Slickdeals is community-supported.  We may get paid by brands or deals, including promoted items.
Forum Thread

Would a house having a septic tank and well water turn you away from buying?

70,108 5,351 December 4, 2017 at 10:31 AM in Finance (4)
When I was a kid we had a house with a septic tank and well water...but as you all know that was eons ago Stick Out Tongue

I have heard of some horror stories of having to replace the septic tank and it being pretty expensive to do.

I did Google _ for all of you who may have been ready to post the lmgtfy link... and read how you are supposed to take care of them and not add any strain on the tank by not putting coffee grounds down the disposal, no grease from pans, no antibacterial soaps to be used..showers held to like 10 minutes etc.


Sounds like a PITA actually and although I found a nice house that I like.. I am thinking of skipping any with septic and well...

Any personal insights here in the knowledge well we call the lounge?
Add a Comment
Reply

61 Comments

View Forum Thread
12345

Your comment cannot be blank.

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Joined Mar 2007
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 9,165 Posts
589 Reputation
handyguy
12-05-2017 at 05:00 PM.
12-05-2017 at 05:00 PM.
Well water often has sulphur odor. Toilet uses septic tank, but bathtub, etc, uses leach field.
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Nov 2005
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 38,347 Posts
5,378 Reputation
Pro
Dr. J
12-05-2017 at 06:15 PM.
12-05-2017 at 06:15 PM.
Quote from handyguy :
Well water often has sulphur odor. Toilet uses septic tank, but bathtub, etc, uses leach field.
Not often. It's VERY YMMV. Even neighbors with wells 100 feet apart can have different water characteristics. I'd bet wells in general areas tend to have similar characteristics though, as the surrounding geology will generally be the same.
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Dec 2003
Benevolent Dictator
> bubble2 31,979 Posts
3,053 Reputation
The Raddish
12-05-2017 at 07:21 PM.
12-05-2017 at 07:21 PM.
Quote from Schooby :
everything I have read is.. you should have it serviced like every 3 years..
But I know a couple of people who have spent like 8 to 10K to have them replaced.. which would suck.
I lived in a house from 2005 to 2014 with septic. We only pumped the tank once, shortly before we moved, but even then it was simply to prove there were no issues. Cost about $300, and it was the ONLY maintenance we did for our septic system in the nine years we lived there.
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Jan 2010
Cajun Trollop
> bubble2 7,076 Posts
3,606 Reputation
Ms.arteest
12-06-2017 at 12:52 AM.
12-06-2017 at 12:52 AM.
So, I'm lazy and didn't read all of the posts. I may be repeating other's comments.

We have had a septic tank (with an oxidation pond- lots of land and no mechanical system to break down) for 20 yrs and we've never had a problem. We put anything any and everything into, except lots of bleach or other cleaners. We don't use many chemicals in our home and we also add Rid-X every month. We shower as long as we'd like. Before we moved to our current house, we had a home with a mechanical system and it was as easy as our current set-up.

In Louisiana, when a home is sold, it's required that the seller has the septic tank pumped and there's an inspection by the health dept.

As for the water well, fabulous! Again, just make sure it's inspected and find out if the seller has been adding anything to the well. My aunt has to add a cup of bleach every month or her water gets quite smelly. EEK!
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Dec 2004
Sr. Community Manager
> bubble2 70,108 Posts
5,351 Reputation
Original Poster
Staff
Schooby | Staff
12-06-2017 at 05:38 AM.
12-06-2017 at 05:38 AM.
Hmm thanks everyone for sharing your opinions and experiences.
There is a house in the same neighborhood, 7 years newer that is also for sale...and I see it has city water and sewer.
So.. not only would I not have to worry about how to maintain it but this also makes me wonder if they will be expanding the pipelines and thus adding thousands of dollars in costs to the one that was built in '96.

It is a bit more $$..same layout, also a corner lot, pavers for back patio as opposed to a deck... but then I also see a new neighborhood going in right behind it so there would be construction noise and stuff for a while...but it it curtained by trees along the very back.

This will need much more investigating lol.
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Aug 2005
RLTW
> bubble2 2,109 Posts
912 Reputation
medicchick
12-06-2017 at 08:15 AM.
12-06-2017 at 08:15 AM.
We had a septic system and well for years when we lived in Alaska. As long as we kept the house water filter changed it was great, EXCEPT when the power went out. No power, no water pump. I personally wouldn't run from a house with it but I would make sure to get the water test results. Here in northern Nevada we have high levels of arsenic in the water so any well anywhere I would check. Heck, my Dad still has a well in Grand Rapids even though he's also on city water. He has a dedicated faucet in the kitchen for it...lol
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Dec 2007
Brown Recluse Aficionado
> bubble2 7,409 Posts
1,848 Reputation
chevvy
12-07-2017 at 07:45 AM.
12-07-2017 at 07:45 AM.
I've been on well and septic for almost 8 years now and never had a problem. A few years ago we did the routine maintenance on the septic, and it was only about $200. That said, I only use cast iron to cook with which doesn't require soap to clean, and I use all of my coffee grounds as compost.
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Joined Nov 2005
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 38,347 Posts
5,378 Reputation
Pro
Dr. J
12-07-2017 at 09:30 AM.
12-07-2017 at 09:30 AM.
Quote from chevvy :
I've been on well and septic for almost 8 years now and never had a problem. A few years ago we did the routine maintenance on the septic, and it was only about $200. That said, I only use cast iron to cook with which doesn't require soap to clean, and I use all of my coffee grounds as compost.
When I had mine pumped a few years back I talked with the guy about it and he said....

