Samisite Webmaster Community Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Samrc on November 22, 2009, 01:11:05 PM
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My house is not on city sewer system. It is connected to a septic system in my back yard so I am very aware of what is being rinsed out to the septic and drain field. No food stuffs, no garbage disposal, no oils, cleaners are limited.
The washer has always been my worst problem with too much water and soap. I recently replaced my old 60 gallon washer with a 22 gallon top-load model. It does the job with 1/3 less water. Much better on my septic tank. And the soap it uses is better too, low sudsing.
BUT the old washer had one feature that I did not want to give up: A LINT FILTER. It used to catch all kinds of yuck so it didn't get into the septic system. I had years of seeing how much lint is in the wash. Yes there is more in the dryer but you would be amazed at how much is in the washer! When I went to replace the washer, I found that the newer washers do NOT have filters! When the washer sends water out from wash or rinse cycles, anything in the water is expelled to the septic tank. Not good. Not good at all!
Cotton and other natural fibers will slowly degrade in the system, not really a big deal.
But any non-natural fibers will just build up. They can cause a criss-cross mat inside the drainfield. This blocks the natural process and eventually causes the drainfield to fail because water can not drain through the matt of foreign fibers. I replaced my drainfield about 9 years ago...HUGE MONEY (it had been in the ground almost 40 years!). I did not want my wash to kill my new drainfield.
Have to tell you folks about a filter I just put on my washing machine. Found it on the web. Filtrol 160 is a separate filter I connected to the wall so the wash water goes through it, then out to the septic tank. It does what my old washing machine filter used to do! :boogie:
It catches cat & dog hair, lint of all types, loose strings, kleenex pieces (I left it in my pocket). It's great quality, solid, not expensive, low maintenance, easy. It is just one more thing I can do to help protect my septic system. Here's what it looks like:
(http://www.samisite.com/external/filtrol160_DSC06906.jpg)
And here's the Filtrol 160 website (http://www.septicprotector.com/productinfo.html) if you are interested in it yourself. There is another company that sells them (septicsolutions.com) and has more information about the product but they did not offer 90 guarantee. I went to the manufacturer (septicprotector.com) to get mine and dealt with the owner of the company. Lovely person.
I get nothing for recommending this filter...no discount, freebies, no rebates, nothing.
But thought this one was worth the posting.
I like it and it does what it claims. :hearts: Can't ask for more than that!
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Sam, can't you recycle your washing water on the garden, instead of going in your septic tank? In this case, you would still need the filter.
Rick
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I would prefer to get the washer off the septic system.
The friend that installed my Filtrol said the same thing....until he saw my setup.
It would be HUGE project, lots more money to do that.
The washer is not on an outside wall.
At minimum, the exit pipe would have to lay across my screen porch, and would cause a trip hazard.
No easy way to get the water out.
I was told by two plumbers to LEAVE IT as is when I looked into it several years back.
House was designed back in 1962, before thoughts of rerouting water was the thing to do!
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It seems that has to be always installed over the top washer level... that's the only point against... :(
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Against? ??? Please explain why this would be bad.
Yes, the filter must go UP above the outgo pipe. My outgo pipe is in the corner just behind the washer.
I have a shelf above mine so I moved the filter out away from the pipe.
The instructions for the filter say it must be less than 6 foot high (this is about 4 1/2 feet high).
The washer sends water out with great force, sending it into the filter, then it drains through the filter and out to that pipe. If I did not have the filter installed, the washer still must send the water UP to the top of a pipe (height of washer) to get out..
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Against? ??? Please explain why this would be bad.
Just aesthetics ... :)
Thought it could fit behind washer or aside in the corner, away from visible...
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Ah... No. The filter must be accessible to me. I must lift off the top, take out the filter and clean it, put it back. Takes only a minute or two. Very easy, simple. If the washer were turned around (back against the faucets), there would not be so much hose showing! But I have a hot water heater in the way so I can not do that. I would have put it OVER the washer, hiding the hoses but I have a shelf with my soaps above in the way.
I do not mind the hoses, or the clear plastic filter either. I actually LIKE seeing the wash and rinse water. I can tell if my rinse is still coming out sudsy or near-clear. Very cool to see the product work! The washer is in a room, part of my garage. No one but me sees this.
Depending on what I am washing, I will only clean the filter once a week or so.
When I do my heavy cotton throw rugs (used in kitchen, hall, bathrooms) I will need to clean it immediately. Even after many years, they produce a lot of lint in the washer and in the dryer!