SEWAGE TREATMENT
Selling a House With a Septic Tank -What you should know
OVERVIEW
If you are thinking of selling your house and you have a septic tank, there might be a few things you’ll need to check before putting your property on the market. We created a guide for you on what you need to know if you are selling a house with a septic tank. Enjoy!
Selling your property can be an exciting step, but not if this new chapter is interrupted by that septic tank in your garden.
While it’s not a dealbreaker for property sales, knowing the details of your home septic system can be very beneficial.
To understand what you need to know before selling a house with a septic tank, keep reading…
Boost your selling strategy, and don’t let a septic tank hinder your deal!
Table of Contents
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What to Know Before Selling a House With a Septic Tank
When selling your home, you might gloss over a shoddy paint job or a stubborn carpet stain. That’s your prerogative. However, despite how unglamorous dealing with a home septic system may be, it is your responsibility to be aware of new regulations before selling your property to the new owner.
First, depending on your area, the law may require cleaning the tank before selling the entire property. If you try to avoid cleaning/upgrading/repairing it and get caught, you’ll be slapped with hefty fines and penalty fees.
Second, lack of knowledge on your home’s septic system can make you look like a shady seller. Prospective buyers can use that to their advantage or drop out of the sale entirely. Either way, you certainly won’t build a good sales rapport by trying to avoid responsibility.
Understand Terminology
Knowing you have a septic tank is the easy part. But to have actual control over this sale, you have to understand your septic tank. That way, you’ll be a more confident and better-informed seller.
Take a few hours out of your day for some Septic Tank 101. From this self-imposed vocabulary lesson, you can jot down talking points you’d expect from buyers and your responses to them. Doing all this will help them trust your offer much more.
Tricel Vento Septic Tank
Shallow dig tank, strong & robust underground tank, No electrical or moving parts. Ideal for sites with good drainage & plenty of space.
Tricel Novo Sewage Treatment Plant
Durable & long lasting SMC tank, shallow dig tank, easy installation (Plug and Play), long life components.
Tricel Maxus Sewage treatment Plant
Commercial plant. Submerged Aerated Filter (SAF) technology. Ideal for every project over 50 Population Equivalent.
Tricel Puraflo Packaged filter
Ideal for sensitive sites, compliant to British Standard, small footprint.
Tricel Pumping Stations
Pump fluids from one place to another where gravity drainage cannot be used, easy and trouble-free installation
Prepare for Inspection
After learning about a septic tank on-site, most buyers will hire an inspector for a septic tank inspection. That’s so they know they don’t have to deal with a unregulated tank after moving in.
If your septic tank is worse for wear, the inspector will ask you to deal with it yourself. That could mean a septic tank clean, a septic tank upgrade, or a septic tank repair.
Their advice exists so new homeowners move into their new homes as smoothly as possible. During the inspection, they’ll be looking for problems such as:
- Leaks
- Improper pumping
- Ill-functioning parts
- Non-septic tank-friendly shrubbery and other large roots systems nearby
- Incompatibility with residence
Make sure your septic tank complies with 2020 Septic Tanks Regulations
- If your sewage discharges into a sewage treatment plant, your system complies with the new rules.
- You may have to upgrade your system if your sewage discharges into a septic tank. Let’s find out more below.
- If the effluent is discharging to the drainage field through a network of pipes. Your system is not affected by the 2020 septic tank regulations as the drainage field provides an additional treatment, so the effluent is treated enough to be released into the ground.
- If the effluent discharges directly into a watercourse from your septic tank, you must upgrade your system. The new rules set mean that it is no longer permitted to discharge directly to a waterway as you are polluting.
What are your options to become compliant with the new rules?
Before the deadline of January 1, 2020, there are three main ways to ensure compliance with the new Environmental Agency regulation:
- The current septic tank is replaced with a sewage treatment facility that is CE12366-3 certified. The treated wastewater is environmentally benign and appropriate for release to a watercourse.
- Stop the discharge into a watercourse and redirect it to a drainage field built to British Standard BS 6297 2007 specifications.
- Whenever possible, connect to the main sewer.
- If a suitable watercourse is nearby and the treated effluent is sufficiently clean, you can release it directly into surface water.
Get your free copy of the 2020 Septic Tank Regulation Handbook right away to see a complete list of potential impacts that the regulatory revisions may have.
Selling a House With a Septic Tank Is Easier Than You Think
If there’s a septic tank saddled to the side of your property, don’t fret. Selling a house with a septic tank at a great price is still possible — granted that you’re a seller that’s dutifully maintained and cared for their septic tank.
