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    rolso's Avatar
    rolso Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Jul 7, 2008, 08:19 AM
    Septic scam or septic savior?
    Hi all-
    A salesman from Septic Savior called me this morning trying to sell septic tank additive to combat the effects of petroleum found in shampoo, toilet paper, etc. He said that over 470,00 systems had failed in the past year due to government mandated changes in manufacturing which removed animal fat from the items and replaced with petroleum products. The Septic Savior product is supposed to have GRT (grease removal technology) to prevent hardening in the main line and in the leach lines. I have looked on line and not found much info about this.

    Do I need to buy this stuff?

    We have a 35-year old septic system that has been inspected, pumped, and certified (an eastern Kansas requirement) within the past 5 years.

    Thank you so much for any advice/insight!
    Robin
    Milo Dolezal's Avatar
    Milo Dolezal Posts: 7,192, Reputation: 523
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    #2

    Jul 7, 2008, 08:30 AM
    Have your septic ever failed during the last 35 years due to petroleum found in shampoo and / or toilet paper ?
    rolso's Avatar
    rolso Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Jul 7, 2008, 08:43 AM
    No, the system has not failed--the salesman said this was a recent change in products in an attempt to combat mad cow disease.. Sceptical?
    Milo Dolezal's Avatar
    Milo Dolezal Posts: 7,192, Reputation: 523
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    #4

    Jul 7, 2008, 09:52 AM
    You be the Judge... Ask your friends and neighbors if they are having problems with their septics. See what they have to say... Act accordingly

    My personal opinion: if my septic was trouble free for 35 years than I would not worry too much about it.
    rolso's Avatar
    rolso Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #5

    Jul 7, 2008, 10:01 AM
    Thanks for the advice! That's what my gut was telling me, too--nice to have some agreement.
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #6

    Jul 7, 2008, 12:50 PM
    I agree with Milo! Your "snake oil salesman" was attempting to scare you into purchasing a unneeded product. If another salesman shows up it's nice to have some septic tank information.
    Let me give you a few pointers. Here are some points to remember about the "care and feeding" of that part of the onsite sewage treatment system.
    A "starter" is not needed for bacterial action to begin in a septic tank. Many bacteria are present in the materials deposited into the tank and will thrive under the growth conditions present.
    If you feel that an additive is needed, be aware that some may do great harm. Additives that advertise to "eliminate" tank cleaning may cause the sludge layer to fluff up and be washed out into the drainfield, plugging soil pores. Some additives, particularly degreasers, may contain carcinogens (cancer-causing) or suspected carcinogens that will flow into the ground water along with the water from the soil treatment unit.

