The world is going through an environmental crisis. There are people who are contributing greatly to the damage through their businesses and other reasons. However, there are thousands of people who do not like what they see and they are trying to preserve the environment by making changes in their earth and surroundings.
You must wonder what difference can efforts of one person make if there are millions of people ruining it and how can we play our part in our everyday life to waste as few resources as possible? Well, the answer is: if millions of people are contributing towards the destruction of the environment, your humble efforts can inspire hundreds of other people who can also inspire a hundred others making a chain.
In a city like Lakeland FL with only 110,000 people, it is quite easy to spread the word and get everyone to practice environment-friendly procedures within their homes. The best way to do such a thing is by installing septic tanks in your house. We know how beneficial they are for your house,
But, you need to consider a few things while you are looking for homes for sale in Lakeland FL so that once the deal is signed, your reservations and questions are satisfied.
Septic Tanks
A septic tank is used in the regular household to collect home drainage from the bathroom, washer, disposal system, and other areas of the house. This works as the tank leaves the house and then pass it to an underground storage tank in the backyard. The wide watertight septic tank is made of cement, fiberglass, or polyethylene.
It contains the solid waste discarded by the house that settles straight to the bottom and is built to keep them from escaping the tank. In fact, there is an underwater drainage site that absorbs and scatters water through the earth and away from your house. There are 2 enclosed holes just above the deck, one that is used to inspect, and the other one is used to maintain access to empty the tank. If well managed, you can never consider the difference between using a septic tank versus being attached to a city sewer.
Are Septic Tanks Common?
Septic systems have become very common. In fact. 1 in 5 American households depend upon septic tanks. According to a report based on people’s reviews, it doesn’t matter whether it is shared between different households or set up as an individual system for every house. While most people think that it’s a country thing to have septic tanks, many people in suburban regions are living in houses with a proper septic tank.
Benefits of Septic Tanks
There are certain benefits of septic tanks that have made people stick with this extremely ‘rural’ thing even in the modern world. These are:
- Environmentally-friendly as they don’t contaminate the groundwater like public sewage leak.
- It is quite cost-effective to maintain a septic tank system.
- You need to get the septic tank pumping after every three to five years which isn’t quite a lot.
- On-site water treatment.
Tips to Consider When Buying a House with Septic Tank System
Are you looking for homes for sale in Lakeland FL? If you want a house with septic tanks, there are a few things that you should know. Let’s discuss them:
- Before purchasing a home with a septic tank system, seek advice from your realtor about the laws of your state. Multiple states need checks before they pass you to add tanks.
- If a tank is already present, you might need to go through some paperwork that involves both the buyer and seller signing a document that transfers rights to the buying party.
- Hire an inspector prior to signing the deal. He will have a detailed look at the tank and make sure that there are not any issues with the tank and the quality of the pipes is as mentioned by the seller.
- Ask them to provide you with a graphical plan that shows the entire area where the tank is installed. This can come in handy if you intend to operate heavy machinery in that particular area.
- Analyze with the regulator the size and scale of the septic tank. A smaller septic tank would have to be emptied more often than not. Question if an additive must be added to the system which will help the system breakdown heavy quantities of solid waste. Although there are some companies that warn against this but having professional consultation and inspection is important.
Indications of Bad Septic Tanks
You need to understand that while you can get multiple environment benefits from a septic tank, having a septic tank with irregular maintenance and no quality control can deteriorate its quality over time.
Some indicators that the quality of your tank has gone bad are:
- Odor or Sulphur that also smells like rotten eggs.
- Fouls smelling standing water.
- Clogged drains
- Sounds in drains and pipes
Reasons for Septic Tank Damage (Bad Septic Tanks)
There are a number of reasons why your septic line might not be at its optimal performance. The above-mentioned indicators come with time when the system is completely damaged. We know what it’s like to have a damaged septic tank but, there are things to tell you why that happened.
These are:
- Using a lot of water for example washing lots of laundry in consecutive loads without considering the size of your tank.
- No system inspection or the much-needed septic tank pumping for more than 5 years.
- No annual inspection to assess the quality of the tank and whether you need something.
- Flushing the “non-flushable” items like condoms, cotton pads, floss, or other items through the toilet.
Tips to Maintain Quality of Septic Tanks
Maintaining the sewage line is of the utmost priority. Unless you don’t take the required precautions to protect the sewage pipes, you’re probably going to face some unwanted sticky issues that can cost thousands of bucks. After 25-30 years, a well-designed and well-maintained septic system could need to be changed but well-maintained and regularly updated systems can last a bit longer than that.
Some factors that help you preserve the quality of septic tanks are:
- Repair all the leaky faucets of the house.
- Use eco-friendly cleaners and other items to prevent the good bacteria in your septic tank.
- Search for high-efficiency showerheads and toilet flush
- Get rid of most of the disposed of solid waste that goes in your septic tank (for example leftover food) to reduce the number of solids and grease by 50%
- Divide your laundry in smaller chunks throughout the week rather than a big load by the end of the week.
- Use as much less water as you can.
Conclusion
If you are planning to buy a house, ask the agent to provide a septic tank check in the deal. With no professional inspection, you could be presented with expensive bills due to a failed or defective septic tank. Also, speak to your agent about the laws of your state about septic tank systems. When you plan to buy your house, be willing to get maintenance and pumping every 3-5 years at a price of $250-$500 Buying a house with a septic tank does not feel any different than that of a city sewer, so be careful of what you’re pouring down the drains and the toilets. Just make sure that you are on top of the regular maintenance.