Buying House with Septic System

[HawkinsHollow]

My in-laws are planning on buying a house with a septic system. I don't know anything about septic systems. When buying a house with a septic system is there a way to have a septic system inspected easily?

 

[grsthegreat]

Yes and no….most lenders will insist on having the tank pumped prior to sale. But its near impossible to know if the leach field is compromised.

Maybe a record of tank maintenance would help. We have our tank pumped every 5 years. Its been running great for 30 years

 

[JTKub]

Where I'm from, the septic system has to be inspected and pass a dye test by the county heath department prior to the sale of your home. My last home didn't pass and I had to buy the new owners an entire new system. They liked me very much.

 

[Jstpssng]

My sister looked at a house and found that the 18 YO system had never been pumped.
That wasn't the deal breaker though. They also found that the tank was installed backwards. I'm no expert, but even I know that doesn't run uphill.

 

[ronjhall]

All the homes in my area are on septic tanks/fields. My system is over 60 years old. Only thing done with it in the 50 years I have lived here is pump it out every 4 to 5 years.
The one thing that seem to be most common with problems around here is the use of a sink garbage disposal. The next most problem causer is putting things down toilet that will not desolve. Big one is facial tissue.
Have In-laws require a pump out and inspection by a local company before closing. If local codes do not require it.

 

[workinonit]

The only things that go into my septic tank are the three toilets. I've never even had mine pumped out.

 

[MattB4]

My in-laws are planning on buying a house with a septic system. I don't know anything about septic systems. When buying a house with a septic system is there a way to have a septic system inspected easily?

Inspections are often offered by tank pumping companies.

 

[WinterDeere]

Yes and no….most lenders will insist on having the tank pumped prior to sale. But its near impossible to know if the leach field is compromised.

Maybe a record of tank maintenance would help. We have our tank pumped every 5 years. Its been running great for 30 years

A record would be great, and many townships do force residents to submit pumping records, which are kept by the township. In my township, there's a requirement to have your tank pumped every 3rd year or sooner, and the township secretary is all over you if you don't send her the receipt.

But that was not the case back when we bought our house, so we had a flow test performed on the leach field. Bonus, I had them use the well to do it, rather than trucking water in, so we got a free well pump test out of it. That does require you to have a well rated for the required flow, which in our case must have been something under the 10 gpm our well delivers.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Great info gents! Exactly the info I was looking for!

 

[dougtrr2]

We have been on a septic system for over 30 years. I think the most important thing is to be careful what you put down the drains. Too much bleach can "kill" the action in a septic tank. Other harsh chemicals should be avoided also. My dad swore by putting a cup of oatmeal down the drain once a month. It keeps the tank active. There are commercial products that do the same thing. (Might have had something to do with he worked for an oatmeal company). You could do a perk test to verify what the field capabiltiy is.

I would also make sure you know exactly where the tank and fields are.

Doug in SW IA

 

[WinterDeere]

The only things that go into my septic tank are the three toilets. I've never even had mine pumped out.

Even so, aren't there enough solids going into the tank to cause solids to overflow into your leach field or mound? That will destroy them after several years, under normal conditions.

 

[paulsharvey]

My in-laws are planning on buying a house with a septic system. I don't know anything about septic systems. When buying a house with a septic system is there a way to have a septic system inspected easily?

So, I had this done about 6 or 9 months ago. They first have to pump it out, then they fill the tank, in my case 1000 gal of water, and time how quickly it drains. Not the 1000 gallons, as the tank does stay "full" but how quickly from FULL to below the discharge side. Cost was $700, and it got a clean bill of health. Edit: And a certification by a licensed septic contractor, which my real estate folks said would greatly ease the sale

It is mildly distrubtive, as yes, you (they) do need to dig up the tank access lids, but its 2 holes about 36" in diameter. I actually dug them up myself, and separated the grass, and put the dirt in the tractor bucket, so I could back fill and lay the grass back on top, to avoid it looking bad on a place I was selling.

