Septic system questions and answers

Wastewater flows to a tank, where solids separate. Liquid then moves to a leach field, and the soil treats it. Read how a septic system works.

Ask your county health department for records, then look where the sewer pipe leaves the house. Read how to find your septic tank.

It's the buried part of a system that releases liquid into the soil. It's also called a drain field. Read what a leach field is.

There's no fixed lifespan. The EPA says a biomat can reduce a field's capacity once it's more than 25 to 30 years old.

The EPA says household tanks are typically pumped every three to five years. Try our pumping calculator.

The EPA says additives aren't needed for a system to work properly when treating household wastewater.

Published guides put a conventional system at about $3,000 to $8,500, with other types costing far more. These are third-party, unverified estimates. Try our cost estimator.

Published guides put a routine inspection at about $150 to $450. This is a third-party, unverified estimate. Read our inspection cost guide.

Sewage backups, slow drains, wet ground, odors and bright green grass over the field. Use our symptom checker.

Keep away from it, stop running water and call your local health department and a septic provider.