Are you currently in the process of looking for a new house? Are you considering buying one that has a septic tank instead of a hookup to a city sewer system? While caring for a septic tank may sound strange or complicated, it doesn't have to be. Nevertheless, there are a few things you should know and consider before purchasing such a home:

Maintenance may seem random: Some sites may say that you will only need a septic tank cleaning after a certain time frame. But while they may claim that you can go a certain number of years between cleanings, that isn't always true. Cleanings can depend on how large your tank is, how many people live in your home, and how much water you run through your system. Since these answers will be different for everyone, you may need a good septic tank cleaning every 3 years, while your neighbor with the same sized tank may need to have their tank cleaned out yearly. Until you have gone through several cleaning cycles, it can be difficult to predict when one is due. As a result, you should always have money set aside for a cleaning.

You may have to find new favorite brands: Most people understandably have certain brands that they prefer over others. Unfortunately, some of these may be fine for a sewer system but not for a septic tank. Certain types of bathroom tissue may not break up quickly enough, leading to clogs and more frequent septic tank cleaning. Some types of laundry soap or shampoos may disrupt the bacteria that helps to break down the solid waste in your septic tank, which could cause serious problems if you continue to use them. Before assuming that a particular product is safe to use, make sure to investigate whether or not this is actually the case. 

You may have to forgo having a garbage disposal: A garbage disposal can be a wonder of modern city life. Instead of putting food waste in the trash, where it might rot, just flush it down the drain. However, this practice can put additional strain on your septic tank system. The solids that are added with the use of a garbage disposal will have to be broken down and dealt with by the bacteria in your septic tank. If you have a smaller tank or use your disposal frequently, these additional solids may be too much for your septic tank system to deal with. Avert septic tank problems by throwing away or composting food waste, instead of flushing it. For more information about septic tanks, contact a business such as Southern Sanitary Systems Inc.