Your Septic System: Worst Mistakes

See what's discovered in this home septic system inspection. You'll learn how to keep your septic system working great to get the most years of use before replacement is required. It's expensive to install new drain fields, so you'll want to take heed from this video.

Home Septic System Expert, Jerry Scarborough, walks you through the entire inspection, and talks about what you need to know when buying a home with a private septic system, as well as maintaining your existing system.

#homesepticsystems #septicsystemmistakes #cleaningseptic

Sachs Realty is REAL ESTATE WHEVER YOU ARE!

Looking to buy or sell? We efficiently assist buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants in Maryland with both residential and commercial real estate services.

NOT IN MARYLAND? We offer nationwide assistance to buyers and sellers through our PREFERRED BROKER REFERRAL of great real estate professionals like us!

If your in need of residential or commercial assistance, you can always expect timely, reliable and top-not service from Sachs Realty or any referral agent we recommend.

Main Office: Sachs Realty 443-318-4514
Maryland Broker License Number 607720
Equal Housing Opportunity

Get Social With Sachs Realty:

Follow Sachs Realty On Your Favorite Audio Podcast:

[thezerocool]

I love this guy, straight to the point, total no-nonsense evidence-founded advice. Interviews like this with experienced people are the gold for YouTube. Thanks Sachs Realty for bringing this content.

[michellenewman]

I sure wish that I had seen this video before purchasing my home almost three years ago. I would have know to have a separate septic inspection. the title company insisted that I have the well inspected but no one told me that I should have a separate septic inspection as well. I have been a city girl all my life and I did not know what to look for and neither did my Agent. A week after closing on the home I found out that the property just had two holding tanks. I am still crying to this day today. I never budgeted for having to have the tanks emptied every two months or less. The seller did not fully disclose and no one has helped me in this situation, not even my Agent. Buyers beware. Make sure you work with a knowledgeable Agent.

[redmondramos]

I just wanted to say this guy is incredible.

[Hugh_Manitee]

I've been blessed. Have a concrete 1000 gallon tank, and a 1100 linear foot septic drain field. Hadn't had the tank pumped out since it was installed in 1999. Had it pumped out first time this year. It took them only 10 minutes to pump it clean as I was flushing both toilets.
I asked them how bad was the it. They said was easy. Never had baby wipes, grease from kitchen, paper towel, etc. ever flushed down into system. Take care of what goes into your septic system and itll last a good long time.

[wvpegqh]

Jerry Scarborough is a master of his trade. Very smart man who knows his business. Thank you for teaching us all about septic tanks.

[rodbutler]

My biggest mistake in using my septic system was to allow my washing machine to empty in it. The detergent would kill much of the bacteria that allowed it to operate efficiently. By piping the washing machine to a seperate dry well, the system operated much better.

[bryanbergey]

I would say the tank was somewhat cleaned. The only way to do a thorough cleaning is to remove the main lid to the septic tank. Around 24" round. Many companies pump through the cleanout because they're too lazy to dig the lid open. If you don't pump from the lid you're basically just pumping out water and not getting the solids out. Make sure your septic company does a complete job

[martinschulz]

We have those stainless steel filter baskets in our kitchen sink drain and they basically serve as a garbage disposal. I highly recommend them.

[arieljake]

Absolutely one of the best instructional videos I’ve seen on YouTube. Credit to that inspector.

[terrygonyon]

Septic system maintenance is very key! Learning what you can and cannot flush is key to keep one working for life. When I was into building heavy i worked with an old timer who installed all the septic and he was a wealth of knowledge. He said a properly maintained system should never need pumped. He recommended Robic cleaners once a year and more often if you use a lot of soaps and caustic cleaners. He said use Organic cleaners where possible and anti-bacterial soaps kill the natural bacteria in the tank so Robic is needed more often. He also said adding things like Milk products or beers will help add bacteria. Most people never maintenance a septic system and just use it until it fails. Several years ago we bought a house and found out later on that the leach field had been removed and had just a tank. Before we used it I had treated it heavy with Robic double the amounts required and hit it every 6 months. House sat over winter so we added Robic before closing the property before winter. 2 years later the tank was full and gound was wet and called the local sewer pumper. He had been at the property many times before and said prior times the tank was full and very sludgy. When he pumped this time the tank was very clean and no solids and no sludge. He was very surprised and asked what i did to the system. Robic and hit it hard. He said keep doing it that it worked very well and it was the cleaned he's seen it. No solids, no grease of any kind. He said drain field not working. Hired in a guy to dig it up and thats when we found there wasnt one....small 250 gallon septic. New drain field and no issue. Future will be a new septic tank per code. Been 7 years now and anuall inspection its still clear and in good shape. Robic still twice a year. No worse deterioration on tank since take over.

[slingshotjohnny]

I knew a horse trainer who bought a house close to his barns. He had trouble with the septic system from day one. Multiple plumbers came out, starting their inspections inside at the toilets and working back out of the house, looking for the problem. It took a while but one finally convinced him how big his problem was. This plumber finally said "We're gonna have to pull the lid off the tank." They did, no small feat in itself. Under the lid, the tank was full, CHOCK FULL, of condoms. Used rubbers, top to bottom, side to side, god knows how many gallons! Turns out, the horse trainer bought what used to be the local "House of Ill Repute"! Just in case anyone needed to hear that...

[imyzu]

I watched this on a whim. Amazing. I learned so freaking much. And the way the gentleman explained it was somewhat hilarious.

[TheBartmobile]

Jerry did an inspection for me on a house I bought in Maryland. He told me and my wife the rules…. 1. Don’t flush anything down the drain that you haven’t eaten first. 2. Don’t use powdered laundry detergent. 3. Don’t pour grease down the drain. 4. Only use single ply toilet paper. We never had a problem with our septic system or our drain fields.

[mdspider]

Buying a house, this information is priceless! Thank you.

[dennism]

Its cheaper to buy paper towels and wipe your greasy pots and pans out before you wash your dishes then have the headache of a backup

[wingrider]

That septic guy really knows his stuff

[thisguy]

Mine is 68 years old, put in by my grandpa when he built the house and it is still running just fine, never been pumped out or cleaned a day in its life

[boonstein]

i do water damage restoration - about 30 yrs- problems with a septic usually happen during winter. get your septic serviced before winter

[jpjp]

I wish that I had my septic system inspected before I bought my house. I've never owned a house before, much less a septic system. I didn't know any better.

[thomabb]

I have an older system. The only thing that goes into the septic tank is the toilet. Every other waste water source goes to a separate drain field with no tank. Can't design a septic system that way today, but it is a far superior design. No soaps or grease gets into the tank. The drain field is 60 years old and still working.