Septic Tank Question

[PFC5]

Originally Posted by DIRECTVMAN

There sure seems to be a lot of crap to deal with when you have a septic tank.

I have lived with a Septic System growing up and my own home has a septic system and it is not any trouble really other than remembering to get it pumped about every 3 years. My septic company sends me a reminder note every 3 years so that solves that also. I have sewerage running by my house now (for the last 8 years out of 20) and I have no intention to hook up to it.

Why? Because if I did, I not only have to hire a contractor and get permits to do it but I also have to pay a few thousand to the town in fees and permits. And after paying all that additional cost I then have to pay twice the money for water because they charge for it and they even charge sewerage charges for the water I fill my pool with, water my lawn with, and wash my cars with. It adds up to about 3x the money each year on average and that is after paying about $6,000.00+ to hook up. So my question is WHY would anyone who has a perfectly working septic system pay such costs to hook up to sewerage?

[Perry525]

Originally Posted by nyg052003

I do have a water softener system setup because I have hard water.

I know its a pain but, a septic tank is a chemical process, where the microbes in our gut do a good job of turning our toilet into compost. The microbes are used to a small amount of salt but, any more kills them.
Best to loose the salt water somewhere else.
I'll throw in another point. The microbes are happy with a temperature of 98.4 F, a cold septic slows down their action, that why cold water is not good.
Try to put your septic tank in a sunny place, where the sun will help to keep it warm and the microbes will do their best job.

[nyg052003]

Originally Posted by DIRECTVMAN

There sure seems to be a lot of crap to deal with when you have a septic tank.

lmao

[PFC5]

I missed that play on words when I read it and responded.

[Rick-F]

Originally Posted by DIRECTVMAN

There sure seems to be a lot of crap to deal with when you have a septic tank.

Not really, if the thing was installed and sized properly. I had a home in north Georgia for 19 years and never had one problem with the septic system. Never had it pumped. It was 4 bath home and had two teens for years (lots of showers). I just added some Rid-X (or similar product) a couple of times a year because of the high water useage-- no problems.

[nyg052003]

Originally Posted by Rick-F

Not really, if the thing was installed and sized properly. I had a home in north Georgia for 19 years and never had one problem with the septic system. Never had it pumped. It was 4 bath home and had two teens for years (lots of showers). I just added some Rid-X (or similar product) a couple of times a year because of the high water useage-- no problems.

yeah i was told also to just add something once a month into the toilets and flush

[DIRECTVMAN]

Looks like someone else missed the play on words.

[dahur]

Originally Posted by nyg052003

I wonder why there is a big disparity in price here in SC its from 300-375 for a professional to do it and you guys are saying 140-150 I mean in most cases state to state is similiar in pricing lol

Here in New Mexico, it's state law when a property changes hands that's on a septic system, the seller has to have the vault pumped out, and contents disposed of. When we bought this house a year ago, the seller paid $300 to have this done. The paperwork we received, says for 2 people, have it pumped out every 4-5 years. 4 people, 3-4 years.
We have a garbage disposal that we use quite a bit, and I believe that makes a difference also. I plan on having it pumped at the 3-4 yrs.
Okdude lives in Canada, don't know if that's why the price difference or not.

[Perry525]

Originally Posted by dahur

Here in New Mexico, it's state law when a property changes hands that's on a septic system, the seller has to have the vault pumped out, and contents disposed of. When we bought this house a year ago, the seller paid $300 to have this done. The paperwork we received, says for 2 people, have it pumped out every 4-5 years. 4 people, 3-4 years.
We have a garbage disposal that we use quite a bit, and I believe that makes a difference also. I plan on having it pumped at the 3-4 yrs.
Okdude lives in Canada, don't know if that's why the price difference or not.

