Does Homeowner Insurance Cover Septic System Failure?

October 23rd, 2013 Posted in Sewer Lines
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If something goes wrong with your septic tank or sewer line, do you know if your homeowner’s insurance will cover this? Installing a new septic tank could cost you $2,000 or more, plus the fee of the excavator, city permit fees and inspection fees. Replacing an entire home sewer line could cost over $10,000.

Don’t wait for an emergency to hit. Examine your current homeowner’s policy and ask questions about your coverage now. Look within your policy under the section where limitations and exclusions are listed. If septic problems are not excluded, they might be covered to some extent and under some circumstances.

Homeowners insurance generally will cover a repair if the damage is unrelated to the regular care and maintenance of the sewer pipe or septic. For example, if there is a major house fire and the sewer line is destroyed because it was located beneath the house, your insurance may cover replacement of these pipes. Your insurance will not cover replacement of pipes that failed because of their age.

A septic system requires maintenance. Just like a roof or furnace, homeowners are responsible for the septic pipes and septic tank on their property. If you don’t properly maintain the septic system and you experience a problem like seepage in your yard, chances are, your insurance won’t cover it.  Seepage occurs over an extended period of time and is not sudden. For this reason, the insurance company would consider this a maintenance problem and the homeowner would be responsible.

Avoid potential pitfalls and have a yearly septic tank inspection and maintenance of your lines by a professional sewer-septic contractor.

Posted on behalf of Keith Lee, Metro Septic and Plumbing

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Septic Systems Require Water Conservation

July 4th, 2013 Posted in Drain Field
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For years now, there has been much public conversation and concern relative to water pollution, and to the importance of protecting this precious natural resource. However, aside from changing faucet screens or showerheads, the average consumer rarely considers the amount of water that is being used in their home. Unfortunately, if we are blessed to live in an area where water is still plentiful, we give it very little thought, if any.

If you are on a septic system, you can help protect the environment and extend the life of your septic system by conserving water.  In a septic system, household waste water and other materials that go down the drain flows to the septic tank where it is separated as to solid and liquid waste.  The liquid flows or is pumped out of the tank into a nearby drain field. However, inherent with having a septic system, homeowners should also monitor and conserve the amount of water that is being used by the household at any given time. Because the septic tank needs time to process and separate the incoming wastewater from all the household drains, it can only handle so much water at one time.

If, for instance, you have a large household and tend to do a lot of laundry at one time, you may want to consult with your local septic professional about increasing the size of your septic tank. Another way to conserve the amount of water that you use at once could be to spread that laundry out over a period of several days during the week. Perhaps you’ll want to replace your existing toilets with those of greater efficiency and install low flow nozzles on all of your faucets. Finally, if you observe a leaky faucet or continuously running toilet, make sure to get those fixed right away as, in these cases, a little leak adds up quickly to a lot of wasted water.

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Be Good to Your Septic Tank to Avoid Problems

May 21st, 2013 Posted in Drain Field
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Taking proper care of your septic system can avoid unnecessary problems and the expense of septic tank or drain field repairs in the future. One easy way that most people tend to overlook is to conserve water. Since a septic tank separates excess liquid from solid waste and sends it to a drain field, it needs time to process so do what you can to prevent running large amounts of water at one time needlessly.

Monitor and repair leaky faucets or running toilets promptly. Spread your loads of laundry out over a few days and be sure to choose the right amount of water for the size of your load, to avoid wasting water. Also, do not install a garbage disposal. If you already have one, do not use it excessively as it can clog the drain field.

It would pay to be mindful of your septic tank and drain field hiding underneath that green grass; you should not park or build anything heavy above your tank and drain field. The excess weight could damage the tank and pipes, as well as compromise the effectiveness of the drain field. Take care not to flush or pour anything down the drain that shouldn’t be there.

One would think that this is a common sense issue but any material that is not biodegradable can clog the tank or drain field. If any problems or concerns develop, be sure to contact your local septic system professional who will be able to ascertain whether or not the tank needs to be pumped or other solutions are required. When you tank is pumped, your local service company will also inspect it to make sure it’s in good working order.

 

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Recognize a Failing Septic System

March 19th, 2013 Posted in Septic Tank Inspections
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The way a septic system functions is that it collects solid waste in the septic tank and allows wastewater to flow out into a drain field where it percolates into the soil.  As the wastewater seeps through the soil, natural biological activity treats the waste water.  Most of the solid waste in the septic tank decomposes naturally and any residual solid material is pumpied out of the tank periodically.  Septic systems are used in areas where a municipal sewer system is unavailable, such as isolated homes or larger subdivisions away from urban areas.

