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This website answers just about any question about buying or owning a house with a septic tank or septic system.

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Septic Tank & Drainfield Inspection & Maintenance for Home Buyers or Owners

• If you own or are buying a home with a septic system, look through the list of articles below.
• If you are in a rush read A Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems inspection & testing - what to do, step by step to inspect and test a septic system when buying a home and then What is a Septic System? An Engineer's View & Septic System FAQ's.
• If you don't know if the building is connected to a septic tank system or to a public sewer, see Septic or Sewer Connection?
• If you are having a problem with your septic system, start with the easy articles below but also see our step by step guides at Septic Maintenance and Repair
• If you want to avoid septic system backups, see Septic Backup Prevention when you're having a big party or
• If your drains are backing up, see Septic Backup Repair
• Use links below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.
• If you do not quickly find the information you need ask by email.
• Abandoned or New Septic System inspection & testing suggestions
• Additives & Chemicals products for septic system maintenance. Are septic products needed? Are septic treatments legal?
• Alternating Bed Septic Systems may provide a retrofit repair for a failing drainfield or a means of extending drainfield life
• Alternative Designs for septic systems with problem sites, poor soil percolation, limited space: aerobic, dosing, evaporation, gravelless, greywater, lagoon, media filter, septic filters, mounds, raised beds, waterless toilets
• Abandoning a Septic Tank - Guide - how to safely find & abandoned unused septic tanks, cesspools, drywells
• AGE of Plumbing Materials & Fixtures including piping, plumbing fixtures, septic systems, cesspools, drainfields
• Backups and Clogged Drains diagnosing septic backups and septic system failures versus clogged drains - key step in septic repair
• Backup Prevention: extra steps to avoid a septic backup such as during a party or when you anticipate heavy use of the septic system
• Backup Repair: what to do when the toilets or drains are backing up
• Basic Designs for septic systems, tank size, field size, design notes
• Buy Septic Books Online at Amazon.com - books for septic system design. septic system education materials
• Buyer's Guide Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems inspection & testing - what to do, step by step to inspect and test a septic system when buying a home
• Biomat Formation in the Septic System Drainfield Absorption System - what leads to drain field clogging and expensive drainfield repairs
    