Its perfectly true! Add loads of rubbish that cannot be digested by the microbes and the tank fills.
You need to work out.... does dumping things in the waste disposal....and spending $300 every year or three......pay. Or is it cheaper to put things in the waste bin?
As I wrote earlier, used correctly! And that means only using it for toilet and washing water = things you have already eaten.....the tank and drain field will go on for years.
The first thing I did was dump my waste disposal and the second was teach my family how to treat our septic. Used by family of five, fills perhaps 2 to 3 inches during the winter, microbes work harder when its warm, goes back down again during the summer.
That's a lot of money we have saved! May have to have it emptied one day soon, say in thirty more years, or so.

[daleb]

Septic tanks need regular maintenance, without fail.

Even homes on a sewer system have issues. Pipes can be damaged from root invasion. Just like you see sidewalks bulging from tree roots in older neighborhoods.
Using 'Ridex' etc, can help stem new root growth, but will not fix anything that has already gone south due to neglect or careless landscaping.

[Loves2Watch]

Originally Posted by dahur

Here in New Mexico, it's state law when a property changes hands that's on a septic system, the seller has to have the vault pumped out, and contents disposed of. When we bought this house a year ago, the seller paid $300 to have this done. The paperwork we received, says for 2 people, have it pumped out every 4-5 years. 4 people, 3-4 years.
We have a garbage disposal that we use quite a bit, and I believe that makes a difference also. I plan on having it pumped at the 3-4 yrs.
Okdude lives in Canada, don't know if that's why the price difference or not.

The town I live in, in NM doesn't allow septic tanks at all...

[PFC5]

Originally Posted by Loves2Watch

The town I live in, in NM doesn't allow septic tanks at all...

Of course you must mean NEW houses and they cannot force people in EXISTING homes to replace a perfectly proper working septic system with a sewer connection right?

[Perry525]

Originally Posted by daleb

Septic tanks need regular maintenance, without fail.

Even homes on a sewer system have issues. Pipes can be damaged from root invasion. Just like you see sidewalks bulging from tree roots in older neighborhoods.
Using 'Ridex' etc, can help stem new root growth, but will not fix anything that has already gone south due to neglect or careless landscaping.

=========
Please advise? As a septic is a concrete box or similar? What maintenance can you do and what will it achieve?
As far as I can see, the only useful maintenance is to remove the floating oil grease and other debris and check the height of the composted solids with a pole, to see when the tank will need to be emptied. As for the drain field, there are plenty of articles on the web advising what not to grow over or near drain fields, also covered is not to build over or drive over a drain field.
I look forward to your reply.

[daleb]

Originally Posted by Perry525

=========
Please advise? As a septic is a concrete box or similar? What maintenance can you do and what will it achieve?
As far as I can see, the only useful maintenance is to remove the floating oil grease and other debris and check the height of the composted solids with a pole, to see when the tank will need to be emptied. As for the drain field, there are plenty of articles on the web advising what not to grow over or near drain fields, also covered is not to build over or drive over a drain field.
I look forward to your reply.

I never said they were similar. I said even sewer lines can need maintenance over time.

Good septic tank guidelines can be found here, as well as elsewhere.



http://homebuying.about.com/cs/septi...eptic_care.htm


Obviously, not everyone will have the same experience based on their specific system and how it was cared for over the years. Having lived in only one home that had a tank for 4 years, I don't consider myself an expert, but I know most neighbors were having tanks pumped every few years.

[PFC5]

Originally Posted by Perry525

=========
Please advise? As a septic is a concrete box or similar? What maintenance can you do and what will it achieve?
As far as I can see, the only useful maintenance is to remove the floating oil grease and other debris and check the height of the composted solids with a pole, to see when the tank will need to be emptied. As for the drain field, there are plenty of articles on the web advising what not to grow over or near drain fields, also covered is not to build over or drive over a drain field.
I look forward to your reply.

Basically the maintenance is having the tank pumped when needed. That is it. You can add chemicals to help break up the solids better, but I never use them myself.

If the solids get backed up it goes into the leach field system and blocks them. THAT is when you have big expenses and need to dig up the perforated pipes, get a new engineered design, reinstall the pipes underground and pull permits, inspections etc. and THAT is much more costly than just pumping every 3-4 years based on tank size, water usage, and family size.