We get it. Septic systems are not a classy topic — one could say it’s a necessary evil. They’re important to our modern day to day life, funneling and properly stowing away the “grey water” that comes from our homes.
There are septic systems for neighborhoods and apartments. There are even mobile home park septic systems out there — keeping mobile home park residents healthy and safe.
In a nutshell, a septic system is usually a self-contained and underground holding box. The box is made of concrete, polyethylene, or fiberglass.
How it works
Look up documentation on your septic system to know exactly what type it is.
For standard systems, gravity is relied on to carry the grey water from mobile homes. The water travels to the septic tank. From there, it is dispersed into the drain field.
Waste solids that sink to the bottom become sludge. This sludge is pulled out of the septic system every couple of years with the help of a septic pumping service. This service will also cart off the muck to the appropriate site for disposal.
To be sure, a septic system is a necessity wherever humans live. Now that we’ve explained what it is, let’s talk about the good, the bad and the smelly. Being a bit more informed on mobile home park septic systems will help you better care for the park.
Mobile home park septic systems: what are they, what makes them different?
First, let’s make it clear that there are two main setups for septic in a park. Some parks are on the city water and sewage system and that’s fine. Others choose to have their own in-house septic system to make a little extra cash on the side. These are mobile home park septic systems.
It’s imperative that you do your due diligence and understand the responsibility of handling your own septic system.
If the septic system belongs to the park you want to invest in, you should be aware of a few things.
What’s good about a mobile home park septic system?
As stated above, the good thing about a mobile home park septic system is having another source of income. Rather than paying the city for water and sewage, you might have a well and septic system. You can charge for these services as a way to bring in income and help maintain it.
Here’s the scoop on the bad and the smelly
Here’s the bad: it’s up to you as the owner to take care of repairs. And that can be costly.
Generally, mobile home owners will deal with any repairs for the above ground functions of the system. This is especially the case if it’s something they damaged. However, as the mobile home park owner, it’s your responsibility to keep the septic system functioning.
Some repairs or maintenance issues will arise when a tank is full. Leaks into the ground or backups into the mobile homes are other problems that could arise, including other health threats. As you can see, things can get smelly pretty quick with cleanup and repairs. Drainfield hiccups may also arise.
It’ll be up to you to engage with the septic repair business and get them to the park in a timely fashion. Your park’s health and day-to-day activities depend on this system operating.
This is not said to dissuade you, but to give you a big picture look at what goes into having an on-site septic system.
Before you invest in a park with a septic system
Prior to investing in a place that has a mobile home park septic system, you’ll want to be sure that the place is set up properly. And if it’s not, will you be able to compensate for any expenses required to fix it up?
How many systems are in place? Do they work? How many homes are on a septic tank? A full inspection could save you much grief. Ask the municipality for a copy of the septic designs as you thoroughly research the matter.
Smelly business may not be bad business
By understanding the pros and cons of mobile home park septic systems, you can decide if such a park setup is right for you. This may depend on the property you’re looking at — if the system is in new, pristine condition, it could be worth your while.
If it’s in dire need of big repairs, you might want to stay away, depending on the price of the property. Even then, you’ll have to ask yourself if you’re willing to grapple with any future septic problems that may arise.
We talked about septic systems. What about a park’s internet setup? That’s another park feature that’s almost deemed a necessity in our day and age of technology. We have some things for you to consider before running fiber optics in your park.