Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > New Hampshire
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 05-22-2008, 07:46 PM
 
Location: Moving
1,249 posts, read 2,957,770 times
Reputation: 1325

Advertisements

Quote:
Originally Posted by maestramommy View Post
Soooo, on my thread about schools in MA vs. NH, Valerie was talking about private septic systems (tanks?). Does having one make a big difference (up or down) in the price of a home, and why is that? We are looking mainly in southern NH. In which towns do most of the houses have private septic tanks, and what does that mean to the home owner? We've only lived in urban/suburban areas with public sewage systems, so I don't know anything about private.
Hi Maestramommy! Personally I prefer having my own private septic system over being hooked up to public sewage. I also prefer having my own well as well! Usually if you have a Acre or more and if you have a healthy percolation rate (the time it takes the ground to absorb water) a Septic System is the most environmentally friendly way to go, as if installed properly it will be totally regenerative. Meaning you will have your own mini bio system! Good Luck!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 05-22-2008, 09:25 PM
 
Location: S. New Hampshire
909 posts, read 3,358,253 times
Reputation: 541
Quote:
Originally Posted by jthibodeau View Post
Both actually, I installed a system at a previous home I owned in 1972 and it's still working fine. On the other hand, I've seen systems fail within just a few years because of improper usage. One home in particular was occupied by an artist and all the brushes, palettes and other assorted utensils were cleaned in a basement washtub which lead to the septic system. After failure of the system, it received an exploratory dig to try and determine why it failed. When the spoils were removed, it had the colors of a rain bow.
Wow, so even dyes and paints cannot be poured down the toilet? How do you dispose of those things then? The same way you dispose of grease? What about wash water from cleaning your house? Do you have to use a special detergent for laundry?

I can see that we are going to have to completely relearn the way we dispose of stuff. Our garbage disposal is my best friend. However, I've wished for a composter for a while now, once I realized how much I could be composting. What do you generally do with compost, fork it out back?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-28-2008, 09:55 PM
 
Location: Moving
1,249 posts, read 2,957,770 times
Reputation: 1325
Quote:
Originally Posted by maestramommy View Post
Wow, so even dyes and paints cannot be poured down the toilet? How do you dispose of those things then? The same way you dispose of grease? What about wash water from cleaning your house? Do you have to use a special detergent for laundry?

I can see that we are going to have to completely relearn the way we dispose of stuff. Our garbage disposal is my best friend. However, I've wished for a composter for a while now, once I realized how much I could be composting. What do you generally do with compost, fork it out back?
Many local communities have hazardous recycling programs where you can drop off your paint, mercury light bulbs, prescription drugs and so on. Remember this when you throw anything out. Where is it going? and What will the impact be upon our underground water systems. Actually this is the number one most pressing environmental issue we have throughout the world today, How to get rid of our garbage!

A good septic and leach field system is probably the most environmentally friendly human waste system you can have and even more so than any tertiary physiochemical municipal sewage plant.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-29-2008, 04:43 AM
 
Location: Southern New Hampshire
4,643 posts, read 13,919,711 times
Reputation: 4626
maestramommy, I am MUCH more aware now of everything that we throw out, and I feel like I'm living greener because of it. Recycling really doesn't take much more time (once you're in the swing of things) than just tossing it into the trash. I know that when we were on public water/sewer, we just tossed everything down the sink, never even wondering where it went or what it did. Sort of NIMBY attitude but now what I toss IS literally in my back yard, so yes you become more aware of your world around you.


Quote:
Originally Posted by maestramommy View Post
Wow, so even dyes and paints cannot be poured down the toilet? How do you dispose of those things then? The same way you dispose of grease? What about wash water from cleaning your house? Do you have to use a special detergent for laundry?

I can see that we are going to have to completely relearn the way we dispose of stuff. Our garbage disposal is my best friend. However, I've wished for a composter for a while now, once I realized how much I could be composting. What do you generally do with compost, fork it out back?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-29-2008, 07:19 AM
 
1,384 posts, read 4,444,849 times
Reputation: 1525
Let's talk about bleach...I don't use it because I imagined it would not be healthy for the septic system. Is this correct? We've always just followed the same rules you've all been mentioning; don't flush anything but septic friendly toilet paper (the scratchy kind), keep a grease jar, but I also don't use bleach.

Also, Wanna, you mentioned using ridex once a month. This was just recommended to us by a real old-timer here so if you or anyone can vouch for this practice I'd seriously consider it.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-29-2008, 01:58 PM
 
3,034 posts, read 9,120,155 times
Reputation: 1741
rid-ex or plain old yeast will do the same thing....however, if the system is working correctly, you will not need either product.

I would not put bleach (a known carcinogen) into the septic either. I am concerned with toilet cleaners as well, even though they are labeled as safe for the system. I try to clean without them.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-29-2008, 02:37 PM
 
Location: S. New Hampshire
909 posts, read 3,358,253 times
Reputation: 541
A couple of friends in other parts of the country also have private systems, and they do not use bleach in the dishwasher or laundry (or any cleaning), and also do not use anti-bacterial soap. The idea is that it kills the bacteria necessary to keep the system working. Their systems sound automated, that is, an alarm will go off if it reaches a certain level, although they haven't had a problem yet. Does anyone use that kind of system? It sounds rather new.

They use regular toliet paper. Supposedly the packaging tells you if it's septic friendly. One family even uses those flushable wipes, and hasn't had a problem, although Dh thinks that might be too anecdotal.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-29-2008, 05:29 PM
 
Location: Monadnock region
3,712 posts, read 11,008,277 times
Reputation: 2470
Geez, more things I had never considered! Bleach? like.. Clorox2 in the laundry? we shouldn't use that either? /So we have to look for detergent that works for front loaders AND something special for septics as well?

ok, so how do you clean the toilet nowadays? We used to use 'Vanish' - just your basic bowl cleaner stuff, is that bad now, too?

As to the rid-ex: growing up, my parents had something in a box in their bathroom that they poured down the toilet every month - but said it was nothing I needed to worry about when I was cleaning their bathroom. I know they've never had any septic trouble.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-29-2008, 05:54 PM
 
3,034 posts, read 9,120,155 times
Reputation: 1741
it might have been yeast - a lot cheaper than rid-ex, but basically the same thing. Theoretically, it promotes the enzymes to work faster.

it's easy for me not to use bleach as I'm highly allergic to the crap.

I use lysol toilet cleaner if I absolutely must...but most of the time, just a quick brush with dish soap works fine. Gotta' love those disposable brushes...again, I throw them in the trash and not down the drain.

I don't know about Vanish, but I would check the labels to see what is in it.... If the list is unpronounceable, more than likely, your septic won't like it.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-29-2008, 06:37 PM
 
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
113 posts, read 342,945 times
Reputation: 34
The downside is if you buy a older house with a septic system that is border line up to code it will be expensive. I know someone who's grandparents built a house back in the 50s, and his parents now took it over, where the septic system got put in isn't the right place with the codes now, and unfortunately with the cost of fixing it they cant afford it. Which means when they do finally sell that house its going to hurt bad. So just make sure you do your homework before you buy a house with a septic...

IMO, I have always preferred city sewage to septic.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:



Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > New Hampshire
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:04 AM.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top