• Blocked Drain Repair Methods - do-it-yourself steps you can try to clear a clogged drain before calling a professional plumber
• Cesspools home buyer's or Owner's cesspool maintenance advice
• Cesspool Safety warnings about cesspool, drywell, seepage pit collapse dangers
• Contaminants in Sewage which may be released from sewage spills from residential septic systems and wastewater disposal systems
• Curtain drains or intercept drains can protect septic drainfields in areas of wet soils or surface and subsurface groundwater
• Design Guide for Septic Systems complete list of detailed "how to" articles
• Distribution Box - Septic D-BOX Inspection provides for help in finding and inspecting the septic system drainfield distribution box Designs for Septic Systems - Master List of Septic System Designs & Types, named and described
• Distribution Box - Septic D-BOX Inspection provides for help in finding and inspecting the septic system drainfield distribution box
• Distances & Clearances from septic system components to other site features, property boundaries, waterways, etc. - Avoid property being declared insalubrious or uninhabitable due to septic system space or function problems.
• Don't Flush these things into a septic system: a list of what's ok and what's not ok to put into septic tanks and building drains
• Don't Pump Before Testing Septic Systems: warnings for home buyers about septic tank pumping
• Drain Clogs, Slow Drainage: how to diagnose & repair slow or clogged drains; find out if the problem is in a drain or in the septic system, a key step in septic repair
• Drain Noises: may indicate defective or clogged plumbing: how to diagnose and cure drain sounds
• Drain Line Replacement diagnosing a clogged drain leads to drain line replacement - step by step photo-illustrated guide to drain replacement
• Drainfield Layout: septic drainfield or leaching bed shape and placement considerations
• Drainfield Location: how to find the septic drain field or leaching bed
• Driving or Parking over Septic Components? is it ever acceptable to drive or park over septic system piping, tanks, or drainfields?
• Drywells home buyer's or owner's advice for drywell installation, testing, and maintenance
• Definitions of septic system terms, an online septic system dictionary
• Drawing Library © drawings of septic system components, fields, layouts. These are educational, not engineering drawings and are © protected. Sample engineering drawings and plans wanted for the website.
• Filters for Septic Tanks & Graywater to protect septic drainfields and reduce drainfield clogging
• Flood Response what to do after a septic system has been exposed to flooding, key septic maintenance and repair tips
• Garbage Grinders and garbage disposal units - effects on septic systems and septic maintenance requirements
• Gases, Septic Methane and other septic system gas hazards such as hydrogen sulfide
• Grazing, Animals Over Septic Fields, is it a problem?
• Inspection & Testing of Septic Systems complete list of detailed "how to" articles
• Septic Inspection Types & Levels - describes the parameters of visual inspections, tank and field inspections, dye tests
• Septic Inspection Worksheets for use with various types and levels of onsite septic inspection and testing
• Septic Inspection Book - online text describes septic system inspection, diagnosis, repair, design
• Septic Inspection Course - online documents
• Life Expectancy of Septic Systems and septic system components
• Maintenance & Repair of Septic Systems complete list of detailed "how to" articles
• Neighboring Septic System Problems - advice for dealing with a neighboring septic system producing odors or seepage
• Planting Over Septic Systems: trees, shrubs, gardens, groundcover over or near the septic system: what can you plant over or near septic system components without causing a problem?
• Planting Gardens Near Septics, vegetables, fruits, other types of gardens
• Pumps Septic pumps, sewage ejector pumps, grinder pumps, effluent pumps, sump pumps, & septic pumping stations compared; pump alarms. Advice.
• Reference Books, Codes, Design Guides for septic system maintenance, repair, design, installation
• Septic & Cesspool Safety - septic system, septic tank, & cesspool safety warnings for septic inspectors, septic pumpers, and homeowners.
• Septic D-BOX Inspection provides for help in finding and inspecting the septic system drainfield distribution box
• Septic Tank Abandonment Guide - how to safely find & abandoned unused septic tanks, cesspools, drywells
• Septic Tank Depth - how deep will we find or install a septic tank
• Septic Tank Inspection Procedure - how to inspect septic tanks and evaluate the septic tank condition, baffles, sludge levels, damage, evidence of septic failure, etc.
• Septic Tank Leaks can prevent a valid septic loading and dye test and can damage the drainfield
• Septic Tank Location - How to Find the Septic Tank, how deep will the cover be, how to document its location
• Septic Tank Pumping Frequency Guide for septic tanks: when, how, what to watch for when pumping or cleaning septic tanks
• Septic Tank Pumping Reasons why relying on the septic tank pumping schedule table or advice from pumping contractors isn't enough
• Septic Tank Pumping Procedure step by step photo guideline of how to pump and clean a septic tank - septic tank care
• Septic Tank Size: septic tank size and capacity vs. usage determine the required septic tank size, calculate size of an existing septic tank
• Septic Tank Types: characteristics and inspection guide for steel, concrete, plastic, fiberglass, and home made septic tanks
• Sewage Odors in Wet or Cold Weather - Septic Odors or Sewage Odor Diagnosis & Repair Guide for diagnosing and eliminating cold weather sewer gas odors
• Sewage Levels in Septic Tanks - what are normal and abnormal sewage levels in septic tanks and what do they mean about tank condition, leaks, etc.
• Sewer Gas Odors diagnosing, finding, and curing septic tank and sewer line smells
• Sewer Gas - Methane and other septic system gas explosion or asphyxiation hazards such as hydrogen sulfide
• Sewer Line Replacement diagnosing a clogged drain leads to drain line replacement - step by step photo-illustrated guide to drain replacement
• Steep Slope Septic Designs - how to install sewer lines from building to septic tank; how to install septic drainfields, leach field systems at steep or sloped sites.
• Swimming Pool Clearance distance to septic components
• Ten Steps to Keeping a Septic System Working, septic maintenance suggestions from the U.S. EPA, edits with additions by DJF
• TOILET OVERFLOW EMERGENCY: how to stop a toilet from overflowing
• What is a Septic System? An Engineer's View & Septic System FAQ's
• When Not to Pump a Septic Tank to avoid damage, unsafe conditions, or wasting money. Don't pump the tank right before a septic test.

