You may have the urge to move to a quieter location, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. However, as you may expect, homes in rural places are quite different from those in the city. Homes in off-grid areas are likely to have septic tanks that collect and treat wastewater on the property instead of municipal water plants like in the suburbs.

But should you buy a house with a septic tank? Read on below for the pros and cons.

The Pros

The pros of a home with a septic tank include the following:

Affordability

Homeowners who use city or town wastewater treatment plants pay a monthly premium for the services offered. These costs add up to hundreds of dollars per year. There are no monthly fees if you own a house with a septic tank. As a homeowner, you will only have to pay for your septic tank to be cleaned periodically.

Environmental Friendliness

If you are all about environmental preservation and conservation, a home with a septic tank is an ideal option for you. A well-maintained system treats waste through natural processes and releases the waste into the environment in an eco-friendly manner so the surrounding waterways, plants, and wildlife are safe.

Furthermore, if your septic tank leaks, the leak would only happen around a single home without any effect on the surrounding homes. On the other hand, city wastewater treatment plants can cause public harm if a component fails.

Known Waste Content

As a homeowner with a septic tank, you are aware of what goes down the toilets and drains. If the septic system experiences a backup, you understand what is there. Therefore, you can share this information with your septic tank cleaning company for a quick solution. Furthermore, a shared water treatment system in the city would have more contaminants and pathogens that can cause more harm and require extensive intervention.

Low Maintenance

A septic tank system does its job daily without human intervention — modern systems can even last for decades if well maintained. When you only flush the right products down the drain, your septic tank will last long.

The Cons

The disadvantages of a home with a septic tank include the following:

Personal Responsibility for Repairs

When municipal sewer pipes back up or leak on your property, the government fixes it. However, with a septic tank, it is your responsibility as a homeowner to fix pipe leaks and system backups.

Thankfully, such occurrences are rare, and by being vigilant for soggy patches and slow drains, you can call a septic tank company and prevent extensive damage.

Failed Drain Fields

For a septic tank to work properly, there must be a good drain field. Therefore, homeowners should ideally live in a place with soil that is ideal for drainage. If the soil is compacted by tree roots or car movement in the area, groundwater saturation may cause the failure of the drain field.

What to Do Before You Buy a House with a Septic Tank

If you intend to buy a house with a septic tank, you must have the septic tank inspected. Septic tank inspections can prevent unnecessary inconveniences after you move into your new home.

The inspection will let you know the state of the septic tank, the level of sludge in it, and when it was last inspected. You will also get valuable information on the drain field's location, confirmation of whether the tank's size is ideal for the home, and the general condition of the tank and lid.

After you purchase a house with a septic tank system, ensure you schedule regular maintenance so the tank run smoothly. Contact us at Upstate Septic Tank, LLC, for professional septic tank services