At Tricel, we understand the importance of a clean sewage system for your family and the environment. That’s why we offer many services, including sewage treatment plant installations. So if the idea of keeping your hands out of septic tank appeals to you, contact us today!
Interact with the Tricel Novo Sewage Treatment Solution
How to interact with the tank
- Click on the numbers to see the annotations.
- You can also switch between the treatment process stages (yellow circle at the bottom left-hand corner) and the anatomy of the Novo (green circle at the bottom left-hand corner).
- To view in Virtual Reality (VR), click the square at the top right-hand corner and simply scan the QR code with your phone.
- In order to check the dimensions, click on the spanner icon.
- To download an image of the Novo, click on the camera icon (top right-hand corner)
Quality
WHY CHOOSE US
Because Tricel manufactures and chooses the best materials for the design of its products. Most Tricel products have warranties of up to 10 years guarantee. All our products within this product range is CE certified to EU safety, health and environmental requirements.
Please find below the list of our products and the warranty that is applied. Note that this warranty is only valid if the sewage system is properly installed by a qualified installer. Please also know that all warranties are subject to correct use of the product, including maintenance as per manufacturer guidelines.
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Plants available for all capacities, from 1PE up to 50PE. Free advice on request.
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Recent projects with Tricel sewage treatment plants
Tricel manufacture deliver & install sewage treatment plants across a wide range of industry sectors throughout Ireland & the UK. Tricel also provide import/export services for our international clients. Top quality material offers outstanding capabilities including long life, durability and is a cost-effective solution for sewage treatment even in the harshest environments.
Tricel has installed many of its Tricel Novo Sewage Treatment Plants across the UK.
Check some of our projects by clicking on the button below.
Frequently Asked Questions
A cesspool is a simple storage vessel with an inlet and no outlet. It’s a sealed storage vessel; all the water coming in stays within the tank. The advantage is it doesn’t need an outlet. The disadvantages are: there is no treatment, the tanks are huge, and it needs regular emptying. Everything which has gone in must be sucked out. Ideal for sites which have got very infrequent use (Sheppard huts, for example).
A septic tank has an inlet and an outlet; it’s a simple overflow system. See how a septic tank works here. The advantages of the septic tank are there is no mechanic and no electricity requirement for it to work. The disadvantages are you are discharging dirty water, and untreated sewage effluent, as a tiny breakdown has occurred in the tank. You can only release water to a drainage field for the water to go through the subsoil to treat the water.
A sewage or package treatment plant has an inlet and an outlet; the wastewater is treated inside the tank. Aeration is provided inside the tank for the aerobic bacteria to feed on the waste and remove it from the liquid. The advantages are the wastewater is treated and can be discharged to a watercourse.
Many package treatment plants are available on the market:
- Trickles filters
- Rotating Biological Contactors (RBC)
- Mobile media bio-reactors
- Activated Sludge systems
- Sequence Batch Reactor systems (SBR)
- Fixed Bed Systems (like the Tricel Novo)
UK sewage treatment plants must comply with EN 12566-3 2005 regulations.
You should also hire a professional to install your sewage treatment system. For any sewage treatment plants you intend to install, you should also check your local guidelines to determine if planning permission is required.
A sewage treatment plant is where domestic wastewater and sewage are treated. The sewage treatment plants break down organic matter through the primary settlement and aeration chambers. Sewage treatment plants require little maintenance and have low running costs, and sewage effluent is discharged into drainage fields or watercourses.
For example, the required standards are 20:30:20 for BOD, SS, and NH4.
Tricel® has achieved an 11:16:9 result during independent testing.
In order for the biomass to reach its optimum purification, it may take up to 16 weeks.
You may be able to discharge directly into a watercourse or to a percolation area depending on your region. Find out which option is best for you by contacting your local council.
The sewage treatment plant’s size depends on the effluent volume from your house. It is determined by the number of people using the system, which is calculated based on the number of bedrooms in your home. If you need further information, contact our team.
Occasionally, your sewage treatment plant will need to be emptied due to the accumulated sludge inside – usually once a year. The frequency of emptying your treatment plant depends on its size and usage. See our dedicated page about desludging septic tanks and wastewater treatment plants.
1) to prevent surface water from entering the tank and overloading the system as this can inhibit growth of the bacteria and could reduce the effluent quality.
2) to prevent water getting into blower housing which can harm the control panel and the air blower.
Learn more about Tricel Novo risers.
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