About
septic systems
- Weak
microbes
- Poor water flow
Septikos® cures:
- Foul odors
- Inspection failure
- Wet spots
- System backup
- Frequent pumping
Weak microbes
Microbes are an essential element of nature. They exist almost everywhere -- from the forest floor to the mountain lake to our own human digestive systems. They exist in abundance in septic systems. Microbes are responsible for breaking down organic material into the most basic elements, like carbon dioxide and water. They turn the wastes humans put down the drain into clean water that is safe to return to the environment.
In common household activities like cleaning, people put a lot of things into a system that are designed to kill microbes. Toilet bowl cleaner, laundry detergent, chlorine bleach, mouthwash, drain clog remover and household cleaners are just a few examples. These products may be excellent for their designed purposes, but they are murder on septic systems. The chemicals work their way through the system's pipes and into the septic tank, killing microbes everywhere they touch.
When the microbial population is diminished, it takes the existing microbes more time to degrade wastes in the septic system. Harsh chemicals can keep microbe populations too low to be effective, so experts recommend using harsh chemicals as little as possible.
Another problem facing microbe populations is an improper balance of nutrients. Although microbes can survive in this environment, they may not be able to handle all the wastes that are put in the system. Also, they may have a hard time with difficult substances like oil, grease and pathogens. The result is that wastes can accumulate too quickly or be passed into the leach field without being properly decomposed.
Not only do microbes break down wastes that enter the system, but they also clean the water by killing dangerous bacteria like F-Coliform and salmonella. It is very important to kill these disease-causing bacteria because the water that leaves the septic system leaches into the ground water, which then moves into lakes and streams, farming irrigation and even human drinking water. When water does not stay in the septic system long enough or when there are not enough microbes in the system to overcome these pathogenic bacteria, serious health hazards can result.
Yeast is another microorganism that the microbes kill. Some microbes, like yeast, produce gasses that are the source of foul odors often found around septic systems. A good microbial population will take care of this problem.
Read about poor water flow problems in septic systems.
