Buying a Country Home on a Septic System: What to Check

Outside of town in East Texas, most homes are not on city sewer. They use a septic system, and the condition of that system can make or break a good deal. A failing septic system is expensive to replace, and it is one of the things buyers forget to ask about. Here is what to check before you buy a country home.

Know What Kind of System It Is

In Texas, septic systems are called on site sewage facilities, and they are regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality along with local permitting authorities, often the county. There are two main types you will see.

  • Conventional systems: a tank and a drain field that lets treated water soak into the ground. These work well in soils that drain.
  • Aerobic systems: these use an air pump to treat the water and usually spray it onto the yard through sprinkler heads. They are common in areas with heavy clay or poor drainage. Aerobic systems generally require a maintenance contract.

Ask the seller which type it is and how old it is. Check with the county or local permitting authority for the permit on file. That record can tell you when it was installed and what size it was designed for.

Match the System to the House

Septic systems are sized for a certain number of bedrooms or a certain amount of water use. If someone added bedrooms without upgrading the system, it may be undersized. That can lead to backups and early failure.

Get It Inspected and Pumped

Have a licensed septic professional locate the tank, pump it, and inspect it. Pumping lets them see the condition of the tank, baffles, and lines. Ask for a written report. The EPA recommends that household septic tanks generally be pumped every three to five years, so ask the seller when it was last done.

Warning Signs to Look For

  • Soggy ground or standing water over the drain field.
  • Strong sewage odors in the yard.
  • Unusually green, lush grass in one area.
  • Slow drains or gurgling pipes inside the house.
  • For aerobic systems, alarms going off, broken sprinkler heads, or no maintenance records.

Think About the Rest of the Lot

The drain field needs space, and nothing heavy should be driven or built over it. If you plan to add a shop, a pool, or a driveway, find out where the tank and lines are first. Trees planted too close can send roots into the lines.

Write It Into Your Offer

Make your offer contingent on a satisfactory septic inspection. If problems show up, you can negotiate repairs, a price reduction, or walk away. It is much better to find out before closing than the first time it rains hard.

Take Care of It After You Move In

Once you own it, have it pumped on schedule, keep up the maintenance contract on an aerobic system, and be careful what goes down the drains. Grease, wipes, and harsh chemicals are hard on a septic system. A well maintained system can last for decades.

Questions to Ask the Seller

  • How old is the system, and who installed it?
  • When was it last pumped and inspected?
  • Has it ever backed up or needed repairs?
  • For an aerobic system, who holds the maintenance contract, and can I see the records?
  • How many people have been living in the house?

Septic and Your Water Well

Many country homes have both a septic system and a private water well. Texas rules set minimum distances between septic systems and wells to help protect drinking water. If the property has a well, make sure the layout meets those rules, and have the well water tested as part of your inspections. It is one more reason to know exactly where the tank and drain field are before you buy.

Replacing a failed septic system can cost a lot more than buyers expect, especially if the soil requires an aerobic system. That is why a few hundred dollars spent on an inspection up front is money well spent.

I keep a running journal of my house projects, land work, and what I am seeing around East Texas at greg-mckinney-mineola-texas.com.

Greg McKinney, Mineola, Texas

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