Three Septic Tank Servicing Myths To Be Aware Of

Do you live in a home that has a septic tank? If so, you may have heard a few myths about servicing the tank of the years. Before you do anything that could be bad for the septic tank, know the truth behind these three septic tank maintenance myths. 

Myth: You Must Regularly Add Bacteria To The Septic Tank

It's true that septic tanks need bacteria for it to break down the waste effectively, it is not a good idea to regularly put bacteria additives into the tank. This can cause the balance of bacteria to be disrupted when it would normally work fine on its own. 

Some of the things you should do is not do things that can kill off bacteria within the tank. This includes cleaning with chemicals that are known to kill off bacteria or flooding the tank with a lot of clean water. These situations can benefit from using a bacteria additive, but make sure you only do it when necessary.

At some point, the sludge will simply be too much of the tank's capacity and will need professional pumping, no matter how much bacteria is in the tank. Make sure you stay on top of regular pumping the tank when it is filled with sludge, and you'll be doing all you can to ensure the tank stays healthy. 

Myth: You Can Flush Out A Clog With Water

Another misconception is the ability to clean out a clogged drain by adding more water to the tank. This happens when the drains are not moving, and the thought process being that the clog can be pushed through to clear the sewage lines going to the septic tank. 

The first problem with this idea is that excessive amounts of water can be bad for the septic tank. You could have a sewer line burst, or now need a premature pumping to remove all of that water that has diluted the bacteria. It will not solve the problem that you are having, only make it worse.

Myth: You Must Pump The Septic Tank When It's Full

If you have the ability to look into the tank, you may think that it needs to be pumped by the level of wastewater in the tank. The water level is not what you should be concerned about, but the sludge level. If you do not know how to measure the sludge level, you can have a septic tank technician come to your home and see if the tank really needs to be pumped.

For more information, contact local professionals like those found at A Better Aim septic.