I had to replace one 20 years ago and I don’t remember the exact amount, but it was well into the thousands.
I might look into one of those. Our septic is only 40 years old so it should last another 40 years…lol.
Aerobic systems are allowed in many states and are significantly cheaper than anaerobic tanks but are likely more prone to failure from chemicals in the water.
When I had a problem with my parts cleaner service company I bought a unit and had excellent results using blended mineral spirits and kerosene. My waste oil was picked up and sold as boiler fuel and they were happy with anything flamable that blended with oil so there was no problem getting rid parts cleaner waste.
Yup, sounds about right. We moved to a different state earlier this year, and are living in an apartment until we find the right house. Out of all the things on our list of wants, I have 2 that are absolutely non-negotiable. No well water and no septic system. We’ve found some beautiful homes that we’ve walked away from because I have enough to do without worrying about pumping the cr*p out my house.
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Unfortunately here in NH that would eliminate 75% of all homes. Even some exclusive homes worth well over $5m.
Good thing you don’t live in MA. Some of the strictest oversight on septic you’ll find anywhere. Anyone selling a home has a significant pucker factor when it comes to Title 5 inspection on a septic system. Almost guaranteed you’ll need something done and pray it’s something simple. My last house had two systems on the property; main septic and a dry well system. Cost a small fortune just for the inspection and of course it needed a number of repairs. I preach to the family- only three things go into the septic system- gray water, human waste and toilet paper…just before I sold, my neighbor had to have his leach field replaced. Turns out they used the wrong kind of sand the first time. It plugged up in less than 15 years. ChaCHING!
Same here, if you want a property even slightly out in the country you are looking at a septic and a well. I am not crazy about it but it is nice not to be paying a water bill to anyone. You jyust have to remember to pay a water and sewer bill to yourself because one day you will need the money.
Our well is 75 ft deep, it has a submersible pump that was last replaced in May 1996. its due to give up any day now.
Indiana, at least where I live, is a free for all. There is no thing such as a septic inspection when you buy a house that is required.
I know of several homes that do not have a leach field and instead have a pipe running out into a field or a ditch. Its sadly not uncommon here.
You can pretty much do whatever you want with little chance anyone is going to tell you any different. Make meth, drive drunk, shoot machine guns, pump your septic tank into a field with a trash pump instead of hiring a pumper truck to come out, have 20 dogs on your property, have 20 junk vehicles on your property. Anything goes. I used to like it like that to a point. As I get older I want better for my kid.
I cannot tell you how many people still spray used motor oil or diesel fuel around outbuildings to kill weeds.
I figured up I can make roundup quickpro for about 1.50 a gallon or less, I hate using it buy i will sometimes. I have a coworker that sprays weeds with gasoline, it works really well but what does that do to the groundwater? Plus at the time we had the discussion gasoline was 2.40 a gallon, I tried to explain roundup was actually cheaper if you bought it in bulk.
Unfortunately my well is over 1000’. So far I haven’t had to replace pump yet. When I do I expect a cost of over $5000.
Then there’s the filters/equipment for magnesium and radon and arsenic removal. I’d love to have town water. Just not from Flint Mi
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Around here a septic system is more in the range of $10-20,000 depending on the difficulty of the terrain. Around the lakes areas though the trend is to push people into a central facility rather than everyone having their own. We haven’t had any problems with our lake septic system and rural water supply, but do have the system pumped and cleaned every couple of years. So I’m not sure I would not buy just because of the septic and water. There are advantages to just being on your own, but if a well, you really need to be careful to have the water tested for bad stuff.
Especially if you use that water in your car for something 
I have ours tested once a year by the county health department, and the drinking water is run thru a reverse osmosis system with Uv light sterilizer.
It is overkill im sure, but it certainly cant hurt.
What worries me is contamination sometimes takes a long timeto get to the water table so it could be from 50 years ago when there was no eviromental regualtion in the area, or from the local yokels who dump who knows what on the ground.
