Dear Ken: You mentioned on the radio not to add anything to a septic system. We’ve done it monthly for years. Why not continue? – Charles

Answer: I assume you’re talking about adding bacterial enzymes. I wouldn’t do it because you’re risking damage to the leach field. If you shock the system with one of these additives, material can break down too quickly. Instead of the digested matter falling to the bottom of the tank as sludge, particles can pollute the normally clear effluent and float into the leach system. That stuff can overload the dispersal channels beyond the tank and eventually require a replacement, costing thousands of dollars. Normal waste flushed into the septic system provides plenty of good bacteria to process the outflow from your plumbing system.

A few other reminders: If you have a garbage disposal, scrape excess food off dishes into the trash first; spread laundry loads throughout the week to avoid overloading the tank with detergent and a large amount of water at once; and run the brine output from the water softener outdoors, not down the drain. The high salt content from this line can overwhelm and neutralize the tank’s beneficial bacteria.

Finally, the best thing you can do for a septic system is have the tank pumped out every four years or so.

Dear Ken: Is it still better to have a gas water heater instead of electric – even one with a timer on it? – Marie

Answer: You bet. In virtually every part of the country, you can heat roughly three or four times as much water with natural gas as you can for the same outlay with an electric model (propane falls somewhere in between).

You mentioned a timer. Great idea. An electrician can install one in the water heater circuit. Set it to come on twice daily – about 30 minutes before you rise and just before you return home from work – and you’ll shave off some of the difference between it and a gas model.

All water heaters should have a “blanket” wrapped around the outside. This is especially important for an electric model. You can buy one at a home center for about $15.

Dear Ken: What’s the best brand of furnace for our house? – Arnie

Answer: Any of the major brands – Rheem, Lennox, Trane and Carrier, for instance – are good choices. They are required to be about 80 percent efficient, which is likely 50 percent better than your present furnace. That means you’ll realize immediate savings on your fuel bill.

Newer furnaces are a bit noisier as they have an extra motor and use thinner metal for better heat transfer. Try to find noise ratings for the various models you’re considering. Also, have the HVAC company include a rubber isolation collar on the main metal trunk line above the furnace. That will bring less noise transfer into the ducts.

Dear Ken: I have a noisy sump pump that runs frequently and is very annoying. Can you suggest anything to muffle the sound? – Peggy

Answer: Two suggestions. The outlet pipe might be transmitting the vibration at points where it passes through wood framing members. If you can get to these areas, enlarge the holes and wrap some rubber foam insulation around it. You can also cut out a chunk of the hard PVC pipe in the sump line and substitute a piece of flex tubing. There should be a check valve close to the motor (it prevents water from running back into the hole after the pump shuts off). Use pipe clamps to attach the tubing above this device, and the transmitted noise should decrease.

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Moon is a home inspector in the Pikes Peak region. His radio show airs at 9 a.m. Saturday and is carried on KRDO, AM 1240 and FM 105.5.