There is much controversy about septic system enzymes and how they work. Everything about the septic system should be studied and appreciated by the homeowner. The septic system is the wastewater treatment system that is especially designed for a specific home or household. It has to accommodate the number of people that live in the house it serves. If you have any plans of having more people live in your home, you also have to consider adding another septic tank or making your entire septic system larger than before.
In taking care of the septic system, there are various techniques and products used by septic experts. To ensure proper long term maintenance, you may need special septic products. Of course, all of this is the homeowner’s responsibility to make sure that the septic tank is pumped out on a regular basis. If the sludge is eliminated, then the flow of the wastewater treatment will remain smooth and uninterrupted. The drain field will not experience clogging or backing up. If everything is done well, then the household will not experience a failed septic system.
It is said that part of the maintenance of the septic system is using septic system enzymes in making sure that the system remains functional and efficient. There are so many of them available in septic stores and grocery shelves these days especially because of the wide range of research and milestones in this field as well. There are three basic types of additives—inorganic, organic, and biological enzymes. The inorganic additives are the harsh bases and acids that are used to treat the septic system. Because of the strength of these chemicals, the resident bacteria are usually killed off and the physical components of the septic system are damaged. In most cases, septic experts avoid using inorganic septic system additives but there are still treatments that require such acids and bases.
Organic septic system additives are the baking soda and yeasts that are known to alter the septic environment a bit. Baking soda is said to lower the acidity of the septic tank. As you know, bacteria thrive better when the environment is not acidic. But these compounds should not be used excessively or frequently because these may also leave an undesirable effect on the internal septic system environment. The most widely-used among the given additives are the biological enzymes. Biological enzymes are composed of non-pathogenic, cultured bacteria and bacterial enzymes that are poured in to the system to enhance the rate of bacterial activity. The added bacteria make the breakdown of the solid wastes a lot faster. It is also the safest to use since there are no chemical discharges that reach the surrounding environment.
Some experts do not advise homeowners to use septic system enzymes. They believe that the mere dumping of human wastes is enough to add the necessary enzymes to improve the rate and efficiency of the solid waste degradation. Just make sure that you pump out the septic tank on a regular basis and you don’t have to add anything in the system to make it function better.
Unfortunately, not every homeowner could make this possible. Busy schedules and financial constraints are the usual reasons why proper septic system maintenance isn’t performed. Other reasons why proper septic system maintenance is not given to septic systems are the use of antibacterial household cleaners and harsh chemicals, increased water load, and damage of septic system components. As a result, the septic system doesn’t function ideally anymore. This is why homeowners turn to septic system enzymes to “cure” their septic systems.
But even if homeowners use septic system enzymes, they should not stop adhering to the pump out schedules recommended by the septic expert. This is the only way to assure the long life of their septic system. Septic system enzymes could only do so much. It is still up to the homeowner to make everything better for their household and a main part of this is to be outright responsible. We hope this article covered the age old question of how septic system enzymes work