home town, the creek downstream of the sewage treatment plant was called 'rubber creek.

Yeah, nuttin' solid goes down (post #193001, reply #14 of 14)

by runnerguy in reply to smitty123 [original] on Mon, 09/06/2010 - 11:24

Yeah, nuttin' solid goes down there. Lived with a septic system for years. We hosted a French high school girl for the summer for most of that time and made it a point to tell each one about nothing solid going in the toilet.

Same with the disposal. We had one but always put all leftovers in the trash and just used the disposal for the errant corn kernal and whatnot.

You should be ok but then again it's your DNA in there. Bummer!

Doug