    Send all sewage into the septic tank. Don't run laundry wastes directly into the drainfield, since soap or detergent scum will plug the soil pores, causing failure.
    Normal amounts of household detergents, bleaches, drain cleaners, and other household chemicals can be used and won't stop the bacterial action in the septic tank. But don't use excessive amounts of any household chemicals. Do not dump cleaning water for latex paint brushes and cans into the house sewer.
    Don't deposit coffee grounds, cooking fats, wet-strength towels, disposable diapers, facial tissues, cigarette butts, and other non-decomposable materials into the house sewer. These materials won't decompose and will fill the septic tank and plug the system. To use a 5-gallon toilet flush to get rid of a cigarette butt is also very wasteful of water. Keep an ash tray in the bathroom, if necessary.
    Avoid dumping grease down the drain. It may plug sewer pipes or build up in the septic tank and plug the inlet. Keep a separate container for waste grease and throw it out with the garbage.
    If you must use a garbage disposal, you will likely need to remove septic tank solids every year or more often. Ground garbage will likely find its way out of the septic tank and plug up the drainfield. It is better to compost, incinerate, or deposit the materials in the garbage that will be hauled away. As one ad says, "You can pay me now, or pay me later."
    Clean your septic tank every 1 to 3 years. How often depends on the size of the tank and how many solids go into it. A rule of thumb is once every 3 years for a 1,000 gallon tank serving a 3-bedroom home with 4 occupants (and with no garbage disposal).
    Using too much soap or detergent can cause problems with the septic system. It is difficult to estimate how dirty a load of laundry is, and most people use far more cleaning power than is needed. If there are lots of suds in your laundry tub when the washer discharges, cut back on the amount of detergent for the next similar load. It's generally best not to use inexpensive detergents which may contain excessive amounts of filler or carrier. Some of these fillers are montmorillonite clay, which- is used to seal soils! The best solution may be to use a liquid laundry detergent, since they are less likely to have carriers or fillers that may harm the septic system.
    Each septic system has a certain capacity. When this capacity is reached or exceeded, there will likely be problems because the system won't take as much sewage as you want to discharge into it. When the onsite sewage treatment system reaches its daily capacity, be conservative with your use of water. Each gallon of water that flows into the drain must go through the septic tank and into the soil absorption unit. Following are some ways to conserve water that should cause little hardship in anyone's standard of living:
    Be sure that there are no leaking faucets or other plumbing fixtures. Routinely check the float valve on all toilets to be sure it isn't sticking and the water isn't running continuously. It doesn't take long for the water from a leaking toilet or a faucet to add up. A cup of water leaking out of a toilet every minute doesn't seem like much but that's 90 gallons a day! So be sure that there is no water flowing into the sewer when all water-using appliances are supposed to be off.
    The most effective way to reduce the sewage flow from a house is to reduce the toilet wastes, which usually account for about 40 percent of the sewage flow. Many toilets use 5 to 6 gallons per flush. Some of the so-called low water use toilets are advertised to use only 3.5 gallons per flush. Usually the design of the bowl hasn't been changed, however, and often two flushes are needed to remove all solids. That's 7 gallons! Toilets are available which have been redesigned and will do a good job with one gallon or less per flush. Using a 1-gallon toilet rather than a 5 gallon toilet will reduce sewage flows from a home by about a third. This reduction may be more than enough to make the sewage system function again. While prices may vary, 1.6 gallon toilets can usually be purchased in the $200 range, far less than the cost of a new sewer system. Baths and showers can use lots of water. "Setting up camp" in the shower with a shower head flow of 5 gallons per minute will require 100 gallons in 20 minutes. Shower heads that limit the flow to 1.5 or 2 gallons per minute are available and should be used. Filling the tub not quite so full and limiting the length of showers will result in appreciable water savings.


    -Is the water from the faucet cold enough to drink? How long do you let it run to cool down? Keep a container of drinking water in the refrigerator. Then it won't be necessary to run water from your faucets in order to get a cool drink.
    There may be other ways to conserve water that you can think of in your home. The main idea is to consider water as a valuable resource and not to waste it.
    Following a few simple rules like not using too much water and not depositing materials in the septic tank that bacteria can't decompose should help to make a septic system trouble-free for m, too! Any years. But don't forget the septic tank does need to be cleaned out when too many solids builtreatment system.
    With a water meter you can determine how much water your automatic washer uses per cycle. Many washers now have settings to reduce the amount of water used for small loads. Front loading washers and suds savers use less water than top loading machines. If your sewage treatment system is reaching its maximum capacity, try to spread the washing out during the week to avoid overloading the sewage system on a single day. Septic tanks need tender, loving care too. Good luck, Tom
    Budgeteer's Avatar
    Budgeteer Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #7

    Feb 8, 2010, 08:56 AM
    I just got a phone call from someone calling himself Peter claiming to be a district manager for Septic Savior. He, too, was trying to get me to purchase a new product, GRT, to remove petroleum from the leech field pipes. Money is very tight for my husband and I, which I told Peter, and I would need to talk to my husband before making a major purchase. When I asked if he had a phone number I could call him back about the product, he hung up on me. Got to be a scam if you don't give people time to think about dishing out money! Beware!
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #8

