Choosing a Garbage Disposal, Septic Tanks & Compost

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sarahperdue

sarahperdue

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I've read the disposal posts, and I think I've narrowed my choice down to ISE Evolution XTR or ISE Septic Assist.

The septic assist has a solution called bio-charge that's supposed to break down fats, grease, protein and starches. I've always been taught that fats and grease just shouldn't go down the drain, so is this a valuable feature?

Also, with a septic tank and room to compost, does it make more sense to compost than use the disposer? It seems to make sense that using a disposer could promote the growth of the biologicals in the septic tank, but will it increase the frequency of needed cleanouts?

And wouldn't grinding a chicken or turkey carcass introduce too much fat into system?

John, you mentioned putting the absorbent mats that come with meat down the disposal. That seems like it would be a definite no in a septic system. Thoughts?

Many thanks,
Sarah
 
My parents' septic system lasted over 20 years before it needed cleaning/pumping out.

 

They never had a garbage disposal; everything compostable went into the compost heap. Things like those mats in meat packages went into the garbage (as opposed to trash) bin.

 

As for grease, if it wasn't enough to pour off before washing then it went down the drain, whether hand or machine washed. My gut is that it's the long-term average quantity of grease that's important. 2 or 3 times every year someone who didn't know there was a septic system would be helping clean up after a big dinner and would pour a couple of pints down the drain. There was never any kind of problem. In fact, nearly all their neighbours had to have their septic tank pumped out before my parents did.

 

I'd be more concerned with the leaching field and ground water level. Generally speaking, the higher the water table, the larger the field needs to be. If you have room for expansion, that's a plus. Some of my parents' neighbours ran a separate line for the washing machine or a separate line to handle overflow.      
 
Septic Assist

From what I can see from the website, it seems to me that it just adds some enzymes while it drains, but then I wonder if it wouldn't be easier to just pour in the drain any of the similar products you can buy.

In addition, if you use the "septic assist" you are forced to buy forever the InSinkErator "cartridge" containing the enzymes, while buying other similar products and pouring them in the drain may be cheaper and would let you choose what works best
 
Grandparents septic ......

their house was built in 1943 and the septic wasn't pumped until 1985, when roots got into the inlet of the septic tank and back-ups started. Tank was in great condition except for the roots that got by the inlet pipe seal. Still in use to this day. They washed using lots of bleach and Tide. Grandma wouldn't buy anything but Tide powder and Clorox. 
 
Personally I wouldn't and didn't have a disposer on our sink when we were on a septic. If I was to though I wouldn't buy the one that needs their proprietary cartridges and just drop some Rid-X down there every week or so. Similar products are also sold in bulk containers, much more cost effective .
 
Tide and clorox

Are you sure your grandmother's washing machine drained into the septic system? I'm pretty sure my grandmother's drained into a field line. Her house was built in '38. The tank was cleaned out in the mid seventies and again in 2010. It didn't need it in 2010, but we didn't know that until we dug it up.

I'm moving the washer/dryer locations, and it would be much, much easier to drain them into the septic system than dig new field lines.

I'm beginning to agree on septic assist. It sounds like a regular machine with proprietary cartridges.

Sarah
 
ISE Septic Assist

The ISE Septic Assist is really designed for convenience to the user, more than anything else. As others have mentioned, you are introducing the same enzymes (some brands use bacteria) as found in Rid-X and other septic system additives.

If a septic system is sized properly and large amounts of bacterial killing agents such as chlorine bleach are not used, you should really have no problems and not need additives. However, since they are generally used only once a month, it doesn't cost much and you can consider it an insurance policy against sludge build-up. I use it approximately once a month, although I often forget.

Whether or not you are willing to pay the higher cost for ISE's proprietary cartridge, as a matter of convenience is certainly your value judgement.

This is my second house on a septic system with a disposal. My first house, I never used any septic additives the whole time I was there. to be hones, I never thought about it. I lived there a little over four years and did not give consideration to what I put down the disposal. Never the slightest problem the whole time there.

