Improper Sewer and Septic Systems can Cause Severe Health Problems

Improperly installed or maintained septic systems can lead to very real public health problems. Therefore, you must devote some attention to this issue before purchasing a new house, while you are doing exterior home checking.

Exterior Home Checking: Septic or Sewer

First, you must do your research to find out if the house is really on septic or sewer. Sometimes, you are convinced that the house is hooked up to a sewer system, but after a few months, for example, you can make a dreaded discovery that there is a sewer line in the neighborhood, even right up to your house, but your house is not really hooked up to it. Again, not every house and building is located near a public sewage treatment facility. Consequently, a large number of homes are being built these days with on-site septic systems.



Exterior Home Checking: Potential Problems with a Septic System

A properly installed and maintained septic system can be trouble free for many years and perform quite adequately. What is more, you do not have to pay sewer use fees. However, improperly installed or maintained septic systems threaten nearby residents and cause public health problems. Therefore, you must be very careful while identifying the potential problems with a septic system. Some of the signs of a malfunctioning septic system are:

• Contaminated well water
• Untreated sewage discharging to streams and ditches
• A soft, smelly spot in the yard with lush grass growth

Untreated waste contains many viruses and bacteria that can cause severe illness. One of the possible reasons for the malfunctioning of septic systems is that unlike municipal sewer systems, their owners must maintain them, and they are often not.



Exterior Home Checking: Faulty Septic Systems Are Costly To Repair

If you are considering houses that are not on conventional sewer systems, you are advised to pay particular attention to the home's septic system. It certainly pays to be careful, as a failing septic system can be very costly to repair or replace. it can cost you anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000 to replace a faulty system, depending on site conditions.

Reasons for a Failing Septic System

• Sometimes, septic systems are constructed on the soil that is not suitable for this purpose. For example, the septic system can contaminate the ground water or the nearby water sources if it is on the soils that have a shallow depth. The same thing can happen in case of bedrock, seasonal high water table, or a permeable soil layer.
• Malfunctioning may also be caused because of an error when installing the system. For example, if a shallow drain is placed around a septic system, constructed in wet soils; it can carry polluted water to ditches and streams threatening public health and the environment.
• It is also possible that the system is too old and has exceeded its design life.

It would be better for you to check the sewer and septic systems of the house you are considering to buy to avoid bad odor.