Whether you're a new homeowner with a septic system already installed or you're thinking of buying or building a home without sewer hookups, you'll need to prepare for a few differences in maintenance, usage, and budgeting. This guide lists three ways your budget will work differently when your wastewater is processed through a septic system.
1. You Won't Need to Budget for City Sewer Service
City sewer service is often based on how much water you buy from the city since the municipal wastewater system typically processes all the water. If you have a septic system, then you won't need to pay for the sewer wastewater service. Many homes that have septic systems also rely on wells for fresh water rather than using city water, so you'll likely save money in that category as well. However, in this situation, you'll need to budget for annual well testing because private wells can sometimes become contaminated by a septic system.
2. You'll Need to Add Septic Maintenance to Your Budget
Although you don't have to pay the city for the use of your septic system, you will have to pay for maintenance costs if you want the system to keep working well. These maintenance costs include annual inspections and regular tank pumping, and perhaps an occasional repair such as a baffle replacement or a tree root removal. These maintenance costs and occasional repair costs can add up, so you may want to set up an emergency fund for unexpected repair costs. For example, you can make a designated category in your budget for septic repair and maintenance or include these costs in your existing home maintenance category. You'll also need to budget the price of one inspection and start saving for a tank pumping. If you save about one-third of the cost each year, then you’ll have enough saved to have your tank pumped, since you only need to do this once every few years. Spreading the costs out over the months is the best budgeting plan, even for an expenditure such as a tank pumping that doesn't happen every year, since it helps you anticipate the costs.
3. You Might Need to Budget for Septic Replacement
A septic system can last up to 25 or even 30 years. If you have a relatively new septic system and you're planning to sell the house within a few years, then you may not end up needing to replace the tank or the leach field. However, you should that when you try to sell the house once the septic system is a couple of decades old, your house's market value may be lower.
However, if you're house has a septic system that is more than a decade old, then you'll want to start looking into how much replacement will cost. Even though a well-maintained system can last 25 years or more, the working life may be shortened. For example, if the previous owners didn't keep up with maintenance or if the system was installed in clay soil.
Because of these and other variables, you should be prepared to replace the entire system (or at least major parts of it) early if need be. Starting to save up for this possibility is a wise move. Like any unexpected major expense, a septic system replacement can put you into debt if you don't have enough emergency funds.
Use these three ways to budget differently when you own a septic system. If you're looking for someone to pump your home's septic tank or perform an annual septic inspection, then
give us a call
today. Our team at C.E. Taylor and Son Inc. will be glad to help you assess, maintain, or repair any septic system.