Biggest cause of issues with septic tanks are:
- people that don't pump regularly. This is very YMMV in terms of frequency, but if you don't pump enough and the solids get into the leach field, you're in for multi- $10k type of expense to replace
- People that flush stuff that shouldn't. There are obvious things, but nonobvious ones too - like baby wipes, which generally aren't "septic friendly". The other issue with these things is that they float, which can cause a blockage in the effluent pipe from the house (happened to me but fortunately I was able to unblock it).
- As far as Rid-X is concerned he said that in his experience the people that used Rid-X tended to have tanks with a lot of suspended solids (suspended in the top water), which again is bad for the leach field.
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Jan 2010
Cajun Trollop
> bubble2 7,076 Posts
3,606 Reputation
Ms.arteest
12-08-2017 at 10:45 AM.
12-08-2017 at 10:45 AM.
Quote from Dr. J :
When I had mine pumped a few years back I talked with the guy about it and he said....

Biggest cause of issues with septic tanks are:
- people that don't pump regularly. This is very YMMV in terms of frequency, but if you don't pump enough and the solids get into the leach field, you're in for multi- $10k type of expense to replace
- People that flush stuff that shouldn't. There are obvious things, but nonobvious ones too - like baby wipes, which generally aren't "septic friendly". The other issue with these things is that they float, which can cause a blockage in the effluent pipe from the house (happened to me but fortunately I was able to unblock it).
- As far as Rid-X is concerned he said that in his experience the people that used Rid-X tended to have tanks with a lot of suspended solids (suspended in the top water), which again is bad for the leach field.
If you have the room (we do), an oxidation pond solves these problems, fairly well. That being said, we compost most all kitchen waste, don't put oils down the drain, cook in stainless or cast iron (as Chevvy said) and are conscious of what we flush.

It's also very important to make sure your tank is properly sized for the number of bathrooms and number of residents. Schooby, I assume it's just you, but guests staying more that a couple of days will greatly add to the load on your system. Your local health dept. Should be able to advise you on this.
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Jan 2007
Free hugs!
> bubble2 16,512 Posts
854 Reputation
uniquename
12-08-2017 at 01:12 PM.
12-08-2017 at 01:12 PM.
Quote from Ms.arteest :
If you have the room (we do), an oxidation pond solves these problems, fairly well. That being said, we compost most all kitchen waste, don't put oils down the drain, cook in stainless or cast iron (as Chevvy said) and are conscious of what we flush.

It's also very important to make sure your tank is properly sized for the number of bathrooms and number of residents. Schooby, I assume it's just you, but guests staying more that a couple of days will greatly add to the load on your system. Your local health dept. Should be able to advise you on this.

I see what you did there.
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Jan 2010
Cajun Trollop
> bubble2 7,076 Posts
3,606 Reputation
Ms.arteest
12-08-2017 at 02:39 PM.
12-08-2017 at 02:39 PM.
Quote from uniquename :
I see what you did there.
laugh out loud
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Jul 2005
Deals-Manipulator
> bubble2 1,160 Posts
330 Reputation
XyKo
12-08-2017 at 03:55 PM.
12-08-2017 at 03:55 PM.
We currently in a house with a septic tank and recently converted to city water from a well. Having 1 acre of yard, it cost me about $60 to water my lawn every 3 days for 30 minutes each. We recently switched over to the city water and I'm not looking forward to see the bill for next spring.

No issue with the septic so far (knock on wood), we did pump it out last Fall. Will have to do it this upcoming Spring. Cost a few hundred bucks each time.
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Jun 2006
Jambi-rific in Seattle!
> bubble2 31,436 Posts
2,810 Reputation
Zoe Moon
12-08-2017 at 04:51 PM.
12-08-2017 at 04:51 PM.
I can verify that houses here with septic tanks and wells take longer to sell here. Even during the highest peak of the two housing booms we've been through, when houses were selling the same day they were listed (some sold sight unseen, just realtors photos), the septic tank and well water houses took at least a couple of weeks to sell. They likely would have stayed on the market longer than two weeks but all the rental properties were taken and it was that or get an expensive hotel room.

In the off peak time, I saw one house that took almost three months to sell even though it was below the appraised value and completely renovated inside.
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Joined Jan 2010
Cajun Trollop
> bubble2 7,076 Posts
3,606 Reputation
Ms.arteest
12-09-2017 at 03:58 AM.
12-09-2017 at 03:58 AM.
Quote from Zoe Moon :
I can verify that houses here with septic tanks and wells take longer to sell here. Even during the highest peak of the two housing booms we've been through, when houses were selling the same day they were listed (some sold sight unseen, just realtors photos), the septic tank and well water houses took at least a couple of weeks to sell. They likely would have stayed on the market longer than two weeks but all the rental properties were taken and it was that or get an expensive hotel room.

In the off peak time, I saw one house that took almost three months to sell even though it was below the appraised value and completely renovated inside.
Wow! It's not even a factor around here. The most sought after property around here is in an area that has city water, but no public sewer system, only septic systems. Amazing how things differ so much around the country. Scratchchin
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Joined Jun 2006
Jambi-rific in Seattle!
> bubble2 31,436 Posts
2,810 Reputation
Zoe Moon
12-09-2017 at 06:57 AM.
12-09-2017 at 06:57 AM.
Quote from Ms.arteest :
Wow! It's not even a factor around here. The most sought after property around here is in an area that has city water, but no public sewer system, only septic systems. Amazing how things differ so much around the country. Scratchchin
The exception around here are the islands, unless you're in a larger town everyone is on a septic system and well water.
Like
Funny
>
Helpful
Not helpful
Reply
Page 3 of 5
12345
Start the Conversation
 
Link Copied

The link has been copied to the clipboard.