Do you have plans to renovate your home? What is the current layout of your home? If you’re looking to add another bedroom to your house because of a major life change, you should also consider what this means for your septic system. Generally speaking, local ordinances require that the size of the septic system should be based on the number of bedrooms and not the number of occupants. It’s a case-to-case basis, but you should want to err on the side of caution.
You have two options: enlarge the existing septic system or add a second system with the help of a Davey pump supplier. Adding to an existing system used to be difficult, but technology has made this easier. You can choose to extend an existing septic system rather than install a second one. That saves money and time.
Why Should You Extend the Septic System?
The law requires you to have a septic system that’s equal to the number of bedrooms your house has. It’s not dependent on the number of bathrooms or the number of occupants, though these can play into the factors as well. If you have a three-bedroom house that’s less than 2,500 square feet, you should have a 1,000-gallon tank size. If you have a five-bedroom home that’s less than 4,500 square feet, your tank size should have a capacity of 1,250 gallons.
The tank size requirement will also depend on how many occupants your rooms can eventually house. So it’s not how many are currently occupying your house. It’s how many it can accommodate in the future. And there’s no telling what life situations you will find yourself in that will force you to welcome more people in your house.
A septic system needs to be pumped regularly. If there are three to five people in your home, you need to get it pumped every three years or less. If one or two people are living in a home, the septic tank needs to be pumped every five years. This means that the more people that occupy your home, the more frequent you’ll need your septic systems to be pumped.
But in terms of local permits and ordinances, the requirement depends on the number of bedrooms. This is where you should base your decision if you plan to extend your home. It’s for the good of your property and the environment. Your property’s value will increase if you have a well-maintained septic system.
Can You Recover the Cost of the Extension?
Yes, you can. If you plan to sell the house in the future, you can recover the cost of enlarging the septic system. No potential homebuyer would want to invest in a home that has a septic tank lacking in capacity. This is one of the first few things they would look into when they consider your property.
Homebuyers know that potential problems from septic systems can escalate. The cost of repairing septic tanks can go as high as $7,000. So homebuyers are very particular about the quality of the septic system before they make an offer for a property.
