Septic System FAQ for Texas Homeowners

An aerobic septic system is an on-site wastewater system that uses an air pump to add oxygen to the tank, so bacteria that thrive on oxygen break waste down faster than in a conventional tank. The treated water is then sent to a spray or drip area. See our full explanation.

Wastewater flows through a settling chamber, then into an aeration chamber where an air pump keeps oxygen-loving bacteria working. The water settles again, is often disinfected, and is pumped out through spray heads or drip lines. Floats and a control panel run the pumps and sound an alarm if something is wrong.

Aerobic systems are common where soil drains poorly, the water table is high, or the lot is small. Greater Houston clay is a classic example. The soil evaluation done for your permit decides what type of system is allowed, so the answer is lot-specific, not a matter of preference.

Many aerobic systems spread treated water over a lawn area through spray heads, which is the dispersal method. The water has been treated and usually disinfected, but you should still keep pets, children and kids' toys off the area while it is running and call us if a head stops working.

A working aerobic system should not smell strongly, because oxygen keeps the odor-causing bacteria in check. A sewage or rotten-egg smell usually means the aerator is not running, a filter is clogged, or the tank is overdue. Call us for septic repairs.

Yes. The air pump, the discharge pump and the control panel all run on power, and the aerator normally runs around the clock. A short outage is rarely a problem, but during a long one you should cut back on water use. After power returns, check that the panel shows no alarm.

It powers and protects the pumps, runs the timers and sounds the alarm when something is wrong. Float switches in the tanks tell it when water is too high. See how to read your control panel, float switch and alarm.

It is the calm settling chamber after the aeration chamber, where solids sink out of the treated water before it moves on. See clarifier in our glossary for more.

It depends on tank size, how many people live in the house and how much water you use. Many household tanks are pumped every few years, and an inspection that measures sludge and scum is a better guide than a calendar. See how often to pump your septic tank.

Common signs are slow drains throughout the house, gurgling pipes, sewage odor near the tank, soggy ground over the field, or backups. On an aerobic system an alarm may also come on. The only reliable check is opening the tank and measuring sludge and scum, which we do during pumping.

A contract is a set of scheduled visits where a technician checks the working parts of your system, such as the aerator, pumps, floats, control panel, filter and spray heads, and cleans or adjusts what needs it. Details vary by provider, so ask what each visit includes. See our maintenance service The glossary entry for maintenance contract explains the terms.

Generally yes. Aerobic systems in Texas are normally required to be under a maintenance contract, at least for the first two years after installation, and many owners keep it going afterward. Requirements can differ by county, so check with your county permitting office or call us.

Avoid grease and cooking oil, wipes (even ones labeled flushable), feminine products, diapers, paper towels, coffee grounds, paint, solvents and large amounts of bleach or drain chemicals. These clog filters and pumps or harm the bacteria. Only wastewater and toilet paper should go down the drain.

You can, but it adds solids and grease, so the tank fills faster and needs pumping more often. On an aerobic system the extra load also stresses the filter. Scraping plates into the trash or compost is easier on the system and usually the better habit.

A baffle is a barrier or outlet fitting inside the tank that keeps floating scum and settled sludge from flowing out toward the next stage. A cracked or missing baffle can let solids reach the filter or the drain field, so it is part of a pumping visit check. See baffle in the glossary.

Yes. On-site sewage facilities in Texas are regulated under state TCEQ rules, and installation needs a permit from your county's authorized permitting agent or from the state where the county has none. Inspections happen during the work. We handle the process for our installations. See design and permits.

Digging and setting the system is often a matter of days once everything is approved, but the soil evaluation, design and permit usually take longer than the installation itself. Start early if you are building a home, because the permit can set your schedule. Call us and we will explain the steps.

A soil evaluation, sometimes called a site evaluation, examines the soil on your lot to see how well it can absorb and treat wastewater. It sets what kind of system and dispersal area your permit will allow. On Gulf Coast clay it is the step that most often points to an aerobic design.

Much of the Houston area sits on slow-draining clay with a high water table, which makes a conventional drain field hard to permit and slow to recover after rain. An aerobic system treats the water to a higher level first, then spreads it over a spray or drip area designed for the lot.

Either can, and many homeowners prefer to hand it off. We prepare the design and coordinate the permit paperwork and inspections for our installations. You will still need to be involved for signatures and property details. See aerobic system installation.

Septic systems must keep required distances from wells, water lines, structures, property lines and waterways, and the rules depend on the system type. Do not guess. Your permit design sets the exact placement, and your county permitting office can answer setback questions for your lot.

GPD stands for gallons per day. It is the design flow the system is sized to treat, based on the home and how it is used. See GPD in our glossary.

The most common causes are a high water level in the pump tank, a tripped breaker, a failed float, a failed pump or air pump, a clogged filter, or rainwater entering through a damaged lid. Our guide on the red light on an aerobic system walks through each one.