When a septic system is beginning to fail, it can become a very serious matter, as well as a health threat to anyone near it. If you ever decide to sell your home, having a failing septic system can have a drastic effect on the bottom line, impacting the sale price of your home and causing it to drop significantly. You should take care and be certain that you can afford to both keep and maintain the septic system you use at your home.

Be aware of any telltale signs that your septic system might be failing. If you see deep green grass over the drain field of your tank, more so than other places in your yard, that might be a cause for concern. If you notice standing water or liquid in the drain field after a heavy rain, it’s possible that it could be sign of a larger problem. Also, any foul or unpleasant odors in the area or even in your own home are a possible sign of a failing septic system.

The health and longevity of any septic system is of vital importance for those that live in its vicinity, and the environment at large around it. If you have any concerns about your septic system, contact a reputable sewer-septic contractor and arrange for a septic system inspection.

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What If Your Septic System Fails

March 19th, 2013 Posted in Septic Tank Pumping
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If your septic system fails inspection, the first thing you should do is contact your local health department or local sewer-septic professional to find out what will be required for any necessary upgrades or sepic system repairs.

Shop around. Get written estimates and check qualifications and references. Remember that you are under no obligation to have the person who inspects your septic system perform any other work on it. In fact, you may want to hire separate contractors to handle the septic system repairs.

Septic system repair or upgrade costs will vary depending on the nature of the problem, soil conditions, proximity of the system to water supplies, and the size of the lot. If you have no plans to move, you may qualify for one or more programs designed to help homeowners pay for septic system repair or replacement. Many cities and towns either have in place now or are working to establish “betterment” loan programs to provide homeowners with long-term, low-cost financing. If you are in the process of selling your home, you may find during negotiations that the prospective buyer is willing to assume some or all of the costs.

One of the best ways to ensure that your system will pass inspection is to keep it on a routine maintenance schedule. At a minimum, you should have it pumped out every three years. If you use a garbage disposal, more frequent septic tank pumping may be necessary.

A word about septic system additives: remember that there isn’t one on the market that can make a failing system pass inspection. Certain septic system additives may be approved by your local regulations, but only to ensure that they will not harm your system or the environment. Remember that even the best-maintained system in the world cannot last forever. Like anything else, it will wear our over time, stop working properly and need to be repaired or replaced.

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Considerations for Mound Septic Systems

January 31st, 2013 Posted in Drain Field
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Raised sand mound drainage systems are sometimes required when the soil conditions are not adequate for a conventional gravel drain field. The mound system creates a raised area in the landscape of the home. It is natural for homeowners to attempt diminish the visual presence of the mound through landscaping efforts. There are several considerations that should be kept in mind as you plan your landscaping around this type of drainage system.

Trees or shrubs should never be planted on the mound itself. Most trees should be a minimum of 20 feet away and some that have water-seeking roots should be 50 feet or more away from the mound. Wildflowers and grasses are great choices for plant cover for a mound system. Edible plants such as vegetables should not be planted over or near your mound system.

Although you want minimal traffic on a mound system, mowing the grass planted on your mound is not only acceptable but actually beneficial for your mound system. Keeping the grass shorter allows for better evaporation.

The mound area should not be irrigated with a lawn sprinkler system. Low maintenance grasses and plants that can handle dry weather should be chosen. The mound area should also not be fertilized when you fertilize other parts of the lawn.

In summary, you can screen your mound by planting trees or shrubs at a distance, but not too close. You can plant grass or wild flowers as cover for the mound, but make sure it’s a hardy variety that can handle dry periods without extra watering.

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Septic Tank Inspections and the Prospective Home Buyer

December 19th, 2012 Posted in Septic Tank Inspections
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If you’re considering the purchase of a new home, you already know that there can be a variety of expenses involved before you ever take ownership of the property. If saving money is a concern, you may be tempted to forgo some inspections in favor of pocketing the cash for upgrades and personalization of your new home. However, opting to skip the septic tank inspection can be a mistake that costs you far more money than you bargained for.

Your mortgage lender will probably require you to have the structure, HVAC and internal plumbing of a property inspected before they will approve the loan. Because sewer inspections aren’t always required by all mortgage companies and banks, it’s easy to either forget the inspection or deliberately opt not to obtain one. That leaves you essentially purchasing a home blind to any issues that could present themselves with the septic system down the road.

Replacing or even repairing a septic system that has been damaged or has degraded over time can be exorbitantly expensive and very time consuming. By having the septic system inspected before you complete the purchase of a new home, you will be able to learn more about the condition of the existing system.

