What You Need to Know About Septic Tank Additives

Proper maintenance of your septic system will keep it viable and working as intended for decades. However, some people believe that additives can help their septic tanks perform better, last longer, and require less pumping. You may come across many claims associated with septic tank additives, but here's what you need to know about them.

What Are Septic Tank Additives?

Even a cursory look online will show you hundreds, even thousands of septic tank additives on the market. This doesn't include many homemade recipes and concoctions that are also out there. You can find them in hardware stores, building supply shops, and even grocery stores.

Septic tank additives also go by many names. Outside of brand names, people also call these products things like:

• Septic tank treatments
• Septic tank cleaners or cleansers
• Septic tank enhancers
• Septic tank restoration kits

Generally, these terms all describe the same things. Nevertheless, septic tank additives, no matter what they're called, fall into two different categories.

Biological Septic Tank Additives

These additives attempt to mimic the biological life in your septic tank. Biological additives will boost the number of bacteria in your septic tank by adding bacteria, yeast, and other enzymes.

Additives of this type often have advertising that indicate they can balance a septic system or give it a boost to help it perform better. The logic here is that increasing the bacteria will increase the efficiency of the system and increase the effectiveness of the natural process already happening in your septic tank.

Chemical Septic Tank Additives

Two types of chemical additives exist, for the purpose of eliminating grease buildup in your septic tank. These include organic solvents, and inorganic compounds. Organic solvents introduced into a septic system will attempt to break down grease and oil. Inorganic compounds make use of acidity to break down other forms of waste material in the tank.

Why Are Most Septic Tank Additives Best Avoided?

In most cases, septic tank additives don't do much for a functioning septic system. Some septic tank additives can do far more harm than good.

Biological septic tank additives only introduce a small number of bacteria and enzymes into your septic tank system. The amount is rarely enough to tip the balance, as the tank already contains far, far more bacteria than what you're introducing into it. With these products, you'll likely not hurt your septic tank system, but you also won't do much to improve it either.

Chemical additives can present more serious problems. Some organic solvents can actively destroy the good bacteria in your septic tank. Some states, including Florida, ban these types of additives because they can contaminate groundwater. Inorganic compounds also come with similar dangers. In addition, these compounds can also cause corrosion of your tank and pipes.

When Is It Okay to Use Septic Tank Additives?

A healthy septic tank should never need additives. Taking care of your septic system , watching what you put in your drains, scheduling maintenance, and having your tank pumped is really all a septic system requires. If you have any issues with your septic system, then contact a professional service to inspect and evaluate it. No additive will fix a septic issue.

Nevertheless, there are some situations where using a septic tank additive can offer some benefits. A fully biological septic tank additive can possibly come in handy if you expect a brief uptick in septic tank use. For example, if you're having a party or a gathering, then giving your septic tank a little boost can potentially help it function more efficiently.

You can also have a situation where the bacteria in your septic tank falter for some reason. An additive in this situation may help as well. Still, you should leave it up to a professional service to determine if that's the case and exactly what kind of additive the tank might require.

If you have septic tank issues or want to have your septic tank inspected, contact the professionals at Southern Sanitary Systems Inc. today.