Buying House with Septic System

[sandman2234]

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

I had mine pumped in order to do some work on the inlet pipe. There was very little sludge in the tank after 19 years.(less than a foot) The guy pumping said I didn't need it pumper, till I explained why I was doing it. Mine was pumped b4 closing when I purchased the house. No issues with septic tanks, if you realize how they work. Check to see if bleach is ever used, as a little will kill a septic system. Best to put bleach cleaners in a separate tank.
David from jax

 

[California]

When Covid came, everybody bought antibacterial hand wash. At the ranch I put a note in each bathroom "The sewage system relies on bacteria to decompose the sewage. Please be kind to our little friends. NO anti-bacterlal soap down any drain!"

I allow bleach (rarely) in the barn washing machine that drains to its own leach field. Never in the house.

 

[ejnichol]

Lot of nuance to the issue Peter, like salts effect on aerobic bacteria vs anaerobic bacteria predominant in most septic systems. Observed concrete damage alone steers many to avoid salt introduction.

 

[workinonit]

That's why nothing at all goes in mine except what is supposed to. Not even a lot of excess water.

 

[paulsharvey]

That's why nothing at all goes in mine except what is supposed to. Not even a lot of excess water.

I dont really care about your house, but around here, you're not getting a CO (certificate of occupancy) unless all of your waste water is going into a system (septic or sewer). Its not a matter of me saying a washing machine drainage to grass is bad, but it won't pass a plumbing or building final.

As strict as VA Loans are (even stuff like interior paint, window screens, ect), i doubt you can get a VA Loan with sink, dishwasher, or washing machine not tied into the septic.

If your doing conventional, or cash, or owner fiancing, that doesn't matter

 

[lman]

I've got an Amish guy that is waiting for me to get tired of taking care of my 25 acres and they will pay cash with no certifications. They are buying up a lot of small farm properties around here and pay good with few questions. Of course he lives close and knows how I take care of the place and it would be for one of his children.

 

[Oaktree]

It is mildly distrubtive, as yes, you (they) do need to dig up the tank access lids, but its 2 holes about 36" in diameter. I actually dug them up myself, and separated the grass, and put the dirt in the tractor bucket, so I could back fill and lay the grass back on top, to avoid it looking bad

A few years ago I had a riser put in over my tank. Septic guy had been suggesting it for years. The older I get, the less appealing it became to dig down to the lid, then refill & replant grass. Not something you'd need to worry about, but I'd been hesitant to do so thinking the tank might freeze in winter, but so far no problems.
No more digging, and always easy to tell right where the tank is. Wife puts a birdbath on top of the lid.

Pour your used cooking oil, hamburger grease, ect in a old soda can and throw that in trash. Im not talking about some grease on a plate or frying pan; you dont need to be that crazy; but pouring a gallon of used cooking oil down the drain is not smart. Even pouring a cup of hamburger grease a few times a week is not smart.

Dunno if this is still a thing, but my parents' house had a grease trap in the drain line from the kitchen. It was a cast iron thing probably a foot tall and maybe 8" in diameter. My father would clean it out every few years.

A quick Google search shows they still make them, though the new ones don't look anything like what we had. Seem to be targeted more towards restaurants than residential.

 

[workinonit]

I dont really care about your house, but around here, you're not getting a CO (certificate of occupancy) unless all of your waste water is going into a system (septic or sewer). Its not a matter of me saying a washing machine drainage to grass is bad, but it won't pass a plumbing or building final.

I don't care that you don't care about my house. I'm glad you don't. I didn't post it for you to care. You made some incorrect assumptions. I never said I was running water on the ground, just that I wasn't running it in my septic tank. It goes in a tank and a leach field.

 

[paulsharvey]

I don't care that you don't care about my house. I'm glad you don't. I didn't post it for you to care. You made some incorrect assumptions. I never said I was running water on the ground, just that I wasn't running it in my septic tank. It goes in a tank and a leach field.

That wasn't meant that way... What I mean is I dont care that you have sinks and washing machines discharging, (by dont care, I mean it doesn't bother me, not a negative), but that it is a problem for a buyer, a new build, or anyone that has to worry about people calling the county on you. We are talking about someone buying a house, and their loan folks very well might care about a system like that. If their loan folks care, they need to care.

It wasn't something against you or your system.

 

[ponytug]

A few years ago I had a riser put in over my tank. Septic guy had been suggesting it for years. The older I get, the less appealing it became to dig down to the lid, then refill & replant grass. Not something you'd need to worry about, but I'd been hesitant to do so thinking the tank might freeze in winter, but so far no problems.
No more digging, and always easy to tell right where the tank is. Wife puts a birdbath on top of the lid.

Dunno if this is still a thing, but my parents' house had a grease trap in the drain line from the kitchen. It was a cast iron thing probably a foot tall and maybe 8" in diameter. My father would clean it out every few years.

A quick Google search shows they still make them, though the new ones don't look anything like what we had. Seem to be targeted more towards restaurants than residential.

I think residential use of grease traps has always been limited, but not a bad idea for septic systems.

Restaurants and commercial kitchens almost always have to have them per the local sewer district to keep down fatbergs in the sewers, and prevent the satellite lines from clogging.

All the best,

Peter