Ten years ago I got a quote on a new septic here and it was 5 to 6 grand, that is for a basic septic setup. I was worried because when we bought this place the original septic was 30 years old, now its 40 and its still doing ok. I had it pumped when we bought the house and it was due. I had it done 2 years later and he said I should try 5 year intervals, 5 years later he pumped it and it wasn’t that bad so he told me if everything stays the same I could probably go 10 years between pumping.
There is a property near hear on a small creek and the house sits down by the creek,there are no level areas behind the house, they had a new system installed which has a septic tank down by the house and then the effluent is pumped up a hill to a leach field near the front of the property
I wonder what that setup cost.
Around here again, you can’t sell a house with a septic until it is checked and certified. When I was selling my dad’s house, there was a break in the line and had to put in a whole new system for $10,000 before the house could be sold. So I guess pay me now or pay me later. Then ten years later, all the houses around the lake had to hook up to a central system, so just a waste (pun intended).
In WA I often saw the same thing. I have a friend, who did well for himself, built a beautiful home on a hillside with a view of the bay and the mountains in the distance. Close to a million dollars for a house, and when a tree branch fell in a storm and knocked out the power you couldn’t flush the toilets because the septic field was UPHILL from the house.
City water and sewer for me or I ain’t living there!
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May I modify your statement ( city water and sewer and no Homeowners association )
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That’s very true, Mike, but town water and sewer were at the top of my criteria list when I bought my current home 15 (16? I’ll have to look) years ago. I just didn’t want to mess with wells and/or septic systems anymore.
The life of a septic, assuming it’s properly sized and made, is highly dependent upon the composition of the ground under the grass as well as how the septic is/was used. Only the first part of the last part is under the homeowner’s control. And while the well water we had at our house in Litchfield was sweet, great, and reliable (never went dry), a well is a crap-shoot too. Litchfield is a great example of the unpredictability of wells, because while ours was great 35 years ago, there have been a lot of problems these past five years right in the same area.
So for anyone considering using a dishwasher or cloths washer for washing car parts, there are a whole lot of reasons not to. A proper parts washer is the way to go. They can be purchases (home sized) for a few hundred bucks, and it’s well, well worth the investment. If you’re going to work on cars, you should not risk compromise to your home’s systems nor the water supplies of the community you live in.
Yeah if you had a HOA, you’d have to keep the garage door shut so no one saw you doing any work in the garage. Some of them are really really picky. From their tactics you’d think they grew up under the red star. Luckily I can do anything I want until 10:00 quiet hours.
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Um… what’s an HOA?
Forgive my ignorance, I don’t get out much. 
HOA= Homeowners association. Usually run by people who have too much money and too much time on their hands. You pay dues and can be assessed a sum of money for addition improvements or grounds repair.
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Thanks. Never had a condo, so I was unfamiliar with the term. 
It does not have to be a condo, a lot of single family homes are in subdivisions that are a part of a HOA or a POA (property owners association).
I do not plan on ever being part of one of those again, the short time I owned a townhouse and was in one it wasn’t bad, though I know of too many horror stories. It kept me on the up and up while I was at the town home, but deep down I am way too trashy to be a part of one of those where there are single family houses. I have two utility trailers in my driveway at the moment, they have been there since last month. Normally I pull them to an unused part of our property when I don’t need them but i have been too lazy.
There are some guys at work that live in an addition with a POA. There is a issue right now that some lady has too many birdhouses or some nonsense. All it takes is a neighbor that matters to complain and you are in trouble. Now keep in mind this POA has a golf cart poker run to raise money for fireworks, and it is a drunk fest. Some of the people there think its legal to drive a golf cart drunk because they are on private roads even though the useless sheriffs department is responsible for patrolling them.
Well last poker run the festivities lasted until 4am the next day and in a drunken fit of rage one guy hit another guy using a golf cart. The law came out and he was locked up for dui, assault, and other charges. They are picking on this lady because of her birdhouses, but allow adolescent behavior from other people and its ok.
I always have said HOAs and POAs are for people who want to own a home, but still want to be treated like renters.
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