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Top 10 Myths About Septic Systems That Cost Homeowners Thousands
Septic systems are one of the most misunderstood parts of a home.
Most homeowners don’t think about their septic system until something goes wrong. And by the time there’s a visible problem, the damage has often been happening quietly for years. Much of that damage comes not from neglect, but from myths: well-intentioned assumptions that sound reasonable but don’t reflect how septic systems actually work.
Most homeowners don’t think about their septic system until something goes wrong. And by the time there’s a visible problem, the damage has often been happening quietly for years. Much of that damage comes not from neglect, but from myths: well-intentioned assumptions that sound reasonable but don’t reflect how septic systems actually work.
At Septic Solutions LLC, we inspect, maintain, and repair septic systems throughout Island, King, Skagit, and Snohomish Counties. Over time, the same misunderstandings come up again and again, often right before a major failure.
Below are the 10 most common septic myths we hear in the field, why they’re wrong, and what homeowners should do instead.
Below are the 10 most common septic myths we hear in the field, why they’re wrong, and what homeowners should do instead.
Myth #1: “My Septic System Doesn’t Need to Be Pumped”
This is the most common septic myth we hear and the most expensive.
Many homeowners think of a septic system as something that simply makes water go away. If toilets flush and drains aren’t backing up, it feels safe to assume everything is working.
In reality, a septic system is a series of filters.
As Art Nikolin explains, the tank is just the first one:
“Your tank takes the brunt of the load and filters out most of the solids. You may have additional treatment, in other words more filters. And finally your drain field is also a filter.”
Every filter eventually plugs.
When pumping is skipped, solids build up in the tank. To keep water moving, more force is applied. And that force pushes solids farther downstream.
“The more force that’s applied, the more stuff carries over further down the line. What we’re really trying to protect is the drain field.”
The drain field is the most expensive part of the system and it’s a single-use filter. Once it’s clogged, replacement is often the only option.
Skipping pumping might save a few thousand dollars in the short term, but it often leads to a $20,000+ drain field replacement later.
What to do instead:
Pump on a regular schedule (typically every three years) to protect the drain field, not just the tank.
Many homeowners think of a septic system as something that simply makes water go away. If toilets flush and drains aren’t backing up, it feels safe to assume everything is working.
In reality, a septic system is a series of filters.
As Art Nikolin explains, the tank is just the first one:
“Your tank takes the brunt of the load and filters out most of the solids. You may have additional treatment, in other words more filters. And finally your drain field is also a filter.”
Every filter eventually plugs.
When pumping is skipped, solids build up in the tank. To keep water moving, more force is applied. And that force pushes solids farther downstream.
“The more force that’s applied, the more stuff carries over further down the line. What we’re really trying to protect is the drain field.”
The drain field is the most expensive part of the system and it’s a single-use filter. Once it’s clogged, replacement is often the only option.
Skipping pumping might save a few thousand dollars in the short term, but it often leads to a $20,000+ drain field replacement later.
What to do instead:
Pump on a regular schedule (typically every three years) to protect the drain field, not just the tank.
Myth #2: “If It’s Draining, the System Is Fine”
Drainage does not equal treatment.
Water can flow through a failing system long after it has stopped working properly. From a regulatory standpoint, the only time a system is officially considered failed is when effluent is surfacing but by then, the damage is already done.
“If it’s draining doesn’t mean everything’s okay. The effluent needs to stay underground and recede properly.”
What to do instead:
Pay attention to slow changes such as odors, wet areas, lush grass over the drain field and schedule inspections before surfacing occurs. Get the system inspected regularly.
Water can flow through a failing system long after it has stopped working properly. From a regulatory standpoint, the only time a system is officially considered failed is when effluent is surfacing but by then, the damage is already done.
“If it’s draining doesn’t mean everything’s okay. The effluent needs to stay underground and recede properly.”
What to do instead:
Pay attention to slow changes such as odors, wet areas, lush grass over the drain field and schedule inspections before surfacing occurs. Get the system inspected regularly.
Myth #3: “Additives Replace Pumping”
This myth has become more common with aggressive marketing.
Additives don’t remove solids. They change their form.
“Solids don’t go away. You liquefy them. You turn them into a smoothie and then you push them into the drain field.”
Liquefied solids may make a tank look “clean,” but they are extremely destructive once they reach the drain field.
What to do instead:
Skip additives. Pumping is the only way to physically remove solids from the system.
Additives don’t remove solids. They change their form.
“Solids don’t go away. You liquefy them. You turn them into a smoothie and then you push them into the drain field.”
Liquefied solids may make a tank look “clean,” but they are extremely destructive once they reach the drain field.
What to do instead:
Skip additives. Pumping is the only way to physically remove solids from the system.
Myth #4: “Rain Doesn’t Affect Septic Systems”
A properly functioning septic system is designed to work rain or shine.