Cut back on water, skip the laundry and dishwasher, and check the breaker for the system. You can silence the buzzer, but the light stays on until the cause is fixed. If it does not clear, call us. See aerobic alarm repair.

A backup means wastewater has nowhere to go. The cause may be a full tank, a clogged line or filter, a failed pump, or a saturated drain field. Stop using water and call. Do not keep flushing, because that pushes more sewage into the house. We check the whole system to find where the flow stops.

Odors near the tank or in the yard point to a full tank, a clogged filter, a stopped aerator, a leaking lid or a wet drain field. Odors inside the house are often a dry drain trap or a vent problem. If the smell persists outdoors, have the system looked at.

Typical signs are no humming from the air pump, an alarm or red light, a sewage smell, cloudy or dark water in the tank and slow drains. The aerator is the part that keeps an aerobic system working, so do not wait. We test and replace pumps, diffusers and air lines. See septic repairs.

Yes, and it should be done promptly. A broken lid is a fall hazard, lets rain and debris into the tank and can leak odor. Keep people and pets away from it until it is fixed. We replace lids and add risers on request. See lid replacement.

It is a screen at the tank outlet that keeps solids out of the pump and drain field. Lint, grease, wipes and food scraps build up on it over time, which slows drains and can cause a backup. A technician should clean it at service visits. See what an effluent filter is.

You can silence the buzzer with the button on the panel, but the cause is still there. Cut back on water use and call for service. Repeated resets can push wastewater toward the yard or the house. See aerobic septic alarm repair.

A float switch rises and falls with the water level and tells a pump when to start, stop or sound the alarm. If it is stuck or tangled, the pump may not run and the water level can rise. See float switch for more.

An autodialer is an optional device wired to the control panel that calls or texts a number when the alarm condition occurs, so a problem is noticed even when no one is home. It does not fix the cause, so a service call is still needed. See autodialer in the glossary.

Warning signs include soggy or unusually green strips of lawn, standing water, sewage odor in the yard, slow drains throughout the house and backups after heavy use or rain. These can also come from a full tank or poor yard drainage, so the tank and the lot should be checked too.

There is no single number. A field can last many years with regular pumping and moderate water use, and far less if solids reach it or the soil stays saturated. Tank care, water habits and soil type matter most. See how long septic systems last.

Sometimes. If the cause is a clogged line, a broken pipe, a bad distribution box or poor drainage, repair can work. If the soil has stopped absorbing water, replacement is more honest. We diagnose first and tell you which applies. See drain field repair.

Both spread treated water over the ground. Spray heads sprinkle it across the surface of a lawn area. Drip dispersal sends it through small lines buried a few inches below the surface, so nothing shows above ground. Your soil, lot size and permit decide which is allowed. See drip systems.

No. Vehicles and heavy equipment compact the soil and can crush pipes and tanks. Keep cars, trailers and mowers with heavy loads off the tank and field. If a driveway or parking area is planned near your system, talk to us before it is built.

Do not build over a drain field. Grass is the best cover. Trees and large shrubs send roots toward moisture and can clog or break lines, so keep them well away. Check with us before adding a pool, shed, deck or patio near any part of your system.

It is one section of a spray or drip area that receives treated water in turn, so the soil can rest between doses. See dispersal zone in our glossary.

A pump tank, also called a dosing tank, holds treated water until a pump sends it to the spray heads, drip lines or drain field in measured doses. Many aerobic systems have one, and its pump and floats are checked during maintenance. See pump tank in the glossary.

A distribution box is a small box that splits flow from the tank evenly among the drain field lines. If it settles or tilts, one line can flood while others sit dry, which shortens the life of the field. See distribution box in the glossary.

It is strongly recommended, because the system is expensive to repair and out of sight. A proper inspection opens the tank, checks the components and the field, and documents what was found. See our septic inspections and guide for homebuyers.

A camera inspection runs a small waterproof camera through the pipes between the house, the tank and the field. It shows roots, breaks, bellies and blockages on a monitor, so repairs can be targeted without digging up the yard. See camera inspections.

Not until the water has gone down and the system has been checked. Floodwater can fill the tank, damage pumps and panels and saturate the field. Limit water use, keep power off wet components and call us. See septic recovery after flooding.

Usually yes, but use less water. When the ground is saturated the drain field cannot take much, so spread out laundry and avoid long showers until it dries. If an alarm sounds or drains slow down, stop water use and call us.

Any kitchen that sends grease into the wastewater system needs a grease trap, and traps only work when they are pumped on a regular schedule. A full trap lets grease reach the sewer line or septic system. We offer scheduled and emergency grease trap pumping.

Yes. We locate tanks, lids and lines with probing and locating tools, and we can add risers so the lids stay at ground level afterward. This helps if you bought a house with no records. See septic tank locating.

OSSF stands for on-site sewage facility, the Texas term for a private septic system. If a home has one, it needs a permit and the system should be inspected before you buy. See OSSF and our guide to buying a house with a septic system.