Septic System in TN....I'm not used to it. (Morristown: how much, new house) - Tennessee - City-Data Forum

hoosier07 · 03-11-2007, 06:49 PM

Hi everybody....lot's of houses I was looking in the internet have septic system, even new houses in nice areas....it's kinda tough for me to accept that....sorry.....city guy here. Perhaps I should be that concerned. It appears that a system can go several years if you use it correctly, but you have to watch closely. Comments ?

alleycat · 03-11-2007, 07:00 PM

It depends. Some soils are better than others for a septic system. Also, some systems can be affected by heavy rains.

It's probably okay. Most locales required a "perk test" to be done prior to installing a system (I've done a few tests myself working for engineering firms).

You don't really have to "watch it". It'll either work, or you'll begin to have trouble with it. You'll probably notice it first when a toilet doesn't flush as quickly as it once did.

I like being on a sewer line, but a house with a septic system wouldn't be a "deal killer" for me.

JMT · 03-11-2007, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alleycat

It depends. Some soils are better than others for a septic system. Also, some systems can be affected by heavy rains.

It's probably okay. Most locales required a "perk test" to be done prior to installing a system (I've done a few tests myself working for engineering firms).

You don't really have to "watch it". It'll either work, or you'll begin to have trouble with it. You'll probably notice it first when a toilet doesn't flush as quickly as it once did.

I like being on a sewer line, but a house with a septic system wouldn't be a "deal killer" for me.

That's very true. And I've heard of people on sewer systems who have had sewer problems.

My parents had a septic tank for 22 years and never once had a problem with it. Just make sure you use Rid-Ex every month or so and you should be fine.

CAtoGA · 03-11-2007, 08:26 PM

We moved from the "city" to a house in the "country" with a septic system 11 years ago. Until then I didn't even know they existed. We've never had any trouble with it. We have it pumped every 4 or 5 years and it's all good. I would prefer to be on a sewer line, but certainly wouldn't pass up a great house because of a septic system.

alleycat · 03-11-2007, 08:34 PM

By the way, hoosier, if you buy a house and decide to add on to it later, you will probably have to add to the septic field if the addition is a bedroom or bathroom. Some counties will require it.

It's not a big thing, I just thought I'd let you know.

hoosier07 · 03-11-2007, 08:45 PM

Thanks for the replies. How is it pumped ? I assume you call a specialized company and they arrive with a tank truck to do the job. Is it messy ? Do they have to remove the whole tank top ? How much $$ ? How long time does it take ? I'm asking because I found a new subdivison in Morristown, TN with nice houses but they're on septic because it's in the country.

alleycat · 03-11-2007, 08:49 PM

Yeah, there are companies who do this (better them than me). They are called "honey dippers" if you can believe it. They don't have to take the top off; there is no top to take off generally, there is an access hole. It's not messy . . . just a bit smelly. It doesn't take that long.

I'm not sure what it cost.

You may not even have to do this.

insanesmooch · 03-11-2007, 09:59 PM

My parent's had theirs pumped a couple of years ago. Before that time it had been about 20 years since the last time it was pumped. Though the length of time will depend on how big the tank is. There was no odor when it was pumped.
The guy they had out didn't charge as much if you do the digging yourself. I want to say the price without the digging charge was around $100. I'm not 100% sure though.

sleeper · 03-11-2007, 10:54 PM

I prefer septic systems......No problems here..
They are sized as per how many bedrooms & bathrooms per house.

As with city sewer, you pay for every drop of water you use even if just washing the car, & water runs down the road.. YOU STILL PAY.........

Cougargm · 03-11-2007, 11:19 PM

Septics are very common in towns and rural areas of PA as well. They're fairly maintenance free but there are a few things you need to be careful with. Don't use draino or other things that can kill the bacteria that do the 'work' in your septic tank. There are certain 'septic-safe' drain products, sold by Home Depot, Lowes, etc. that won't harm the bacteria. Next, be careful what you put down your drain. There are things that people shouldn't put down their drains but do, like grease, etc. which aren't good for any sewer system but can be hazardous to a septic system, as it can get into the field and prevent the liquids from going down. Some septic pros recommend adding a spoonful of brewers yeast or something similar in order to promote the bacteria necessary to keep the system fully effective. As for pumping, that depends on the size of the household and its usage, but generally should be done anywhere from 2 (for heavy usage) to five years. Reason is you don't want solids getting into the field from the holding tank, since, like grease,etc, it can create blockages in the system. Most newer systems will have an alarm that will sound in the house if there's a problem. If there's no alarm or it's not working, generally the lines will back up into the tub, sinks, etc.

You have to be really far along with a problem to get to that point.