We bought a rural cottage about two years ago and the septic system is original from the 80s. There are three of us living here full-time now, and I'm not sure what the pumping schedule should be. The tank seems to be working fine, but I want to avoid any expensive problems down the road.
We had the same situation at our place and learned pretty quick that waiting for problems is expensive. Most folks with three people full-time should pump every three to five years, though it really depends on tank size and soil conditions - your local health department can tell you what's typical for your area. Since yours is from the 80s and working fine, I'd suggest getting it inspected first to see how much sludge has built up over two years of use, then you'll have a better sense of whether you need pumping now or can stretch it longer. After that, keep records of when you pump and stick to a schedule - it's way cheaper than dealing with a backed-up system or drain field damage, which can run into the thousands.
Log into answer.
