Septic tanks are one of the most popular alternatives to sewer lines, and they’re one of the few options if you aren’t connected to the municipal water system. However, septic tanks have their own, unique strengths and weaknesses. What is a septic tank? And what are the pros and cons of septic tanks?
What, exactly, is a septic tank?
What is a septic tank? It is a tank buried in your garden to provide basic wastewater processing and disposal. It is an option for rural properties and homes that are too far to be affordably connected to the local sewer lines. The solids in the waste settle to the bottom of the tank and are attacked by septic bacteria that help break it down. The somewhat treated wastewater then flows through drainage pipes to a drainage field further from the home. It seeps into the soil. In these cases, traces of biological matter may enter the soil but are neutralized by the soil bacteria. If you smell sewage or see large wet spots above the septic tank field, it requires repairs.
What are the advantages of septic tanks?
A septic tank provides a known, controlled and refined form of wastewater treatment at an off-the-grid location. That’s why septic tanks are commonly used at farms and rural cabins. It is much more environmentally friendly than latrines, since the wastewater is partially treated naturally, and the solids can be sealed in the tank if the site is abandoned.
Septic tanks require relatively little maintenance. They need to be pumped every two to five years to remove the accumulated solids. If you conserve water and rarely generate wastewater, it may be six years. Furthermore, the septic tank itself could last forty years if made from fiberglass or plastic, while concrete models could theoretically last a hundred years.
Septic tanks allow you to use normal indoor plumbing like toilets and dishwashers. That’s a step up from the classic outdoor latrine. Nor do septic tanks pose the same risk of spreading disease via flies or other pests.
The wastewater from the drainage fields may reduce the need to water your lawn. Note that you shouldn’t plant trees near the drainage lines or the roots may clog them.
Installing a septic tank is often cheaper than connecting a home to a sewer line half a mile away. Yet you retain the option to connect to the sewer line later if the local grid expands to include your home. When you only use the septic system, you typically don’t have to pay municipal water fees.
It only services your home. You don’t have to worry about drain lines clogging because neighbors flush grease or tampons down the drain.
What are the disadvantages of septic tanks?
Septic tanks fail when flooded. This may be because you have a water leak in your home flooding the drains and thus the septic tank with water. If there is outdoor flooding, it could push sewage into your home.
Septic tanks must be pumped to remove solid waste every two to six years depending on how fast solids accumulate in them. If you delay doing this, sewage can back up into your home. The downside is that it can be hard to tell when the septic system is in trouble until your toilets backup into the house.
If you buy a home with an older septic tank, the tank may be empty but the drainage field is clogged with debris from insufficient emptying. This means it is prone to flooding and leaks, and you don’t know where unless there is a massive wet, smelly spot in the yard.
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