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I plan on moving to an area that depends more on septic systems than city sewer systems. I have had septic system before, so I know what to do about the tank. But what about the lines if I get a used house.
Is there a way to find out how many feet of lines are run and if they are clear? I last had a septic system about 20 years ago. Have they changed much?
The short answer to your question in your headline is you hire a septic pumping company to come out and pump and inspect the septic system during your contract. In our purchase contracts often times the seller pays for septic pumping and inspection, but you may have the right to be there and look for yourself and talk with the inspector. They will be able to pump and check the tank for cracks and check the baffles and make sure that everything is intact. You can sometimes run a camera down the lines of the drainfield but it’s not usually required for the seller or common for a buyer to do that. If the house is occupied, one can get a lot of clues about whether the drainfield is still functioning properly without actually scoping it.
The septic systems like you knew 20 years ago have not changed and many are probably still fully operational. There are some newer systems out there that allow for septics to be installed in soils where they wouldn’t have worked before. Fancier systems with UV filters and pump tanks and metered output…If you end up looking at a property with one of those… The same septic pumping companies can help you learn how to manage them. There are lots of resources online as well.
So is a sewer system better with less maintenance than a septic system?
There's really not a lot of maintenance with a septic. If you keep the area clear of trees, roots and don't flush or dispose of grease and other non-septic friendly stuff it's pretty basic.
My house has a 25 year old septic system- still going strong.
So is a sewer system better with less maintenance than a septic system?
If there is sewer available... I suppose it's easier, but it then costs money for every flush.... I have my own well and my own septic and don't have to pay by the gallon for either one. I like that.
It's not usually the case that you have a choice. You have one or the other for options.
You can use a septic tank probe to look for the tank and lines. Any problems would be pretty evident if the lines were clogged or the tank needed pumping.
I don't think septic systems have changed much. Ours is about 25 years old and works fine, gets regular maintenance every 5-7 years.
When I sold my old house in California in 2019, I saw the test they do. First they pump out the tank, mine was concrete. It’s required to have a baffle between the tanks up to within 6” from the top of the tank and the wall has to be solid, no holes below the waterline. The intake has to be a certain size and have a 90 degree down fitting. The out flow to the field has to have a filter grease trap, a specific model and size and be reachable in a box from the surface, same with the lids on the tank. They run a hose in the leach field, down stream of the tank, it will have to take a certain amount of water in a certain amount of time. They also inspect it with a camera to look for collapsed pipe. My tank had to have the baffle wall repaired and a filter trap installed, two new lids and a 10’ section of my leach field needed to be replaced. I did all the repairs myself in a couple hours. Got it certified by the inspector, then I could sell the house. Luckily, the sewer inspector told me what needed to be done. Hardest part was digging up a 10’ section of leach pipe 3’ under the ground with just shovel. The law had changed in my county, you have to have a certified operational septic system report or you can’t get a loan against the property. And the inspection and repairs are all on the seller. Easy to do the repairs as I did that stuff for a living.
The main difference and thing here is that if one wants to live in a rural area you are pretty much going to end with a septic tank. (1+acres or more).
Living in a subdivision = more congestion, less privacy, more people and traffic. The homes will be closer to each other.
Having to be put in a position to decide between rural and subdivision based on a sewage system/septic tank can be difficult so knowing more about these systems may help.
An old heating and plumbing company owner once told me that a properly maintained septic system should
be nearly trouble free. He mentioned that when he installed one he would flush one gallon of buttermilk and four pounds of brown sugar into the system to prime it. (basically what Rid-X is)
A lot of the homes that are sold in my area are required by the Banks to have the septic tank pumped and inspected. A lot of home owners opt for just pulling it out and having an aerator or chlorinator system installed as it would add value to the house, perhaps provide a deduction, and in some cases keep the owner from being made to get on a sewer system if it came near the home in question. (which is the case in my neighborhood)
He also mentioned that these newer systems with electric motor stirring systems only need to run a couple of times a week for no more than five minutes each time. He went on to say he had seen them set to run
an hour or more a day which would only serve to burn out the motor prematurely. And those motors are
close to $1K to replace. But with the chlorinator the home owner didn't have to worry so much about the
discharge into the leech field.
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