Septic Systems ??

[tjjeepjeep]

Hello my friends...I'm hoping you can give me some info..

I've begun my search for a home. As such I'm finding quite a few of the homes I'm interested in have septic systems. (Apparently it's the price you pay for not having neighbors a foot away from you.) I've dealt with the well water that ran dry thing; so I'm already avoiding those.

Anyway I'm wondering what your thoughts are on septic systems. Cause I have zero experience and would appreciate yours if you have it.

Bad? Good? I know there is some maintenance involved. If you keep up on that, is it okay? Is the risk of catastrophic failure of it too much? Just wondering as I weigh my options and slowly narrow down what the heck I'm looking for other than fewer neighbors (which isn't a check box on most realtor sites).

Let me know what you think...and thanks!

[Patrick45015]

I don't know a lot about them. Generaly they seem to work ok if you take care of them. I would call a place that works on them to find out if there is some way to inspect. If there is no way the I would figure in the need to have it dug up and cleaned within the first few years

[yellowjacket]

we have one..nothin to it.if its in good shape that is... have the box pumped every 4-5 years and that keeps the undesirable stuff from getting in the leach lines. u dont want that...

[yellowjacket]

if its an older house the line from house to box might be that old ceramic crock pipe...if it is its prone to crack or get tree roots in it. new style is plastic.

[twiztedzuki]

dont they just pipe it down holler to crick in Ky?

[tbshakie]

make sure you have the system pumped by the previous owner before you buy the house. also, most newer systems are aeration systems. they pump air into a chamber to break down the waste aerobically instead of anaerobically. you have to rebuild the pump about every 4 years ($120) and get it pumped about every 3 years ($250)

PS- my aeration system (after treatment) goes into a creek. so I have no leach field to take care of. Most people with systems like me just turn the pump off when it goes out instead of keeping it running. it simply clogs up the discharge piping.

[tjjeepjeep]

Thanks for the info. Appreciate the help and cost estimates. Hadn't thought about the pump rebuild.

[Big Iron]

We have had septic systems since 1981. They are cheaper than having city water with a sewer hookup. Usually if you put Rid-X (the little microbes that eat the solids) down the drain fairly often, they are pretty easy to take care of. Having the current owner pump out ther tank before you buy is a good idea. The previous owner of the property we bought in 1985 could not even tell us where the tank was. He had lived there 25 years. Needless to say, we had to put in a whole new leaching bed because he had let the old one get plugged with solids. We found the tank when we tried to transplant a tree. A good rule with a standard septic tank with a leach bed is to pump out the tank every 3-5 years. Of course, the amount of people living in the house can also affect that timeline.

Good luck. Living in the country is great. Not having neighbors on top of you is PRICELESS!

Rich & Janice

[tjjeepjeep]

Thanks, Rich & Janice. I can't wait to not hear the boom boom boom of the stereo of the kids parked by the house every night.