What is the "life expectancy" of a septic tank.?
Question:I installed a new septic tank underneath my home on the beach in Malibu in 1996. It recently passed inspection.
How long should this tank which was installed by a very reliable company last?
Answers:
Our septic tank is 30 years old and going strong. The drain field has been added to once because it was not working well. The tank itself could last forever. We put ridex (which is just a yeast to eat the solid waste products in the tank) in the toilet and flush it down about once every 3-6 months when we think about it, and we have it drained if it the toilets start flushing slow, which happens about once every 10 years or so. Do use white biodegradable TP and don't flush anything else down but waste, and it will serve you for years and years.
The tank itself should last many decades, but if you have a drain field, they do not last nearly as long.
If properly maintained and not damaged by earthquake or tree roots or mine subsidence or some other factor acting upon the structural integrity of the tank.It should last longer than the current human life span.It could need serviced or repaired if neglected or damaged
People will tell you that you should have them pumped every 5 years and replaced every 20. But a good tank with a good drainage field will, in my opinion, last close to forever.
the life of the tank is life of the resident, and the upkeep of the drain-field is dependent on the resident.
if problems arise with drainage in 3-7 yrs, have it drained of solids and begin again.
check roots at lines and remove and don't plant trees near the leach field & lines to save you additional problems. Grass and flowers and low rooting plants are ok.
There is no "one" answer for this. Every tank with each family is used differently so, the life of the tank differs.
Mine was just pumped for the first time in memory. My daughter in law owned the home for twenty years and the neighbor whom lived next door for thirty years said it was never pumped in his memory.
The one down the street is the same, it was just pumped for the first time in thirty years. This doesn't mean they're all like this.
Ground soil, amount of water or moisture in the area, the amount of rain per year, the way it's used. All are in consideration.
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