New home questions about septic and well.

[camaromann]

My house was built in the mid 70s and I still have the original well and septic, both work great. I have a separate well for my ~3.5 acre sprinkler system.

The biggest cost to well water is the salt you need to add to the water softener if you do that.

I had a septic inspection done when I purchased my house ~3 years ago. I think it cost me ~$150 and the guy inspected the tank, tossed dye in the system and dug up a leg of the leach field to inspect it. The older systems actually seem better built then the new stuff in my opinion.

As far as safety, make sure you get the well water checked a few times to see what is in it. You can get sick if the water is bad, but i'm guessing it isn't. The septic will never cause any issues unless it fails and you'll know it.

I live in Clarkson on Davisburg rd, close by!

Thank you sir!

 

[loosenut]

My house was built in 1952. Original septic system. No problems. I just had it inspected and cleaned this spring. The city of Southfield makes anyone on a septic system get them inspected every 3 years.

He said I have YEARS before I need to worry about the field. He pretty much said get as much out of the septic system as I can. The cost to connect to the sewer was 20K+ and my water bill would triple. He did say be careful not to drive over the system though.

 

[wrath]

The drainfield at my house is from the 60s. Clay tile. Works fine. My parents' drainfield is from the 40s. It's getting tired, but still works. Bit dicey in the spring due to the extra water.

Don't drive on it, build on it, or plant anything other than grass anywhere near it. You can use it like anything else, just don't disturb it.

If you can avoid the water softener going into the septic system I would do that. The salts are hard on the bacteria.

Don't flush anything but toilet paper. Don't put anything down the disposal a human wouldn't eat (no bones and whatnot). The tank will go a long time before it needs to be pumped unless you use really harsh detergents or flush crap that can't be biodegraded. Junk soaps will not biodegrade and float in the tank and solids that bacteria can't eat (plastic things from the bathroom, bones from the garbage disposal) will often land in the bottom.