The leach lines, connected to the main sewer tank where the hard waste is stored, are pipes with aeration holes where the liquid waste travels & disperses, gets clogs (stopped) with roots & at some point, they breach. When a septic tank is not pumped, it backs up or hinders the waste removal flow. Add ongoing price to empty & self assess. In some cases, you have no choice but where there is choice, get on the main sewer for a one time fee Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate ...Excellent question Fred thank you. As far as fears go? If there is no cause for alarm, the fear is your own. Deal with it Mr. Buyer soon to be a homeowner (or not)

I believe the only thing that should go into a septic system is human waste and the water associated with it. All other water use is grey water and should have a separate tank. One note of caution, always wipe out your greasy pans (bacon grease, frying oil, etc) before washing the pot, pan, sheet. This will prevent grease from messing with your pipes.

Pros:
Septics are an environmentally friendly way of disposing of waste in most circumstances.

No sewer bill! 

Cons:
Sewer bill! 

Also a septic if not properly cared for can fail. Especially if you live in an area where there is a lot of vegetation and big trees with healthy roots! 

One of the first books I picked up as a new agent was called Wells and Septic Systems. I grew up in SoCal and then lived in NV 8 years before moving this side of the River. So I did not know either of those things very well at all! 

Ah, the infamous septic system—a source of both admiration and apprehension. Let’s break it down, shall we? 

Pros of Septic Systems:

1. Independence: With a septic system, you’re not tied to a city sewer system. You’ve got your own little waste disposal empire right in your backyard. Freedom, baby!

2. Cost-effective: Once it’s installed, maintaining a septic system is often cheaper than paying those pesky sewer fees. Plus, you’re less likely to get socked with those surprise charges when the city decides to have a maintenance party.

3. Environmental Friendliness: If you’re a green thumb, septic tanks can be a better fit. They treat wastewater naturally, which can reduce your ecological footprint. Mother Nature would give you a thumbs-up!

But hold onto your nose—there are some cons to consider, too:

1. Maintenance Requirements: Don’t think you can just forget about it. Regular pumping (every 3-5 years), inspections, and a little TLC go a long way. Think of it like your car; without a little care, you might end up in a stinky situation.

2. Potential for Problems: Clogs, backups, odors—oh my! Septic systems can throw a tantrum if you’re not careful. Want to know what’s worse than a backed-up toilet? A backed-up septic system. Trust me, it’s not pretty.

3. Limited Capacity: If the house is like a revolving door for guests, that septic tank might hit its limit fast. Remember, it’s not a bottomless pit; you’ve got to watch how much is going in.

So, how do you calm those jitters? One word: Transparency! Share that the tank has been pumped and the drainfield inspected. Offer peace of mind by having documentation ready—because nothing screams “trustworthy” like some fresh paperwork! 

Consider a home warranty that covers septic systems for that cherry-on-top comfort. Remind buyers that acclimating to a septic system isn’t as scary as it sounds; after all, it’s just another way to deal with life’s little inconveniences, like that lingering sock in the dryer! 

So go on, grab their attention with those pros and ease their worries with the facts. If you can make them laugh a little about it, even better! After all, who doesn’t love a little humor when discussing such personal topics as waste management?

Septic is a conversation we have before we start showing homes to buyers, when they are going to be looking in septic areas. My main territory is all sewer connected to City, but I have sold about a dozen septic homes over the years and I simply ask one of my septic owners to relay their experience to my new buyer. Third parties tell it better than I can instruct my buyers typically. And yes, we always inspect them.

In my area, the water company is fairly "cheap". And the sewer is adds 100-150% of the water bill to the total. So if you have a septic system, while yes, you are responsible for the maintenance and replacement of the system, you also are not paying exorbitant fees for sewer service. As long as users use the system as it is intended (that goes for sewers as well) there shouldn't be any big surprises for the homeowner.

I've always lived in homes with septic systems. Maintenance is typically minimal - get it pumped on a regular basis (depending on people who use it, but once every few years is probably fine). And that's it! You just have to be careful what you put down there - human waste and toilet tissue should be it.

Septic is VERY common in our area and often includes a scenario of having public water (yes; it's true! Public water but not public sewer).  Yes, it's one more system to maintain, and one more system that could break but treat it kindly and you'll be fine.  

