The down and dirty details on everything from different types of septic systems to what not to flush so you have all the information you need when buying a home with a septic system.
Buying A Home With Land
Are you sick of hearing your neighbor's dog barking all day long or of someone parking right in front of and blocking your mailbox? If so, you might want a new house with just a little bit more land to roam. And if that’s the case, you're probably talking about having a septic system.
It's not every day that people get excited about talking about poop. However, there's really not that much information out there for buyers who are looking to purchase a home with a septic system. That’s why we’re going to talk about what these waste systems mean to you as a buyer—and I want to share as much knowledge as I can.
Full disclosure: I am not a septicologist or a poopologist. I’m a realtor, so I do defer to those experts. However, I hope this gives you some top-line information to prepare you if you're thinking about buying a home that has a septic system.
What Is A Septic System?
My team and I have closed hundreds of transactions, many of which were houses with septic systems. And let me tell you: there's more than one type. So let's dig into the dirt a little bit and talk about septic system basics.
One out of four homes across the US actually has a septic system. Here's a random fact that you can pull out for your next cocktail party and act like you know what you're talking about: in the state of Vermont, 55% of homes actually have a septic system. But what exactly is it?
Basically, a septic system is a way to get waste from the house to the outside and into your yard. Yes, in the yard. That means the house is not hooked up to any public utilities for waste disposal. Waste goes from the house into a tank and from the tank into the yard.
Alternatively, sometimes the waste goes from the house into a series of tanks which doesn’t go out into the yard. It's a lot to talk about and it’s a little confusing, so let’s break it down further into bite-sized pieces.
How It Works
There are two main types of septic systems: conventional and alternative. In the 1940s, conventional systems are what we started seeing in the Northern Virginia area. Typically, this septic system has a pipe that goes from the house to a tank. In the tank, solids sink to the bottom and liquid fills up on top. This then goes to a distribution box, otherwise known as the D-box.
The cool thing about the D-box is there's one pipe going in but several that go out. Those outflowing pipes are where the water and fluid go out into the yard. Another cool thing—that might also be a little gross—is that when it’s really hot in August in the Northern Virginia area, you’ll probably see the greenest grass you're going to find. You're also going to see exactly where those lines are for the leach field on your property.
Conventional Septic System Tips
Here are some key tips that you might want to know if you have a conventional system. First, where do tree roots go, especially when it's hot and dry out? They look for water. Because of this, one of the biggest things that I find in all of the homes I've sold in the area that have conventional systems is damage caused by tree roots.
The tree roots are going to kind of weave their way to that distribution box. They might even tip or break the lid open. Additionally, they can even get out into the leach field and destroy some of the tubes that are taking that fluid out into the yard. This means you want to make sure that you keep the entire area of the septic field free of trees and tree roots. You don't want to plant any of your trees or garden in that area, keeping it as a really nice big green open field.
One of the other things that you want to know about this type of system is you don't want to put anything heavy on it. Make sure you know where it is and don’t drive heavy machinery across it or put any kind of structure on it either. If you do, you could probably crush and damage the system itself.
Avoiding Problems
A conventional system is a great septic system to have; you just need to know where it is and how to maintain it. Some of the other key things about conventional systems—and probably all septic systems—is there are certain things that you don't want to put down into the system from your house.
I'm not talking about toilet paper (although there is special toilet paper for septic systems). I'm talking about things like eggshells and coffee grinds. While you could probably Google all the things you shouldn’t put into your system, just know that you want to make sure that you're treating the system well. The last thing that you want to hear is the septic alarm going off at 3:00 am when it's starting to back up into your house.
Another piece of information you should know is that if you're buying a four-bedroom house, that first tank that holds all the ickiness is probably around 12,000 gallons. Your local state or county is most likely going to tell you when you have to pump that tank out. You can also get on a maintenance program where a company can come and pump it out for you on a regular basis.
I would also be careful how many people are living in the house on a full-time basis. This, of course, is going to impact how much waste is sitting in that tank. You really want to know what you're getting into when you're buying a conventional system house, but know that in the Northern Virginia area, they're actually quite typical.
Exploring The Alternatives
Now let’s flip the script and talk about alternative systems. Again, I am not a licensed septic inspector; however, I have been through many of these different types of transactions with all different types of septic systems. When it comes to alternative systems, there are actually several different types.
There are two reasons why a house might have an alternative septic system instead of a conventional one. One is because they couldn't find three feet of good soil for the conventional system. The other reason might be because they didn't have enough space to be able to put the system in. Remember, the conventional system does have that leach field that requires a lot of room.
Peat Moss Systems
One interesting alternative is something I didn’t know about until five or six years ago in our area. This system takes peat moss and uses it for the filtration system. There are two different places that the peat moss comes from and two different types of systems that use each one.
