Did You Know? Your Hot Tub Could Be Damaging Your Septic System

Aaaah, sinking down and soaking in hot bubbles can be the perfect way to relax. A hot tub can soothe sore muscles, clear your mind and help you enjoy time with friends. Unfortunately, there’s a not-so-relaxing side to hot tubs for homeowners with septic systems.

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How Does a Hot Tub and Its Chemicals Harm Your Septic System?

Hot tubs can damage septic systems in two ways. First, draining a large volume of water into a septic system can cause problems. Second, the chemicals used to maintain hot tubs can damage the septic tank.

Problems Due to Drainage

Even small hot tubs designed for just two or three people hold around 150 gallons of water. Larger hot tubs hold significantly more. For comparison, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates the average shower uses about 16 gallons of water. When you drain a hot tub, all that water can be released rather quickly into your septic tank.

Solid waste is meant to sink to the bottom of the septic tank where it can be broken down into sludge and held, while wastewater is meant to drain through percolating drain pipes into a drainfield. But sudden large volumes of water can churn up the solid waste. This churning can push solid waste up and out of the tank, clogging the pipes leading to the drainfield.

Hot Tub Chemicals and Septic Systems

Septic systems rely on anaerobic bacteria to break down solid waste. Hot tub chemicals like chlorine are designed to kill bacteria. That’s how they keep your hot tub safe and clean. While it might seem like a good thing to kill bacteria in a septic system, chemicals like chlorine can unfortunately upset the balance of anaerobic bacteria and other necessary processes.

Chemicals can also impact the pH levels of your septic system or damage plants and soil in the drainfield. This can lead to a malfunctioning system, poor drainage and sewage pooling in the drainfield.

What Are the Signs That Harm Has Already Been Done?

If you or a previous homeowner has drained a hot tub, you may wonder if the septic system is already damaged. Here are some signs that may indicate a problem:

• Wastewater backing up into your basement or drains

• Pooling water near the septic system, especially with a strong odor

• Moisture or green spongy plant growth in the drainfield

• Slow drains or gurgling sounds from your plumbing

These signs can indicate there's a backup or the septic system is leaking. Promptly addressing septic problems is wise, since a failing system can lead to sewage backups in your home or contaminate fresh water sources.

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How Can You Repair Your Septic System After Years of Hot Tub Damage?

There are options for repairing a hot tub damaged septic system. Repair options depend on the type of damage.

Clogged Pipes

If a pipe or filter is clogged, it needs to be cleaned out or possibly replaced. A septic system service professional can help you determine the location of a clog and the best course of action.

Drainfield Problems

Drainfields can become oversaturated due to leaks or large amounts of water being drained from a hot tub. In some cases, a drainfield can be dried out and continue to function. In more serious cases, the drainfield will need to be replaced.

Bioremediation

In situations where hot tub chemicals have damaged the balance of bacteria, enzymes or pH levels in the septic system, bioremediation services may be helpful. Biological remediation increases oxygen levels in the septic tank and helps restore the natural processes that break down waste.

Are There Septic-Safe Alternatives?

The good news is that there are ways to safely use a hot tub even if you have a septic system. Instead of draining the hot tub directly into your wastewater system, you may consider allowing the water to cool and then draining it onto your land. However, this may not be possible or legal in some locations. If you must drain the hot tub into your septic system, you should first allow the water to cool and the chlorine level to drop to 0.5ppm or below. Drain the water slowly over several days to avoid overwhelming the septic system.