Can I install a septic system myself?

Most areas require licensed designers or installers and inspections. Check with the Dallas County health department before planning any work yourself.

How big does my septic tank need to be?

Tank size is usually based on the number of bedrooms and local code. Your designer will size the tank and field for your home.

Can a replacement system go in the same place?

Sometimes. It depends on the condition of the soil in the old field and local rules. Many replacements use a new area of the yard.

Is SepticTank.com the installer?

No. SepticTank.com connects you with an independent local septic company that serves Selma. That company designs, installs and prices the system.

Septic System Installation in Selma, AL

Replacing a failed system or installing one for a new build in Selma involves more than digging a hole for a tank. Soil testing, system design, permits and inspections all shape the final result.

A local installer can tell you which system types are likely to work on your lot and what the process looks like.

The installation process step by step

It starts with testing the soil to see how well it absorbs water. A designer or engineer then sizes the tank and dispersal area for the number of bedrooms. After the permit is approved, the crew excavates, sets the tank, installs the pipes and field, and schedules an inspection before backfilling.

Conventional and alternative systems

A conventional system is the simplest and usually the least expensive to maintain. Alternative systems add pumps, controls or treatment steps so they can work in difficult soil. Around Selma, the soil on your specific lot is what decides which category you fall into.

The permit process for a new system

Installing or replacing a septic system almost always needs approval from the Dallas County health department or the state agency that oversees septic systems. The usual steps are a soil evaluation, a stamped design, plan review and one or more inspections during construction. Starting without a permit can mean digging it all up again.

Why installation prices vary

Installation price depends on the system type the soil allows, the size of the house, the distance from the house to the field, how easy the site is to reach with equipment, and design and permit fees. Engineered systems such as mounds and aerobic units cost more to build and maintain.

Caring for a new septic system

Keep a copy of the design and as-built drawing, schedule your first pumping as recommended, and keep vehicles and structures off the tank and field. Plant only grass over the dispersal area and direct roof and yard runoff away from it. Systems with pumps or treatment units need regular service to stay under warranty.

Questions to ask an installer

Ask who performs the soil evaluation and design, whether they handle permits, what system types they recommend and why, and how long the project will take. Ask about warranty terms and what maintenance the system will need.

Getting ready for installation day

Clear access for equipment, mark wells, underground utilities and sprinkler lines, and plan where soil and materials will be staged. Your Selma installer will call in utility locates before digging. Expect some disturbance to the yard, which is regraded and seeded or restored as part of the job.

What experienced installers watch for

Good installers in Selma pay attention to setbacks from wells and property lines, the slope of the lot, and where roof and yard water drains. They also plan how equipment will reach the site without compacting the future drain field. They also confirm the design matches the permit before the first shovel goes in. Small details at this stage decide whether the system lasts decades or needs early repair.

Replacing an old system in Selma

When a system near Selma fails, replacement often means a new drain field in a fresh part of the yard. The old tank may be pumped, crushed and filled, or reused if it is sound. Dallas County usually requires a permit and a final inspection. Ask for the as-built drawing once the work is done.

What Selma's soil means for a new system

The USDA soil survey rates most mapped soils near Selma as very limited for septic absorption fields. New systems here often need a mound, pressure distribution or another engineered design, which your soil test will confirm. With about 54 inches of precipitation a year, designers here account for high water tables and runoff when sizing and placing a system.

Local conditions in Selma that affect septic installation

Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Selma, the USDA soil survey rates 77% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 17% as somewhat limited and 7% as not limited. The most common drainage class is well drained. Soils like these often call for careful system design, such as a larger drain field, a mound or another engineered system, and a site evaluation before any new installation or replacement.

Selma averages about 54 inches of precipitation a year, and February is usually the wettest month. January is the coldest month at about 45°F on average, so freezing is rarely the main concern here. Heavy rain and saturated ground are the bigger factors for drain fields.

Sources: USDA NRCS Soil Survey (SSURGO), Soil Data Access; NASA POWER long-term climatology. Soil ratings describe mapped soil types near the city center and do not replace a site evaluation of your property.

What the soil around Selma means for septic installation

By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Selma as 50% well drained, 22% somewhat poorly drained, 18% moderately well drained, 5% poorly drained, 4% excessively drained, 1% somewhat excessively drained. With 27% of the soil poorly drained, a new or replacement field here is often larger or raised, and a soil test comes before any design.

Source: USDA NRCS Soil Survey (SSURGO), Soil Data Access

Septic companies near Selma

These are the septic companies in our directory closest to Selma, with straight-line distance. Call any of them directly, or send one request and we will pass it to the best match.

Right On Time Septic, Marbury, AL, 31.8 mi
Alabama Septic & Plumbing Co, Montgomery, AL, 34.0 mi
Bibb Septic Tank Cleaning, Centreville, AL, 39.5 mi
Mercer Septic Tank Co, Wetumpka, AL, 44.0 mi
Joe Jackson Environmental Service, Jemison, AL, 45.4 mi
Carter Septic Tank Service, Maylene, AL, 55.9 mi

Septic Installation in nearby towns

We also cover septic installation in these towns near Selma:

Valley Grande, 4.8 mi

About Selma, AL

Selma is in Dallas County, Alabama. About 16,666 people live there, across 13.8 square miles of land (about 1,207 per square mile).

Septic Installation questions in Selma

Can I install a septic system myself?: Most areas require licensed designers or installers and inspections. Check with the Dallas County health department before planning any work yourself.
How big does my septic tank need to be?: Tank size is usually based on the number of bedrooms and local code. Your designer will size the tank and field for your home.
Can a replacement system go in the same place?: Sometimes. It depends on the condition of the soil in the old field and local rules. Many replacements use a new area of the yard.
Is SepticTank.com the installer?: No. SepticTank.com connects you with an independent local septic company that serves Selma. That company designs, installs and prices the system.