    Feb 8, 2010, 09:19 AM

    Thanks for making my case.
    A "starter" is not needed for bacterial action to begin in a septic tank. Many bacteria are present in the materials deposited into the tank and will thrive under the growth conditions present.
    If you feel that an additive is needed, be aware that some may do great harm. Additives that advertise to "eliminate" tank cleaning may cause the sludge layer to fluff up and be washed out into the drainfield, plugging soil pores. Some additives, particularly degreasers, may contain carcinogens (cancer-causing) or suspected carcinogens that will flow into the ground water along with the water from the soil treatment unit.
    Good uck, Tom
    jdiver42's Avatar
    jdiver42 Posts: 3, Reputation: 2
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    #9

    Feb 19, 2010, 12:59 PM
    I was called last year by Septic Savior, and not having the time to do extensive research, purchased a multi year supply of one of their products, supposedly guaranteed to keep the septic system in top shape. About 6 months later, I received another call from them alleging that I needed another new product because within the last 18 months there had been numerous septic system failures (petroleum products in shampoos, etc.) I became sceptical and did extensive research. I have found numerous articles on the internet debunking all of the claims made by the scare tactic high pressure sales pitch of these sales reps. The simple fact, from what I have discovered, is that you must pump out the spetic tank on a regualr basis; put nothing in the seeptic system that is not biodegradable; do not use a garbage disposal; and measure the amount of sludge and scum buildup on an annual basis. Most of these articles were written by PHDs at major colleges --some were state or county publications. I just found this site and discovered that the same 18 month phraes was being used in 2008 -- 18 months before Septic Saviour allegedly developed there new "miracle product". I am immediately discontinuing the use of their product and, lesson learned, research before buying!
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #10

    Feb 19, 2010, 04:45 PM

    A "starter" is not needed for bacterial action to begin in a septic tank. Many bacteria are present in the materials deposited into the tank and will thrive under the growth conditions present.
    If you feel that an additive is needed, be aware that some may do great harm. Additives that advertise to "eliminate" tank cleaning may cause the sludge layer to fluff up and be washed out into the drainfield, plugging soil pores. Some additives, particularly degreasers, may contain carcinogens (cancer-causing) or suspected carcinogens that will flow into the ground water along with the water from the soil treatment unit.
    I am immediately discontinuing the use of their product and, lesson learned, research before buying!
    Smart move! Good luck, tom
    sybillebh's Avatar
    sybillebh Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #11

    Mar 17, 2010, 10:31 PM

    I also had a Septic Savior sales representative calling me. He also was telling me about GRT, which supposedly are lipase enzymes. Having some knowledge about enzymes, I knew that lipase enzymes are catalysts that facilitate the brake down of fats. Therefore it would make sense to me to that the presence of lipase enzymes would in fact be beneficial in a septic system that most likely will contain some fat, regardless of the claim that petrochemicals in soaps and toilet paper etc. have increased or not lately. However I could not find any information on the company website from Septic Savior that would confirm the lipase content in this product. The question remains if lipase enzymes would not occur naturally along with bacteria in a septic system if one would not add them.

    One suggestion that the sales representative had given me as a "freebee" was to pour about a 8 oz. cup filled with copper sulfate (purchsed at a hardware store, Home Depot or Lowe's) into the toilet that is closest to the septic system and flush it down. This is supposed to clear the pipes in the drain field roots from trees and other plants. He suggested to start using the Septic Savior product only about 2 weeks after this treatment. Looking up copper sulfate on Wikipedia confirmed the use of copper sulfate "for control of invasive aquatic plants and the roots of plants near pipes containing water". I am now wondering if anyone could share some experience with copper sulfate in a septic system?
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #12

