Buying House with Septic System

[HawkinsHollow]

My in-laws are planning on buying a house with a septic system. I don't know anything about septic systems. When buying a house with a septic system is there a way to have a septic system inspected easily?

 

[grsthegreat]

Yes and no….most lenders will insist on having the tank pumped prior to sale. But its near impossible to know if the leach field is compromised.

Maybe a record of tank maintenance would help. We have our tank pumped every 5 years. Its been running great for 30 years

 

[JTKub]

Where I'm from, the septic system has to be inspected and pass a dye test by the county heath department prior to the sale of your home. My last home didn't pass and I had to buy the new owners an entire new system. They liked me very much.

 

[Jstpssng]

My sister looked at a house and found that the 18 YO system had never been pumped.
That wasn't the deal breaker though. They also found that the tank was installed backwards. I'm no expert, but even I know that doesn't run uphill.

 

[ronjhall]

All the homes in my area are on septic tanks/fields. My system is over 60 years old. Only thing done with it in the 50 years I have lived here is pump it out every 4 to 5 years.
The one thing that seem to be most common with problems around here is the use of a sink garbage disposal. The next most problem causer is putting things down toilet that will not desolve. Big one is facial tissue.
Have In-laws require a pump out and inspection by a local company before closing. If local codes do not require it.

 

[workinonit]

The only things that go into my septic tank are the three toilets. I've never even had mine pumped out.

 

[MattB4]

My in-laws are planning on buying a house with a septic system. I don't know anything about septic systems. When buying a house with a septic system is there a way to have a septic system inspected easily?

Inspections are often offered by tank pumping companies.

 

[WinterDeere]

Yes and no….most lenders will insist on having the tank pumped prior to sale. But its near impossible to know if the leach field is compromised.

Maybe a record of tank maintenance would help. We have our tank pumped every 5 years. Its been running great for 30 years

A record would be great, and many townships do force residents to submit pumping records, which are kept by the township. In my township, there's a requirement to have your tank pumped every 3rd year or sooner, and the township secretary is all over you if you don't send her the receipt.

But that was not the case back when we bought our house, so we had a flow test performed on the leach field. Bonus, I had them use the well to do it, rather than trucking water in, so we got a free well pump test out of it. That does require you to have a well rated for the required flow, which in our case must have been something under the 10 gpm our well delivers.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Great info gents! Exactly the info I was looking for!

 

[dougtrr2]

We have been on a septic system for over 30 years. I think the most important thing is to be careful what you put down the drains. Too much bleach can "kill" the action in a septic tank. Other harsh chemicals should be avoided also. My dad swore by putting a cup of oatmeal down the drain once a month. It keeps the tank active. There are commercial products that do the same thing. (Might have had something to do with he worked for an oatmeal company). You could do a perk test to verify what the field capabiltiy is.

I would also make sure you know exactly where the tank and fields are.

Doug in SW IA