What You Need to Know About Your Septic System

If you live outside a city's sewer service area, chances are you rely on a septic system. It's a simple setup: waste from your home flows into an underground tank, where solids settle, and liquids move on to a drain field that filters the water back
into the soil.

Septic systems work well when they're maintained. Pumping the tank every 3-5 years keeps solids from clogging the system. Avoid flushing anything other than toilet paper and human waste. And don't pour grease or chemicals down the drain— they can wreck the balance of bacteria that break down waste.

Watch for signs of trouble: slow drains, foul smells, or soggy spots in the yard can mean the system's failing. Fixing it is not cheap, so prevention matters. To replace an entire system can cost up to $25,000 or more depending on your particular property and geography.

Bottom line: a well-maintained septic system is mostly out of sight and out of mind. But ignore it, and it will remind you fast. Make sure to have your system pumped every three years and maintained by a reputable company.