What should I know about a home with a septic tank in Florida?

The state counts about 2.6 million of them, 12 percent of all the septic systems in the United States. Have the tank inspected and pumped every 3 to 5 years by a state-licensed septage service, and more often if you use a garbage disposal. Flush only human waste and toilet paper: "flushable" wipes, kitty litter, grease, strong cleaners and old medicines clog the system or kill the bacteria that treat the sewage. Keep a water softener's backwash out of it, plant only grass over or near the drainfield, and do not cover it or dig around it without a permit. A failing system can back sewage up into the house or onto the yard. The Department of Environmental Protection has run the state's septic program since July 1, 2021. In most counties the county health department office still issues the permits and does the inspections; in the 16 Panhandle counties from Escambia to Jefferson, and in Marion County, the Department of Environmental Protection does. Septic work may be done only by a registered septic tank contractor, a state-licensed plumber, or owners on the single-family home they live in. Before you buy, ask that office for the home's septic permit records.

Where to go from here.