If an alarm goes off during heavy rain, that’s not weather, it’s a diagnostic clue.
“If you have a correlation between rain and your alarm going off, we’ve pretty much diagnosed your problem. We just have to find where the water’s getting in.”
Rain reveals issues like surface water intrusion, improper grading, or saturated drain fields.
What to do instead:
Never ignore alarms during rain. Correlation means investigation is overdue.
If an alarm goes off during heavy rain, that’s not weather, it’s a diagnostic clue.
“If you have a correlation between rain and your alarm going off, we’ve pretty much diagnosed your problem. We just have to find where the water’s getting in.”
Rain reveals issues like surface water intrusion, improper grading, or saturated drain fields.
What to do instead:
Never ignore alarms during rain. Correlation means investigation is overdue.
Myth #5: “Flushable Wipes Are Safe for Septic Systems”
“Flushable” only means something fits down a toilet, not that it breaks down.
“They don’t dissolve like people think. They just go downstream.”
Flushable wipes are a major contributor to oversized scum layers and system overload.
What to do instead:
Flush toilet paper only. Everything else, including wipes, belongs in the trash.
“They don’t dissolve like people think. They just go downstream.”
Flushable wipes are a major contributor to oversized scum layers and system overload.
What to do instead:
Flush toilet paper only. Everything else, including wipes, belongs in the trash.
Myth #6: “Garbage Disposals Are Harmless”
Food waste and human waste require different bacterial environments.
“They can’t live symbiotically. Dumping food into the system throws havoc on the entire balance.”
Garbage disposals significantly shorten system lifespan and increase maintenance needs.
What to do instead:
Scrape plates into the trash or compost. Protect bacterial balance inside the tank.
“They can’t live symbiotically. Dumping food into the system throws havoc on the entire balance.”
Garbage disposals significantly shorten system lifespan and increase maintenance needs.
What to do instead:
Scrape plates into the trash or compost. Protect bacterial balance inside the tank.
Myth #7: “Any Plumber Can Pump or Inspect a Septic System”
In Washington, septic licensing is separate from plumbing licensing.
“The plumber takes care of everything inside the envelope of the home. The septic professional handles everything outside.”
Nine times out of ten, backups originate in the septic system, not household plumbing.
What to do instead:
Call a licensed septic professional first for backups or inspections.
“The plumber takes care of everything inside the envelope of the home. The septic professional handles everything outside.”
Nine times out of ten, backups originate in the septic system, not household plumbing.
What to do instead:
Call a licensed septic professional first for backups or inspections.
Myth #8: “Slow Drains Are Just a Clog”
When multiple drains slow at once, the issue is rarely a simple clog.
Slow drains are often an early warning sign of septic stress or blockage downstream.
What to do instead:
If slow drainage is widespread, inspect the septic system before repeatedly snaking pipes.
Slow drains are often an early warning sign of septic stress or blockage downstream.
What to do instead:
If slow drainage is widespread, inspect the septic system before repeatedly snaking pipes.
Myth #9: “You Can Cheap Out on Inspections When Selling or Buying”
Washington is effectively an “as-is” state.
“Once you buy the house, you’re on the hook.”
Skipping an independent inspection to save a few hundred dollars can transfer tens of thousands in liability.
What to do instead:
Always hire your own septic inspector (buyer or seller).
“Once you buy the house, you’re on the hook.”
Skipping an independent inspection to save a few hundred dollars can transfer tens of thousands in liability.
What to do instead:
Always hire your own septic inspector (buyer or seller).
Myth #10: “New Septic Systems Don’t Need Maintenance”
New systems absolutely need maintenance.
“You wouldn’t buy a new car and never change the oil. Septic systems are no different.”
Most systems require inspections every year, especially newer installations.
What to do instead:
Inspect within 6–12 months after installation, then follow state-required inspection schedules.
“You wouldn’t buy a new car and never change the oil. Septic systems are no different.”
Most systems require inspections every year, especially newer installations.
What to do instead:
Inspect within 6–12 months after installation, then follow state-required inspection schedules.
The Bottom Line: Septic Failures Don’t Happen Suddenly
Septic systems fail slowly and quietly.
Most of the damage happens underground, out of sight, driven by misunderstandings that feel harmless at the time. Education, routine maintenance, and professional inspections, guided by standards from the Washington State Department of Health, are what keep systems working for decades.
At Septic Solutions LLC, our goal isn’t just to fix problems. It’s to help homeowners understand their systems well enough to avoid them, protecting their homes, their investment, and the environment around them.
Most of the damage happens underground, out of sight, driven by misunderstandings that feel harmless at the time. Education, routine maintenance, and professional inspections, guided by standards from the Washington State Department of Health, are what keep systems working for decades.
At Septic Solutions LLC, our goal isn’t just to fix problems. It’s to help homeowners understand their systems well enough to avoid them, protecting their homes, their investment, and the environment around them.