One of the peat moss systems comes from Ireland, though it’s a little expensive if you need to replace it. That system is called a Puraflow system and uses peat moss to filter the matter. The second peat moss system comes from Canada that’s called the Ecoflo system. Working similarly to the Puraflow system, it uses peat moss to do the filtration.
On the outside, this system will look like several green boxes in a row. This is the indication for us as agents—and you as a possible buyer—that the home might have an alternative septic system.
ATU And MicroFAST Systems
Another alternative system is called ATU, which stands for Aerobic Treatment Unit. It's another natural system similar to conventional systems. The difference is that they use a natural process, unlike traditional conventional systems, which include oxygen to break down the organic matter. This is similar to what we use in municipal waste systems.
There's also a system that uses bubbles called MicroFAST. The bubbles treat the wastewater, and it has an exposed blower that's up above the ground. When we're looking for an alternative system and see a round piece that comes up above the ground, that's usually the blower next to another piece of the system above the ground.
Understanding Your System
As you can see when it comes to septic systems, there are all kinds of really cool things and ways of managing waste. There are plenty of other systems and alternatives to get rid of waste from the house if you're not on the municipal system, and I don’t have time to list them all. However, these are typical for our area here in Northern Virginia.
No matter where you're buying a home, if it does have a septic system, you definitely want to learn more about it. If it doesn't have an alarm on it like I mentioned before, you may want to consider seeing if that's an option to add later on after you own the home. It’s really nice to know that, if there is a problem, that alarm might go off and save you from a bigger problem later.
Asking For An Inspection
When buying a house with a septic system, what do we typically ask for? First, you want an inspection of the system itself. We’ll do a full walk-over of the unit, check the pump, and also ask for it to be pumped out. While it might be different in other areas, the typical cost for this type of inspection is anywhere from about $500 to $850 more or less.
If there are any problems or deficiencies with the actual system itself, that's the opportunity to ask to make sure that the seller fixes it. You want the septic tank to be in full working order when you get the keys to your new home. Additionally, getting it pumped out is kind of nice so it's completely empty and ready for your use.
Maintenance
In Stafford County, for example, we're required to pump the septic out every five years. The county will actually send a letter, and you’ll have to pump it out and show them that the tank has been pumped out. Most areas are going to require some level of maintenance and pumping out to make sure that the system is working properly, as they wouldn't want any kind of public hazard as a result of non-maintenance.
These are things you’ll want to check out no matter where you're buying the house and what the requirement is by the state or the county that you live in to maintain the system. Some systems—alternative systems typically—usually come with a maintenance contract. You're going to want to investigate what the maintenance contract is, how much it is, and how often they actually come and maintain the system for you.
Don't be scared when buying a system or a house with a conventional system or an alternative system. The key is knowing what you're getting into when you buy the house.
The Pros
So what are the pros and cons of having a septic system? Regardless of what type it is, one of the pros is that you don't have to pay for the public sewer system. You're keeping everything on your own property, so for the most part, it's essentially free outside of maintenance. The septic system also allows you to live on acreage, as you're typically not going to have a septic system on a smaller piece of property.
How long a septic tank lasts depends on how you (or the person before you) have maintained it. Some of them can last up to 40 years, which is kind of a long time. You do want to make sure that you're maintaining the system. The better you maintain it, the longer you're going to have that system working properly for you.
One of the other things that a septic tank can do is save you money on your property taxes. This is because your property isn't hooked up to the city sewer system.
The Cons
What are some of the cons of having a septic system? Well, you could have it back up into your house, for one. You also do have to maintain it. You’ll want to make sure that you do whatever the requirements are for maintaining the system properly.
One of the other cons that I mentioned earlier is that you have to be careful of what you're putting into the septic tank. Things like coffee grinds, baby diapers, or wipes, for example, are not usually septic friendly. Whatever you're putting into that system, make sure that you're aware of whether or not it's going to cause a problem—such as a clog or a backup—in the future.
If the system is not properly maintained and you do have a problem, it could be expensive to make that repair. Again, make sure that maintenance is being done on the system. And if you're buying a house, make sure that the system is fully inspected and that you have that tank pumped out. As a realtor, one of the key things I recommend is to make sure you get it inspected—even though many in the market right now are waiving all different types of inspections.
Finding Your New Home
I hope this gave you a good idea of everything you need to know about septic systems. Again, I'm not a poopologist or a septic inspector, so take this information and Google what's appropriate for the house that you're looking to buy. This way, you can become educated in what the system entails.
Additionally, you might also want to be able to be there if possible for the septic inspection itself. You can learn a little bit more about the septic system that you're buying with your beautiful home on acreage. If you have any questions about septic systems, contact a local septic inspector or feel free to give me a call.
