Mr. Handy Person Mark Hetts



Dear Mr. HandyPerson: My house is in a rural area. My neighbors and I have septic tanks, but with county water. My house is 28 years old. As far as I know, the septic tank has never been cleaned. I live alone and don't use a lot of water. So far, I have had no trouble with water draining properly. But a friend said I should use Rid-X to keep the pipes from getting clogged. I am reluctant to start using something to fix a problem I don't seem to have. I see that you recommend vinegar and baking soda. Do you think I should use that or Rid-X in my situation? -- J.E., Carrboro, N.C.

Dear J.E.: Probably neither. What you could do, though, is to learn to trust your own instincts a bit more.

Your line, "I am reluctant to start using something for a problem I don't seem to have," is a classic, right alongside, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

If you don't use a lot of caustic liquid products or pour toxic things down the drain into the septic system, thereby killing off helpful bacteria that consume the solids in the septic tank, you could go a lifetime without having to pump out the septic tank or add any additional treatments.

It is also good to avoid planting trees and shrubs above or immediately alongside the leach field for your septic system.

Mr. HP does recommend a regimen of baking soda (a few teaspoons per drain), a small amount of warm water to get the baking soda down into the drain (maybe half a cup), followed by a cup or two of white vinegar -- but only for drains with a demonstrated tendency to clog (this will keep them free-flowing). This approach can also work to remove partial blockages in a slow drain, though it will not open a completely clogged drain.

Mr. HP has observed that the three top contributors to slow or blocked drains are hair, grease, and objects dropped into the drain, such as toothpaste caps, bobby pins, nail clippers, jewelry, even miniature hearing aids. If you don't do a lot of frying, have short hair, are careful about not dropping small objects into sink drains, and your drains all work fine, you don't need to add anything to your system.

When you run into your friend again, just say: "That sounds interesting. One of these days I might try it." And then don't.

Write to Mr. HandyPerson c/o Universal Press Syndicate, 4520 Main St., Kansas City, MO 64111.

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