Grease is biodegradable and unless you totally overwhelm your system, it breaks down. Your feces contain much grease/fat and you are probably getting more from them, introduced into your septic tank than from most food wastes.

Modern septic systems tend to be 800 (for a small home) to 1250 to 1500 gallons for a larger home. That is a LOT of room for sludge.

My second home (which I live in now), I have been in about three and a half years, with no problems whatsoever. I give no thought to grease. I don't cook a lot of greasy things, so I am probably not adding a lot.

About the only time I introduce a lot of grease is when cooking bacon in the microwave, I cook it on paper towels to absorb the grease and I grind up the grease soaked towels so I am not putting organics into the solid waste stream, by placing these into the trash. (by the way, paper towels, like toilet paper, are totally biodegradables. Your disposer grinds them to small particles which effortlessly flow with the water into your tank.

In the big picture, if your tank is sized properly, for the number of occupants, a modern septic system is fairly worry-free. Don't let Old-Wives tales keep you from enjoying your disposal. As you mentioned, most of the materials we normally grind up, especially meat, are promoting the growth of bacteria in your system and actually enhance its performance.

You can read one of my previous post in which I related that the City Utilities Manager in Oak Ridge, TN stated that residential garbage disposals had a small, but overall positive, effect on the functioning of the city sewage treatment facility. because of the addition of bacteria supporting material.
 
The septic disposer is a scam to make money off of you.I can only recall emptying ours once and that was it and that was when there was 6 of us living there. I put everything down my disposers, but our septic tank is very large. I throw in a box of that rid-x about once a year. I don't worry about grease but, I don't knowingly shove gobs down it.
If you can swing it I would get the Excel disposer ,its the best disposer that is sold today in stores. I have put everything under the sun in it and it's silent so much so that I have left it on not hearing it.Steak bones,pork chop bones, wax paper, coffee filters , Corn husks, everything goes down my drain.

Having a disposer that has Auto-reverse on it makes it last twice as long as the others , plus having the fixed and swing hammers and that undercutting disc , puts it in a separate class when it comes to grinding.

The Ise prestige 1.Hp disposer from lowes and the ISE 1Hp disposer Supreme Home Depot is a little cheaper than the Excel the only thing it lacks is the Jam-sensor.
The 1 H.P. Kitchenaid is a ISE Excel just with the Kicthenaid name on it that the one I have got.
If you keep your eye out open you can find the 1 HP ISE Supreme or the Prestige from Ebay for the same price as the XTR and you would getting a VASTLY better disposer.
https://www.ebay.com/p/14030519627?iid=184731984570
 
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OK here are the scientific facts...

our first job post-college (1972) was with MD Dept of Health-Baltimore Co., including stints in Sanitary Engineering (perc tests, septic system and sand mound approval and design, and wastewater treatment). 4 things universally advised: NO disposer, NO treatment products, pump every 3 years, NO petroleum organic solvent products (additionally minimize use of household cleaners, bleach &c to the extent possible, small amounts ok but less is best).

If your septic is properly designed and your soils are appropriate for septic to start with, a system maintained as such should have functional microbial action/treatment and proper leaching for 25-30 years. The original system at our summer place is at 61 years now and counting - knock on wood (it helps to have 6 months rest every winter and an outdoor shower).

Failure mode is confirmed when effluent appears on the surface, with a possible foul smell, and when a Flourscein Dye test is positive it's time for a new $y$tem. Ignoring any of the 4 recommendations above will hasten that day. A disposer vastly increases solids loads and if one is used pumping should be done yearly. Better by far to compost.
 
btw...

Rid-Ex and other biological and chemical septic treatment products are not only not effective, some are actually harmful. The MD Dept. of Health always advised against their use, and that's the case with virtually all similar wastewater regulatory health agencies. There is plenty of scientific peer-reviewed research to back that up for those who need some convincing.
 

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