If you plan on building in Harris county, TX, be aware that some areas are required to install an aerobic septic system. I've come across many people that have never even heard of them and some that have one and have no idea what to do with them.
If you do not properly maintain them, you could end up with a broken system, backed up sewage in your home or yard and fines assessed by the county for illegal sewage disposal.
Please keep the following in mind regarding Aerobic Septic Systems...
1. You MUST have a maintenance contract with an aerobic septic system company. If you don't, the county will find out and come out and hand you notice that if it is not remedied that they will see you in court.
2. Your system has a timer on it that makes it go off during the hours when most people are asleep. Don't adjust the timer so it goes off in the middle of the day so we all get to smell your sewage.
3. If your system requires chlorine tablets (like mine does), then please keep it well supplied with chlorine. Don't over fill it because that will clog it up. I typically put two tablets in mine at a time and I check it every two weeks to see if more needs to be added. DO NOT USE SWIMMING POOL CHLORINE AS IT CAN DAMAGE YOUR SYSTEM!!
4. Mark your sprinkler heads so you don't run over them with the lawnmower!
5. check the sprinkler heads at least once a month to make sure they are still working properly. The sprinklers are made of plastic and can and do break. You can purchase replacements at Lowes, Home depot and some smaller hardware stores. Mine just screw in. Simple as installing a light bulb.
6. Have your system "sludge tank" pumped out at least every 5 years.
7. Get to know your own system. It will save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars. The technicians they send out monthly are often inexperienced and make mistakes. My system was failed one month because the tech said it failed to operate. I went out and checked it, pushed the reset button and it worked so she was called back out to check it again before she filed that failure report with the county.
8. If you ever get high water from flash flooding, tropical storms, etc, turn off the system immediately!! It may save your system. (we learned this the hard way!) We later raised it so it wasn't sitting on the ground. You never know when it will flood in Harris County even when you are not in a flood zone.
In the simplest terms possible.....The difference between an aerobic system and the old systems are that with the aerobic systems the fluids move on to the end of the "line" and are dispersed onto your lawn via sprinkler heads. There is this "box" that pumps air into the first tank and that is "supposed" to speed up the bacterial process. I couldn't possibly explain it all in great detail but here are a couple of websites that help explain it...
www.affordablesepticsystems.com/aerobic.html
www.profloaerobic.com/index.htm
**I am not endorsing these companies. Just listing them for reference.**
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