What is the best way to maintain a home septic system, How often
should the tank be pumped out ect.  I have a new home built 3 years
ago.  2 appartments, 4 adults and one baby total. Live in Atlantic
Canada

What prompted the question?  Is the system giving you problems or something?

I live a bit south of you and I don't know the particulars of your
system.  If the system is "backing up" into the house, the primary
drainfield is probably failing.  If the system has no "backup", but
you notice the drains seem sluggish then you probably should have the
system pumped out and cleaned.

Pump out/cleaning with inspection should be done every 3 to 5 years
anyway.  Just to make sure that there is no grease or crud buildup in
the system.

I personally do not ever recommend my clients add anything to the
system to "increase bacteria" count or what ever that crud is supposed
to do.  Most of the time, a system gives problems not from a lack of
bacteria, but from a buildup of grease or crud (solids that take too
long to dissolve).

Hope this helps.

John

I'm gonna agree with Jodeco on the 3 to 5 year pumpout and clean,
depending on size (sooner for smaller, later for larger, and these are
relative terms) for the number of people you mention. A very rough
rule of thumb is to do it every half-million gallons or so.

My mother in law has a septic system that went just fine for 18 years
before I arranged preventive maintenance, but she lives alone, is
pretty much a vegetarian, and her gray water is not fed into the
septic system.

At the pumpout, look into the system yourself (don't do this on a full
stomach!) and you may see a buildup of grease. If your septic looks
like that, imagine what your arteries look like. Be sure to never put
greases or oils into the sytem if possible.

For goodness sake, don't let anyone drive across the drainfield like a
friend of mine did!