    Mar 18, 2010, 05:37 AM

    I am now wondering if anyone could share some experience with copper sulfate in a septic system?
    If you mean what we have been advising for years here it is.
    If you wish to control roots RootX or Robics Foaming Root Killer that contain Dichlobrnic are two products you could try.
    A less expensive way would be to call around to garden supply stores and ask for fine grain Copper Sulphate. Put a 1/2 pound in your toilet and flush it down. Repeat in 6 months.
    As for "Septic Savior" read the posts on this thread and make up your own mind. A "starter" is not needed for bacterial action to begin in a septic tank. Many bacteria are present in the materials deposited into the tank and will thrive under the growth conditions present.
    If you feel that an additive is needed, be aware that some may do great harm. Additives that advertise to "eliminate" tank cleaning may cause the sludge layer to fluff up and be washed out into the drainfield, plugging soil pores. Some additives, particularly degreasers, may contain carcinogens (cancer-causing) or suspected carcinogens that will flow into the ground water along with the water from the soil treatment unit.
    Good luck, Tom
    Mr. Ray E.'s Avatar
    Mr. Ray E. Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #13

    Apr 7, 2010, 06:59 AM
    Several years ago a builder friend told me that if I wanted to boost the bacteria in my septic system to flush down a pound of hamburger once a month. The "riper" the better. Does that seem true?
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #14

    Apr 7, 2010, 07:45 AM

    Make burgers out of the meat and flush a couple of yeast tablets down the toilet. Good luck, Tom
    richliv's Avatar
    richliv Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #15

    Aug 23, 2010, 09:24 AM
    Just letting you know that this company is still telemarketing with the same story and having enough finesse to have the Caller ID show up with my local area code (in Maryland). They have called me twice within the last 6 months as 2 years after the initial post at the top of this discussion, they are still saying, gee, in the last year, over 475,000 septic systems have failed, and also talking about animal fat stopped due to mad cow disease. Their "hoax" continues unabated.


    FYI -- 2 years after the initial post, Septic Savior rep are still making telemarketing calls with the same story. They called me twice in the last 6 months, with the same story -- 425K failures in last year due to petroleum instead of animal fat due to mad cow disease. Amazing that the same story and same quanitities never change no matter what year they are talking about. They never stop. Very sad!
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #16

    Aug 23, 2010, 04:13 PM

    These scam artists work on fear. There's a TV ad out that shows a backhoe digging up an septic tank.
    470,000 failures a year huh?
    What they fail to mention if the failure took place out in the drain field and not in the tank because of any petroleum instead of animal fat due to mad cow disease going into the septic system.
    MAD COW DISEASE?
    Give me a break! Just more scar tactics. And the sadist thing is people still buy into it. Cheers, Tom
    plumber01's Avatar
    plumber01 Posts: 1, Reputation: 2
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    #17

    Sep 4, 2010, 06:02 AM
    Septic savior worked for me.
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #18

    Sep 4, 2010, 06:22 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by plumber01 View Post
    septic savior worked for me.
    Tell us more
    jabathehut's Avatar
    jabathehut Posts: 1, Reputation: 2
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    #19

    Sep 18, 2010, 11:48 AM
    Just received same phone call 5 minutes ago. The thing that raises my suspicion is the hard sell. He used every old trick in the slick salesmen's book: "no you can't call back and decide later. It's now or never but why would you possibly not want it. Here's what I'll do for you - I'll send you a starter kit now blah blah blah won't have to pay anything for 6 months. No we can't send the literature for you to look at and consider. I don't want to see you have to pay retail. I would hate to see your system fail..." the only reason I feel okay about keeping him on the line so long before firmly saying no (and this guy really didn't want to take no for an answer) is while he is wasting his time with me he can't be pestering anyone else.
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #20

    Sep 18, 2010, 01:34 PM

    There will always be scams and scammers out there in your phone or on the internet.
    Septic tank savior, magnets on you gas line to conserve gasoline, using your house wires for a TV antenna, all scams designed to separate you from your money and nothing else. DON'T FALL FOR THEM! Cheers, Tom

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