"How-To" Articles at our Septic System Information Website are in four groups: (these links are also at page left)

1. Septic System Basics, septic maintenance and septic care instructions for home owners and home buyers; steps to take when buying a home with a septic tank and septic fields
2. Septic System Design & Installation, and alternative septic designs and septic products,
3. Septic System Inspection and Testing, how to find and diagnose septic system problems
4. Septic System Maintenance and Repair, septic system care, maintenance, repair or replacement procedures and products

We discuss just about every septic system topic and product at this website: septic tank design, septic tank size, septic tank pumping frequency, septic tank cleaning, and septic tank inspection. If you find that something is missing just contact us and ask for it.

"Septic tanks" are what home owners or home buyers think of when buying or maintaining a home with a private septic system. But we should be thinking about the whole septic system - since the drain field or leach field makes up half of a typical septic system cost.

Septic tank care and septic tank cleaning need to be done on a regular frequency (we provide a septic tank pumping schedule table) in order to avoid ruining the drainfield. Septic tank maintenance is not enough. Proper septic system design for the level of usage and soil conditions is critical if the system is going to have a long useful life.

We are also quite concerned with septic system health and safety since there are potential collapse hazards which can be fatal, and there are bacterial and pathogen hazards for both site occupants and for the environment if a septic system is not working properly. The articles listed at this website form an extensive guide to septic systems care, inspection, testing, and installation.

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• InspectAPedia Bookstore lists recommended books, organized by topic & available for purchase. Most of our articles also include a list of recommended books for the specific article topic as well as other references, and information sources.
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• Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME
SEPTIC SYSTEM ARTICLES
  Septic Guide for Home Buyers or Owners
  Septic System Design
  Septic Inspection Testing
  Septic Maintenance Repair
  Septic Component & Product Suppliers
  Septic Videos
  InspectAPedia ^® BOOKSTORE
HOME BUYERS GUIDE to SEPTIC SYSTEMS
SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK
SEPTIC TANK PUMPING SCHEDULE
SEPTIC INSPECTION TYPES & LEVELS
SEPTIC TANK PUMPING PROCEDURE
SEPTIC TANK INSPECTION PROCEDURE
SEPTIC FIELD INSPECTION
SEPTIC TREATMENTS
SEPTIC CONSULTANTS
SEPTIC AUTHORITIES
SEPTIC SYSTEM BOOKS REFS CODES
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN MANUAL - Online
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS
SEPTIC DESIGN ALTERNATIVES

Also see These Directory Lists of Septic System Parts & Supplies

• Aerobic Septic System Products Directory List
• Alternative Septic System Product Suppliers List
• Filters, Septic Filters & Wastewater Treatment Systems Using Filtration Methods Products Directory
• Gravelless Leach Field Septic Systems Products Directory List
• Septic Effluent Distribution Products Directory List
• Toilets, Composting Toilets, Biological Toilets, No-water/Low water toilets, Waterless toilets, Chemical Toilets, Incinerating Toilets and related products list
• Other Septic Wastewater Treatment Products List
• Plumbers & Septic Repair Companies List
• Septic Tanks septic tank suppliers

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building design, inspection, and repair, and about indoor environment testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
• The Septic System Information Website home page for this topic
• Septic Systems Inspection, Testing, & Maintenance- online textbook. Detailed how to inspect, maintain, repair information
• Septic System Inspection Methods and Procedures, - online illustrated class for Building and septic inspectors
• Septic Tank Pumping Guide: When, Why, How to pump the septic tank
• ...

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

• ...

InspectAPedia® Home & Site Map - Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair, & Problem Prevention Advice: In-depth research & advice on diagnosing, testing, correcting, & preventing building defects & indoor environmental hazards. Unbiased information, no conflicts of interest.

The Mold Information Center: What to Do About Mold in Buildings, When and How to Inspect for Mold, Clean Up Mold, or Avoid Mold Problems

Use this simple, economical mold test kit by following our instructions on how to collect and mail mold samples to our lab

Environmental Inspection, Testing, & Diagnosis On-Site IAQ, Gas, Air Testing, Mold Investigation, Sick Building Diagnosis, Lab Services, & Remediation Plan Preparation - indoor air quality testing, problem source determination, supporting lab work, written remediation plan addressing removal of environmental and other hazards and prevention of their recurrence.

Building Inspection, Problem Diagnosis, Forensic Investigation & Testing, Repair Consulting

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