What Additives Will Help a Septic Tank Maintain Optimal Performance?

Septic systems are only useful when they’re functioning properly. When they’re not, you could have a big mess on your hands.

Regular septic tank maintenance is essential for keeping your Holland, OH system functioning as it should. Aside from periodic pumping and cleaning, a quality septic tank treatment gives bacteria in the tank the boost they need to break down waste effectively.

Here are the best septic tank treatments for the system at your Holland, OH property.

Inorganic acids or alkalis

This treatment option is typically the least effective when it comes to preserving the health of a septic tank. While these powerful compounds can cut through just about any clog, their harsh chemical ingredients can interfere with the good bacteria in the tank. If waste degradation is impeded, you could be dealing with raw sewage leaks into the drain field and some unpleasant odors. It’s best to avoid these treatments.

Hydrogen peroxide

Many different septic maintenance companies believed hydrogen peroxide was the best way to treat a septic tank, but recent studies have shown that may not be the case. While hydrogen peroxide doesn’t harm the good bacteria in a septic tank, it can degrade the soil content of the drain field and interfere with that part of the waste breakdown process.

Since you need to keep the drain field in good health, hydrogen peroxide is not one of the septic tank treatments you should invest in for your system.

Organic solvents

Organic solvents, including methylene chloride, trichloroethylene and other chlorinated hydrocarbons, work well to break down grease and oils. They effectively break down fats that have collected in the bottom of a septic tank, but they’re powerful enough to break down the helpful bacterial ecosystem, too, causing problems with waste degradation.

Organic solvents also harm the drain field, causing significant ecological damage. As they leave the tank, they seep into the drain field but don’t break down. It’s hazardous for organic solvents to leak into the groundwater system, and many states have even banned their use.

Biological additives

The only acceptable septic tank treatment features biological additives like bacteria and extracellular enzymes. They keep the bacterial ecosystem in the tank healthy and promote a healthy drain field, too, keeping local groundwater safe.

When your septic maintenance technician puts biological additives into your septic tank, it boosts the bacterial population and enhances the breakdown of waste including fibers like toilet paper. It also breaks down scum that floats atop the wastewater layer and other solid waste that the naturally-occurring bacteria can’t handle. Your technician will make sure to perform this treatment without creating excessive buildup of methane gas, avoiding clogged pipes and improper drainage from the tank.

Want to learn more about the steps you should take for proper septic tank maintenance? Get in touch with the experts at Ace Diversified Services today. We’ve been servicing septic systems for decades and understand what it takes to keep your system in great shape. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Categorised in: Septic Tanks