Dont ever buy a house with a septic tank...

Thats all...

you gotta tell us the story...

Its a 2 year ongoing nightmare with a 20,000$ new septic system getting closer and closer...

actually,its a crap load of stories... No pun intended...:)

no problems.

:shrug:

Words are hard.

this dude here invented a machine that penetrates six foot holes all throughout the drainfield with what looks like half inch rebar. the process took about two hours, I paid him $500. and have no problem since.

also, for six months prior to this treatment, only flushing water was deposited into the tank. we emptied shower and dish water in the woods and used the laundromat. supposedly, allowing your system to "rest" for six months is also a remedy.

no way could i afford to install a new system. good luck to you.

there is no other choice where I live. I live in fear that something is going to go wrong and I will be stuck with a $20,000 bill. That would mean I would have to sell the house.
On top of that, my neighbor down the hill from my drainfield floods his backyard for his own "personal reasons."
Over the years the rules have become so strict - it is very scary.

installed in 1975. It is still working fine and
we have never had any problems with it.

in an area where a septic tank was your only choice. To date, there's never been a problem.

Speaking from personal experience, I know you will NEVER take indoor plumbing for granted again!

I purchased an old farm house in June of 2002. Everything flowed fine until the groundwater rose and the ground froze that first December. The first sign that there might be a little trouble came in the form of a 'burping' toilet. Shortly thereafter came the solid waste sloshing into the tub. Of course, nothing could be done to remedy the problem until late spring so, I had to become very creative or move into a hotel for the next 6 months. Money was tight so, the hotel was out. I ordered a port-o-let and had it placed in the garage. A neighbor took mercy upon me and helped rig up an old pool pump into the tank. I attached miles of PVC pipe, and pumped off the groundwater so that I could shower once in a while. No washing machine, no dishwasher, infrequent showering, and the scent of port-o-let wild cherry disinfectant was tough for this city gal to get used to but, once the routine was established it was bearable.

Spring arrives, the ground thaws, the flowers bloom heartily at the outtake end of the PVC pipe, and the excavators come to bid on the needed work!

After talking to several contractors I realized that one of my biggest hurdles would be coming up with an acceptable plan to submit to the county heath dept. I needed to get a permit for the work. I was instructed to drill soil samples and have them tested, make sure the soil (all clay) would 'perk', and to cut down all of the big beautiful maple and oak trees to make way for the new raised septic field that would cost around $20,000. Well, the $20,000 was out of the question. I had purchased the home with a 100% VA loan and could not secure additional funds for a new septic system. I was up shit creek without a paddle, so to speak...

Long story short, after 2 years of unsuccessful attempts to explain my financial limitations with the county sewage manager in order to negotiate a suitable compromise I gave up and located a man who would do the work without proposing his plan to the health dept.

I ended up with a secondary tank, pump included, and a galley system in lieu of a finger system or the (legal) raised $20,000 system for a grand total of $5,000. I didn't have to cut down one tree, I could take long hot showers, and had a place to pee!

Good Luck to you and if you need any practical advice, I'm hear for ya!

1) Don't show us a house on a road with painted lines.

2) Don't show us a house with a septic system.

so you had no choice.

I gotcha. That's good advice. :thumbsup:

If its designed & maintained well - no problems at all, ever.

If its not designed & maintained well - all problems, all the time.

It's only had to be pumped out once but the entire time I stood on the back deck and about every two minutes I would say to my mom "Shitters full"...just like Cousin Eddie from Christmas Vacation. Ahhh good times...

Sorry about your situation.

they're really easy to take care of.

We've owned several houses with septic tanks without any trouble. They DO take some maintenance though and you have to be careful about what goes down....

My friend made one of those aerator systems - basically an air pump that bubbles into the tank thru a diffuser. Seems to have solved all his "problems" turned the "sludge" into fairly clear water (but dont drink it!)