Keeping your septic tank well-maintained is critical if you want it to do its job without worrying about overflows and other problems. However, you might be concerned about the cost of having your septic tank pumped regularly. Luckily, there are a few tips that you can follow to help reduce these costs while keeping your septic tank in good shape.

1. Know the Location of Your Septic Tank

If you are able to tell your septic tank pumping professional exactly where your septic tank is located, he or she can get to work right away, which saves time and labor costs. Plus, it's a good idea to know where your septic tank is located -- then, you can avoid driving over it or otherwise damaging it, so you can keep it in better condition. If you draw out a quick map of the location of your septic tank, your pumping professional will be able to find it and get started as soon as possible.

2. Keep the Area Clear for Your Septic Tank Pumping Professional

If your septic tank pumping professional has to go through a big ordeal in order to get started, the cost is probably going to be reflected in your bill. This means that you should make sure that all children's toys and other things are out of the way. If you have dogs in your backyard, you will want to contain them so that your pumping professional can get to your septic tank easily. Avoid building structures on top of your septic tank -- not only can this make it a lot harder for your pumping professional to do his or her job, but it can also cause damage to your tank.

3. Take Good Care of Your Tank

If you take good care of your tank, you will not have to worry about having it pumped nearly as often. These are some of the tips that you should follow for good septic tank maintenance:

• Be careful about what you flush -- things like paper towels should never be flushed because they can clog up the tank.
• Avoid using chemicals that are supposed to clean your septic tank for you. Nothing can replace an actual pumping session, and these chemicals can actually do more harm than good and require the need for pumping sooner rather than later.
• Avoid putting too much weight on your septic tank, and avoid pouring chemicals and other items out near the tank.

If you have other questions about how to care for your septic tank, contact a company such as River City Septic & Excavating.