Last updated: July 2026. These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your use of septicjournal.com (the “Site”), operated by SepticJournal (“SepticJournal,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). By accessing or using the Site, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.
1. What SepticJournal Is
SepticJournal is an independent publication providing research, reviews, and educational content about septic systems and related products and services. The Site is provided for general informational purposes only.
2. Not Professional Advice
Content on SepticJournal is not a substitute for advice from a licensed septic contractor, plumber, engineer, or other qualified professional. Septic systems vary significantly by design, age, soil type, household use, and local regulation, and problems can escalate quickly. Do not rely on Site content as the sole basis for repair, installation, replacement, or regulatory decisions affecting your property.
When in doubt, consult a licensed professional in your jurisdiction.
3. Affiliate Links and Commercial Relationships
SepticJournal earns commissions through affiliate programs, including Amazon Associates and ClickBank. Product prices, availability, and specifications may change without notice, and we are not responsible for changes made by retailers or manufacturers. Full details are on our Affiliate Disclosure page.
4. Intellectual Property
All content on SepticJournal — articles, reviews, images, graphics, logos, and design — is the property of SepticJournal or its licensors and is protected by U.S. and international copyright and trademark laws.
You may:
- Read, share links to, and quote brief excerpts of Site content with clear attribution
- Use content for your own personal, non-commercial reference
You may not:
- Republish, reproduce, or redistribute significant portions of Site content without prior written permission
- Scrape, harvest, or systematically extract content by automated means
- Use Site content to train machine learning models without prior written permission
- Use SepticJournal's name, logo, or trademarks in a way that implies endorsement or affiliation
5. Third-Party Links
The Site contains links to third-party websites, including retailers and other publications. We do not control third-party sites and are not responsible for their content, policies, or practices. Visiting a third-party site is at your own risk and is governed by that site's own terms and privacy policy.
6. User Submissions
If you send us a tip, correction, question, or other communication (“Submission”), you grant SepticJournal a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, review, edit, and — where appropriate — publish that Submission. We will not identify you as the source of a Submission without your consent.
You represent that any Submission you send is yours to share and does not violate anyone else's rights.
7. Acceptable Use
You agree not to:
- Use the Site in any way that violates applicable law
- Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the Site, its systems, or its data
- Introduce viruses, malware, or other harmful code
- Interfere with or disrupt the Site or any user's use of the Site
- Impersonate SepticJournal or any other person or entity
8. Disclaimer of Warranties
The Site and all content are provided “as is” and “as available,” without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, and accuracy. SepticJournal does not warrant that the Site will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure, or free of viruses or other harmful components.
Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties, so some of these disclaimers may not apply to you.
9. Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, SepticJournal and its owners, editors, and contributors shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of or related to your use of the Site or its content, including but not limited to loss of profits, data, or property damage — even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.
Our total liability to you for any claim arising out of or related to these Terms or the Site shall not exceed one hundred U.S. dollars ($100.00).
10. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless SepticJournal from any claims, damages, liabilities, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of your use of the Site, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any rights of a third party.
11. Termination
We may suspend or terminate your access to the Site at any time, without notice, for any reason, including violation of these Terms. All provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination will survive, including intellectual property provisions, disclaimers, and limitations of liability.
12. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the United States, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles. Any dispute arising from these Terms or the Site shall be resolved in a court of competent jurisdiction in the United States.
13. Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page shows when the Terms were most recently revised. Continued use of the Site after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
14. Contact
Questions about these Terms: legal@septicjournal.com.
General inquiries: see our contact page.
These Terms are provided for informational purposes. They are not legal advice. If you have questions about how these Terms apply to your specific circumstances, consult a qualified attorney in your jurisdiction.