How to Unclog Drains Without Chemicals

The second reason is the issue of sewage overload. Whether your house is hooked up to a septic system or a municipal sanitary sewer, the added strain of the organic matter from a garbage disposal really adds up. All that extra material was never meant to be dealt with in wastewater.

And third, sending chopped food waste down the drain increases the odds your pipes will become clogged!

The Truth about Septic Tank Additives

Every so often I get a phone call from a friendly telemarketer offering an additive that promises to save money by eliminating the need to have my septic system pumped out. There are many similar products that promise wonderful, hidden benefits for the microbes living in a septic system, too. In all cases, I smile and say, “No, thanks.” I know how a septic system works, and no additive is going to improve things or rectify problems.

Your septic system is nothing but a tank connected to perforated pipes buried in the ground. As long as normal sewage goes in and the effluent is free to drain out of the perforations in the pipes, your septic system will work just fine. Regular pump-outs are necessary because a small portion of sewage entering the tank is always indigestible. As it settles to the bottom of the tank in the form of sludge, it slowly reduces tank capacity. This is the reason septic systems need to be pumped out every two or three years. No additive can make insoluble things soluble, and it’ll lead to trouble if you think otherwise. If you follow the advice of the folks who tell you that pump-outs can be eliminated, you’ll have sludge washing into your perforated pipes, clogging them and ruining your septic system’s drain field.

Steve Maxwell is tough on clogs, but has a reputation as an extremely nice guy.