 

[paulsharvey]

As a note, we had been in that home since early 2008, and sold this July; 16.5 years or so; and never had the tank pumped. A good system, with good ground, really should not require frequent maintenance. Avoid grease dumping, avoid wipes, dont flush paper towels. Most people say dont flush feminine products, but most do. Pump without inspection/certification is between $350-450; so if you're worried, pumping every 5 years isnt that big of a deal.

 

[dodge man]

There are a couple of different types of systems.

One is a tank with a drain field. The drain field is usually several perforated pipes that let the septic leech into the soil.

The second is an active system. They usually have a motor or bubbler to keep the tank aerated. Ours is this type and there is no leech field. We pay a yearly fee to have it maintained.

The bad with the leech field is it can plug up. The bad with an aerated tank is it uses electricity and the motor will need replaced on occasion.

 

[Happy in NC]

The one thing that seem to be most common with problems around here is the use of a sink garbage disposal. The next most problem causer is putting things down toilet that will not desolve. Big one is facial tissue.

And cigarette butts

 

[ponytug]

Even so, aren't there enough solids going into the tank to cause solids to overflow into your leach field or mound? That will destroy them after several years, under normal conditions.

As others have written, it all depends on what goes down to the tank.

Avoiding anything plastic down the drain helps a lot.

Feminine products are a big no no, ditto flushable wipes, as both are plastic and not biodegradable. We have never used our garbage disposal, and never put grease down the sink. The kitchen sinks have strainers to catch food particles larger than about 1/16th of an inch. All help the tank function well. We do use septic safe toilet paper, and avoid too much bleach and cleansers, though we do use them. We use septic safe laundry products (no fabric softener), though most else is septic safe.

One thing to consider adding to a septic system is an exit filter if it doesn't have one. That helps keep solids out of the leach field in case of a system upset.

Finally, trying to spread the septic tank inputs over the week helps the system. I.e. try not to wash all of the laundry on Saturday.

All the best,

Peter

 

[paulsharvey]

There are a couple of different types of systems.

One is a tank with a drain field. The drain field is usually several perforated pipes that let the septic leech into the soil.

The second is an active system. They usually have a motor or bubbler to keep the tank aerated. Ours is this type and there is no leech field. We pay a yearly fee to have it maintained.

The bad with the leech field is it can plug up. The bad with an aerated tank is it uses electricity and the motor will need replaced on occasion.

Good point, as when I hear to think septic, I think of the type I have had Many times, but there other types.

Mount systems, used in areas with high ground water, the drain field is a mount, built up with sand, the tank is lower, and there is a lift pump to take the water from the tank to drain field. There is a pump and they use a small amount of power. They are pretty tried and true, but not matter how good a pump is, its less reliable than gravity.

There are also lagoons, spray fields, and aeriated systems. Aerator systems are more money, and I haven't been around them at all, but they are used is certain situations. Lagoons are almost unheard of around here anymore, although you may find one left over from decades ago. Spray systems, never ran into on a residential; but its basically a septic tank, and no drain field, instead the effluent is sprayed over a spray field, grasses clean the nutrients from the water, and it evaporates, perks, or flows off as clean(cleanish) water.

 

[paulsharvey]

Even so, aren't there enough solids going into the tank to cause solids to overflow into your leach field or mound? That will destroy them after several years, under normal conditions.

The "solids" are digested by the "bugs"(microbes), and what you really dont want are cotton products, plastic/rubber products, ect, that the bugs won't break down. Its not uncommon or bad practice to have a dish washer on a septic, or garbage disposal; but i would not be using a garbage disposal as a primary method to get rid of food trash. Throw that in garbage.

 

[grsthegreat]

Getting solids pumped every 5 years will go a long ways towards not having to replace system.

 

[paulsharvey]

Pour your used cooking oil, hamburger grease, ect in a old soda can and throw that in trash. Im not talking about some grease on a plate or frying pan; you dont need to be that crazy; but pouring a gallon of used cooking oil down the drain is not smart. Even pouring a cup of hamburger grease a few times a week is not smart.