In some cases, the condition of that system may be precarious enough that you choose not to purchase the home after considering the potential cost of future repairs or full system replacement. Buying that home without an inspection, however, leaves you with no choice but to take the risk of running into severe septic system problems down the line, and to foot the bill for those repairs.

 

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Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Septic Tank or Sewer Line Repairs?

October 29th, 2012 Posted in Septic Tank Inspections
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If something goes wrong with your septic tank or sewer line, it can be quite costly to repair. Replacing an entire home sewer line, for example, could easily cost well over $10,000.  For a new septic tank, you’re looking at $2,000 plus the cost of excavation. It’s easy to see why homeowners often question whether insurance will cover this costly and seemingly sudden expense.

Homeowners insurance generally will cover a repair if the damage is unrelated to the regular care and maintenance of the sewer pipe or septic. An example of this would be if there is a fire and the sewer line is destroyed because it was located beneath the house. The insurance might cover replacement of the sewer pipes in that situation, but not if the pipes failed because they were old.

As a general rule, insurance policies do not cover sewer line repairs, but it is sometimes possible to purchase a special endorsement beyond your regular policy. It is also sometimes possible to obtain insurance coverage through your local water utility. And if you purchase a new septic tank or sewer line, it may even be possible to purchase an extended warranty to cover any problems over a five year period.

There are several important points to stress about sewer line or septic repair coverage. First, examine your current homeowner’s policy and ask questions about your coverage now. In the event of a failure, it is already too late. Second, avoid potential pitfalls by having regular scheduled septic tank inspections and maintenance of your lines by a professional sewer septic contractor. After all, nothing will be covered if it is due to your negligence.

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Save Your Septic System With a High-Efficiency Toilet

October 29th, 2012 Posted in Septic System Maintenance
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One way to prolong the life and health of your septic system is through the use of a water-saving high efficiency toilet.  By some estimates, an old, inefficient toilet can account for up to 30 percent of the water use in your home, or as much as 11 gallons of wastewater each day per person.  Replacing your toilet, therefore, could be a really smart move.

There are three types of high-efficiency toilets on the market:

Single Flush – This type of water-saving toilet is similar to the older ones, except it uses a lot less water. Where the older toilets use up to 3.5 gallons per flush, the water saver uses only about 1.6 gallons.

Dual Flush – Dual flush toilets give you two options for flushing, one for solids and one for liquids. The solids flush uses 1.6 gallons of water per flush, while the liquids flush uses about 0.8 gallons.

Pressure Assist – Pressure assist toilets are most commonly used in public restrooms, but they can also be installed in private homes. They use compressed air to help push waste out of the toilet, resulting in the use of a lot less water, just one gallon of water per flush.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, installation of a high-efficiency toilet in your home can save 11 gallons of water each day, or more than 4,000 gallons of wastewater going into your septic system each year. And when less water enters the septic system, the EPA says, it improves the efficiency of the system and reduces the risk of needing septic tank service or repairs due to a septic system failure.

Also worthy of a mention is the cost savings on your water bill.  Replacing old leaky toilets with new water-efficient ones saves the average family of four about $90 a year. That’s about $1,000 over 10 years.

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The Do’s and Don’ts of Septic Systems

July 20th, 2012 Posted in Drain Field
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Whether you are a new owner of a home on a septic system or you’ve had a septic system for years, a little TLC will go a long way toward helping your septic system work great for years.  If you are new to septic systems or you never gave your septic system much thought, you should understand that unlike a sewer line, your septic system needs regular care and maintenance to operate properly.

A typical septic system consists of a septic tank connected to a drain field (also called a leach field).  Waste water from your home flows into the septic tank which should be large enough to hold the water for a day or two to allow solid material to settle out of the water.

The water then flows into the drain field where it seeps into the ground.  Inside the septic tank, natural bacteria breaks down the solid materials although not completely.  The residual material collects in the bottom of the tank.  This material should be pumped out every three to five years.  Between septic tank pumping, the system should be inspected every other year.  The inspection will include measuring the level of solid material so you will know when it is time to for septic tank pumping.

Taking good care of your septic system includes not overloading it with water.  If the volume of water flowing through the tank is too high, solid material will be carried out to the drainfield where it can clog the soil.  Also, avoid putting any chemicals down the drain that can harm the natural bacteria in the septic tank.  This bacteria does an important job in breaking down the solid material.

Finally, avoid putting anything down the drain that is not biodegradable.  This includes plastic, cloth, paper towels, diapers, cigarette butts, paints, sanitary napkins, drain cleaners, and other harmful or inorganic material.  Try to limit the amount of grease, oil, and food waste that is washed down the drain.

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