Larger tanks are recommended for larger homes, with 250 gallons added for each additional bedroom. If additional bedrooms are added after the septic system is installed, if new owners have a larger family and have more than two persons per bedroom, and if long term house guests increase the flow of waste into the septic tank, measures should be taken to reduce the effluent entering the tank. If this is not done, the increased flow above the original design capacity will push suspended solid wastes into the leach field and plug the system. Bacteria must be present in the septic tank to digest the organic solids. Do not dump the concentrated products down the drain to get rid of them, but rather discard unwanted leftovers in the trash or as indicated on product labels.
Many testimonials abound, but no scientific evidence supports their claims.
Follow label instructions exactly as written for proper product application, cleanup and disposal. The sludge at the bottom of the septic tank is inorganic, inert material that is not biodegradable and will not decompose. If not removed on a periodic basis by a professional septic pumping company, it will accumulate and overflow, clogging the absorption area. The figure above illustrates a failed septic system. There are three main types of absorption areas - leaching fields, filter beds and drainage pits, sometimes called drywells or cesspools.