City Kid Moving to the Country

[Greg Ladd]

I cannot speak for anyone else but I have been using additives in my septic system for years and have had good luck.

The enzymes in the septic tank can be killed with chorine bleach, dishwashing soaps and laundry detergent. The enzyme additives help break down the solids into liquids and help keep the soil in the leach field loose.

We have not even had to have our septic tank pumped out yet. We have lived here 19 years.

Greg

[Mike Cutler]

Tyler.

Our septic system is going on 30 years old, and is still in good condition. There are only two of us, and we have always been careful to use soaps that are septic sytem safe. Our washer is a front loader to decrease the demand on the system (11-17gallons per load), and the dishwasher is a water saving efficient model.

The septic system/tank should be pumped and inspected as part of the closing agreement. Ours was stipulated by the mortgage lender.

The only problem we had was that one drywell plugged up and backed up into the basemant. The drywell was specifically for the washer, and the drywell was completely rocked up with non dissolved, powdered detergent from the previous owner.

Take care of your septic system. They are expensive to repair/replace.

[Andy Hoyt]

Jim Dunn - correct me if I'm wrong, but....

Another element to consider is the type of toilet paper that's used. Those soft comfy multi-ply easy on the delicates TPs do not self destruct all that well in septic systems; and can thusly lead to shorter intervals between pumpings. Switch to good ol single ply and get more life out of the system and your pocketbook.

[Bob Weisner]

Tyler.

Our septic system is going on 30 years old, and is still in good condition. There are only two of us, and we have always been careful to use soaps that are septic sytem safe. Our washer is a front loader to decrease the demand on the system (11-17gallons per load), and the dishwasher is a water saving efficient model.

The septic system/tank should be pumped and inspected as part of the closing agreement. Ours was stipulated by the mortgage lender.

The only problem we had was that one drywell plugged up and backed up into the basemant. The drywell was specifically for the washer, and the drywell was completely rocked up with non dissolved, powdered detergent from the previous owner.

Take care of your septic system. They are expensive to repair/replace.

The graywater could be separately piped off from the main drainpipe. That graywater can go straight out to a ditch in the backyard or the side of the house.

[Jim Dunn]

The enzymes in the septic tank can be killed with chorine bleach, dishwashing soaps and laundry detergent. The enzyme additives help break down the solids into liquids and help keep the soil in the leach field loose.

The chlorine bleach in a "normal" load of cloths will not be sufficient to kill enough bacteria to upset the balance of a tanks normal action. Laundry soaps likewise will not harm bacteria action. It is never suggested to dump a whole gallon of bleach down a drain but I doubt that it would hurt anything as it would probably represent only 1% of the tanks volume. Try Googling "septic tank additives" and go to any site hosted as an .EDU or .ORG and read just a sample of what is said in the health industry about additives. As I understand it Canada won't allow the import of tank additives into their country. (They wont' let in cigs, or porn either but I don't really think their thinking of the enviroment with these.)

What you are doing when you have the tank pumped is removing the debris, read "waste material", from the bacteria digesting the nutrients in your household waste. Try to imagine a bacteria large enough to hold 19yrs worth of solids deposited in your tank. He would look like the "Incredible hulk" Bacteria produces waste, period, and that is what you want to remove from you tank by pumping.

You haven't said whether or not you have an open discharge or a conventional soil absorption field drain system. Open discharge is usually what I find when someone tells me they never have tank trouble or never have had their tank pumped.

Jim

[Jim Dunn]

The graywater could be separately piped off from the main drainpipe. That graywater can go straight out to a ditch in the backyard or the side of the house.

In most states "grey water" has to be deposited in the tank along with the normal water from the household plumbing. Is you washing machine water clean. Not hardly, it's classified by most health departments as black water. Grey water literally has no real meaning in the plumbing industry other than to describe where it comes from, not where it's going.

Most people are not educated in the fundimentals of waste-treatment. I understand this and try my best to keep those individuals informed.

I do not mean to offend anyone but water is a non-renewable resourse. We have to conserve and protect it.

[Jim Dunn]

Jim Dunn - correct me if I'm wrong, but....

Another element to consider is the type of toilet paper that's used. Those soft comfy multi-ply easy on the delicates TPs do not self destruct all that well in septic systems; and can thusly lead to shorter intervals between pumpings. Switch to good ol single ply and get more life out of the system and your pocketbook.

Andy in all of my years of looking into septic tanks I could never tell the difference between single and double ply paper.

The only thing I despise advertisers claiming personal wipes are flushable. Oh and add to that "flushable diapers"

House hold grease is more damaging than a handful of paper. Even newspaper breaks down over time. (that ink stains my undies though)

[Jim Dunn]

Thank you all folks so very much for your input. Lots to know but important for this transition to a new way of life.
Jim I don't think I would have chosen your line of work but a valued one none the less.

Two kids through college and I can still smell the roses. So long as their real big

[Matt Meiser]

I've lived in houses with septic for nearly my entire life. My parents had to have their system replaced about 6 years ago. It was installed in the mid 60's. The drain field had become clogged and the excavator recommended a new tank since the additional cost was not huge to do it at that time.

Our previous house's system worked well when we left, and I haven't seen them dig it up to replace it. According to health dept. records, it was installed in the early 70's, I assume to replace one installed in the early 50's when that house was moved to where it sits today (or maybe they had to put in a septic system and stop piping it to the nearby creek.) This house is only 15 years old and a record of pumpings shows it has been pumped about every 4 years which is what the company that pumped it right before we moved in recommended for the next pumping.

[Andy Hoyt]

Andy in all of my years of looking into septic tanks I could never tell the difference between single and double ply paper.

Cool. Just don't tell my wife. Don't want to have to reeducate her.

[Greg Ladd]

Jim,

Our septic system is a 1500 gallon septic tank with a leaching field. The leaching field is divided in two so that we can alternate between the two sides of the leach field.

Greg

[Jim Dunn]

Greg that's a normal configuration of a system. Is it done manually or mechanically? Manually and the home owner is responsible for remembering to change from zone 1 to zone 2. They usually remember to do this after water is leaking to the surface of the ground which is a health hazard.

People don't seem to realize that waste water can be tracked into your home by the dog, or kids playing in the water. (the dog is the biggest culprit as he drinks the effluent and comes into the house and "kisses" the owner and his kids) Kids play in water all the time. Water on the surface of the ground on your property is a health hazard to the entire neighbor hood. Even if you live in the middle of 50acres clean water is still your responsibility. Runoff can carry effluent into any small stream then into a public waterway.

[Ed Breen]

Tyler,
My first house, very rural, had been built in 1860. We had the septic tank go out in 1958. It had been built of locust poles!! and just collapsed,
I just had a set up done for my son about four months ago. Perc test was $100. done by someone recommended by the water dept. The tank and field were installed at a cost of $3,000.00. Extra cost since the field has a rock base and they had to install a short/wide tank.
Our regular system has been in for 35 years. We've pumped once when paper gor the best of us.
Welcome to a quieter world.
Ed

[David Wilson]

Tyler
I remember as a kid growing up on a farm my dad would throw a dead chicken into the septic tank about once a year. He said it fed the bacteria and kept it working.

[Tyler Howell]

Tyler
I remember as a kid growing up on a farm my dad would throw a dead chicken into the septic tank about once a year. He said it fed the bacteria and kept it working.

Dave, I've heard it all now.