Septic Tanks

Information current as of:

Most people don't need to worry about a septic tank because they live in an urban area that has water and sewer services provided by their local government and utilities. But people who live in the country or just outside of city limits are either very used to the idea of their own septic system or very surprised to learn they need to bother with it. Even in some small towns individual sewage systems are required.

Septic tanks are just one part of the entire septic system, which is designed to store the eliminated wastewater from your home. This includes everything from your sink water to toilet flushing. If you're part of the city utilities you often take for granted that when you flush the toilet you'll never have to deal with it again. But with your own septic tank you have to maintain it and watch for any possible problems. It's not a hands-off situation.

Over time the stuff collected settles into a kind of sludgy material and it can build up causing no where for the new deposits to land. You need to either clean out your tank completely every few years (depending on the size of your household) or continuously maintain it with a natural digestive agent to reduce the amount of sludge buildup.

The natural biproduct of the digestion of this built up material is a foul odor. If you notice that your washing machine, dishwasher, garbage disposal or even bathtubs and sinks are giving off a rotten smell then you likely have either a clogged drain or plugged tank lines.

Why would a small town still require the use of septic tanks? It is expensive to put in formal sewer lines. If the town is small enough and the budget just isn't there, it's much less expensive to have the homeowners put in their own septic systems. It puts the burden of responsibility onto the homeowner instead of the municipality. It's not ideal for the homeowner so once the developments reach a certain size they tend to install regular sewer lines. That's why larger towns and cities all have them in the United States.

Septic tanks are usually made of concrete and occasionally fiberglass. They are designed to hold a lot of waste and common household products such as everyday cleaners and bleaches are just fine. You generally do not have to change anything about your daily life when you have your own septic system other than remembering to do regular maintenance for it on schedule and knowing who to call if there is a problem and you're uncertain how to handle it.

We have more detailed information on septic tank cleaning, dealing with septic problems, and septic treatment on our other pages.