What Homeowners Need to Know About Septic Additives

If you have a standard septic system, you probably know that it requires regular maintenance and inspection. But does it also require regular additives? Learn what you need to know about your septic system and the septic additives marketed to homeowners.

1. Home Remedies Aren't the Answer

Proven products are your best bet. You’ve likely heard folk wisdom about adding home remedies such as yeast to your septic tank. However, adding common household items is not likely to benefit your tank.

If your septic tank does need a boost or if it's had a shock to the system (for instance, if someone accidentally put a lot of bleach in and you're concerned that there aren't enough beneficial bacteria left), yeast won't help. While yeast is a living organism, it's actually a fungus rather than a bacteria, so it won't repopulate the bacteria in your tank.

2. Additives Should Work With the System

When you choose a septic system additive, it's crucial to define what you hope the additive will accomplish. In most cases, you'll want to stay away from potentially harmful additives, such as chemicals, which can harm the bacteria living in your tank. Instead, look for biological options such as enzymes to break down clogs and bacterial additives to replenish tank bacteria.

3. The Wrong Additives Can Be Worse Than Useless

If you add yeast to your tank, it probably won't do much. It's not a damaging chemical, so while it won't revive your septic system, it won't damage it either. However, many of the additives in common use can damage your system. For example, hydrogen peroxide can actually harm your drainfield by changing the soil's physical characteristics.

Odor control products are another example. These often function by killing odor-causing bacteria. This approach has two problems: one, the bacteria are essential to septic function, and two, even if killing the bacteria wasn't a bad idea, it still wouldn't treat the root cause. Odors are often a sign that your septic system is leaking or even failing entirely.

4. Additives Aren't a Cure-All for Failing Systems

Enzymes and bacterial additives can help your septic system in specific ways for specific reasons. Unlike odor-suppressing additives, they work in tandem with your septic system's design to enhance its operation.

However, if your septic system is failing and you don't know why, simply using additives won't save the drainfield. If your system is giving off serious red flags such as surface pooling of effluent or sewage backing up into your home, you need to call professionals to figure out what the underlying cause is. In serious cases, you may need to replace your drainfield.

5. Your Septic Expert Can Help You Choose

Even with a good understanding of the different types of septic tank additives, you may have a difficult time diagnosing your septic tanks' specific problems and figuring out if an additive is what's needed. An inspection by a septic system expert will help you ascertain whether your system needs additives and what type, since additives have several possible uses.

For example:

• Bacterial supplementation can be helpful if damaging chemicals have been added to the system.

• Bacterial additives may offset the effects of prescription antibiotics that have been flushed down your system.

• Enzymatic drain treatments can replace harsh chemical drain cleaners, preventing damage to septic tank bacteria.

As you can see, biological septic additives have specific purposes and can be useful for these purposes when used under the supervision of an expert in an applicable situation.

Working with an expert can help you get a clear insight into what's truly wrong with your septic tank and whether it needs repairs, basic maintenance, additives, or all three. Keep in mind that many septic tank problems arise from a lack of pumping rather than a need for additives. In either case, Walters Environmental Services is happy to help. Contact us to learn more.