Basics of maintaining a septic system
Q. I have some questions about maintaining a septic tank. Someone told me to have my tank pumped every one to two years. Someone else said, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." I've also been told that pumping can disturb the solids, causing them to seep into the leach lines and clog the system.
My system is 12 years old and has never been pumped. What is your advice?
A. There are differing views about how often to pump a septic system. One-to-two years is a needless waste of money. Every five years is a more reasonable routine. If the bacterial environment in the tank is good, solids should continue to decompose, even if you wait an extra year or two.
Maintaining the bacteria level can be done simply and inexpensively by flushing a special product down the toilet once a month. If the leach field is in good condition, liquids should continue to be absorbed into the earth. The idea that pumping will clog the leach field is unfounded; pumping removes the solids before they can flow downstream into the leach lines.
If you've gone 12 years without having your system pumped and inspected, you should call a qualified septic contractor soon. Neglecting regular maintenance can cause deterioration of the tank. In some cases, this can lead to major damage requiring total replacement. What's more, if solids build up to the overflow level in the tank, the leach field can become clogged, requiring thousands of dollars for a new field.
The choice is simple: hundreds of dollars for maintenance or thousands of dollars for repairs.
Q. Our house is for sale. In our city, a municipal inspection is required before you can sell a home. When the inspector was here, he said the garage ceiling was added without a permit and had to be removed, but he didn't say why removal was necessary. This seems unfair because the ceiling was already there when we bought the property. We don't understand what is wrong with an added ceiling in a garage. What do you think we should do?
A. If the city inspector is ordering you to return the garage to its original state, he should indicate which codes are violated by the added ceiling. He should also tell you what aspects of the ceiling construction indicate that it was added. For example, the framing might not be adequately secured, the ceiling might be sagging, or there might be a violation of the garage firewall.
Whatever the issue is, it should be clearly explained. If he cannot support his demand with sufficient evidence, you can complain to his superior. If that doesn't work, you can complain directly to a member of the city council. Bureaucrats typically tremble at that kind of "cage rattling."
Whomever decides to buy your home will probably hire a home inspector. It will be interesting to see what that inspector has to say about the garage ceiling.
• To write to Barry Stone, visit him on the web at www.housedetective.com, or write AMG, 1776 Jami Lee Court, Suite 218, San Luis Obispo, CA 94301.
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