Parked and Reading. 

In 22+ years, I've not listed or represented a buyer on a home with a septic system. 

Well, I don't think of it as 'pro's of septic.  Why?  Because generally in my area if you've got a septic system that is your only choice as city water is not running to your property.  I made sure the home owners had the system inspected properly by a certified inspector and all repairs needed were handled up to a certain dollar amount in the the contract.  Off the top of my head I can't think of anything that fell though due to septic system.

We just have it inspected, it needs to be emptied before the inspection.

Not sure why buyers would be nervous, less reliance on the govt which most rural people prefer.  And it is better for the environment.

If an area is not able to be connected to the public sewer, it is what it is, and buyers should already be aware of those areas.  I don't think that you can do much about it, and it shouldn't be that big of a deal.

So fortunate to follow Nina Hollander, Broker this morning. Could not have summarized it better. Never an issue once a contract is acceptable unless the system had problems. Only once were there a problem and seller promptly, at this expense, rectified it!

I've had buyers who only want septic. I've had buyers who won't have septic for love nor money. I've had buyers who are indifferent. But I've never worked with a buyer who expressed concern once they've written a contract.

And in some of our areas, you have no choice. So if you don't want septic you don't buy a home there. All of this gets discussed up front, especially with people who are apprehensive about septic systems.

Need to pump it every 5 years, beyond that I have no fear of septic tanks.  Every house here has one.

The pro's are that you don't have to pay for a town or city sewer system once the expense of installation is behind you. The con's might be maintenance (the septic needs to be pumped regularly, frequency depends on the size of the home, i.e. how many people live in it and use it) and caution as to what is dumped in the toilets (only certain type of toilet paper, no paper towels, diapers, etc. ) that might cause a back-up. If the septic fails due to age, the replacement can be costly, depending on the type of soil and its absorbency (e.g. clay needs special treatment). Septic needs to be inspected for functionality (caps updated to code, blockages, etc.) If absorbency fails, outside fields could leak to the surface with the expected odor and slime issues. Otherwise, it's "business as usual"; no need to fear it. 

I would set up a meeting with my broker's husband, who has been a septic contractor and builder for about 35 years. It's human nature to fear what we are not familiar with. Getting an experienced and highly respected expert to address said fears, explain pros and cons, and answer any questions would be my way of solving this situation. If the client then decides this is not for them, at least they made an informed decision and we move on to a better fit. 

I encourage buyers to educate themselves on septic systems, giving them contact info of a general home inspector and a septic clean-out owner. I also share with them that the maintenance on them is incredibly simple. 

I've lived in homes with both their own septic and been on city sewer and MUCH prefer the single septic. I put 1 cup of RidX down the toilet once a month and that is the extent of maintenance I had to perform on it! Having it located in an area free of trees keeps the #1 issue homeowners have with septic systems at bay - tree roots!

And, I loved not having to pay for city run-off/sewer! It's ALWAYS more costly than our water bill!

Best thing for the buyers to do is to educate themselves thoroughly about septic systems. Ask questions, also request installation contractor paperwork for more questions. Talk to neighbors who also have septic tanks about their experiences. That is my opinion, Fred.

We have conventional septic systems around here that have been working fine for over 50 years. If tank inlet and outlet tees, d-box, and drain field all passed inspection, then there is nothing to worry about. Just have the tank pumped every 5 years. If it's an alternative, inspections are done every year. Most drain fields have a reserve drain field that hardly ever gets used. With some systems like Puraflo, the mulch in the modules should be replaced every 10 years. If a buyer is new to septic systems, they should learn what not to put down toilets and sink drains. Some systems require a pump and pump chamber so as long as you understand how the systems works, there aren't any cons to being on well and septic. Here we can check health dept files on septic systems to see the records of any repairs the might have been done over the years. Many states have this info online these days at https://www.onlinerme.com/

Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate I have only encountered septic systems where there was no option. Those that have them have never had objections EXCEPT replacing them can be very expensive. There are many options today and I've seen systems that cost more than my home. I believe if I had the option of a septic system or a city system I would choose the city. HOWEVER that being said my basement has been flooded twice by the city sewer system.

Lots of great answers here. Like Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist, I live in and serve an area where septic takes are rare items.