Septic Tank Inspection
Unwanted wastewater and particles from a building’s plumbing system are received, treated, and disposed of via a septic system. Septic tanks remove solids from effluent (water) and scum by partially breaking them down into sludge (fat, oil and grease).
Effluent is discharged into a drain field on a regular basis, where it is filtered naturally by bacteria before being reintroduced into the groundwater. Scum and sludge should be pushed out on a regular basis and never allowed to enter the drain field.
When Should a Septic System Be Inspected?
The septic system must be examined once per year, especially when the house is listed for sale. This one will increase the value of the house while avoiding any legal complications that may arise as a consequence of a faulty system.
If indeed the septic system has still not been checked lately, a potential buyer should insist on having it inspected prior purchasing the house.
How Often Should You Get a Septic Inspection?
A septic system check is also one of those house repairs projects that you may put off, and put off again. Whether you have an aerobic septic system in Hays County, you must maintain it on a quarterly basis. In addition, septic system inspections are usually done in during options term of your contract.
Although if you have no intention of selling, maintaining your septic system it’ll save you thousands of dollars in repair in the event that something goes wrong.
According to experts, you need to get your septic system inspected each 3 years. So here is the truth: most people don’t have their septic systems tested unless there’s a major problem. The three-year mark also is the ideal time for your septic system to go out without having cleaned out.
If a problem is discovered during the inspection, it may be possible to avoid having to replace the entire septic system. If your intend to sell your home, it’s extremely crucial to keep your septic system in good working order.
A certified inspection is usually undertaken throughout the closing process. The septic system in your home is an important aspect of your property. It’s simple to overlook while everything is running smoothly, but when problems develop, they can be particularly troublesome.
After all, your septic system is in charge of processing and disposing of all of your home’s wastewater. Waste may not be travelling where it is supposed to go if sewer pipes become clogged or if drain field problems arise.
Not only may this be dangerous to you and your property, but it can also be costly to fix or replace. It is suggested that you have a septic company inspect your septic system on a regular basis to ensure optimal operation and the health and safety of you and your family.
“The average household septic system should be evaluated at least every three years by a septic service specialist,” according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Regular inspections can help to ensure that there are no hidden issues that could lead to more expensive repairs or possibly a septic system replacement.
Real Estate Septic Inspections
A septic inspection is always advised in a specific situation, in addition to regular inspections for all residences with a septic system. That unique circumstance occurs during the home-buying process.
While most individuals who are thinking about buying a house will get a standard home inspection, it’s crucial to understand that a real estate septic inspection is not the same as a home inspection.
A routine house inspection is an essential aspect of the real estate transaction. While a house inspector will most likely perform some basic septic system assessments, they will not be able to conduct a comprehensive septic system inspection as a septic professional can.
That just a state-licensed septic tank contractor, plumber, or trained environmental health expert may inspect and assess your septic system in the Sunshine State, per the Florida Department of Health.
Just as you would engage in a home inspection to verify that everything in the house you want to buy is in working order, investing in septic inspections may provide you piece of mind in knowing that you won’t have to pay for unexpected septic tank services any time soon.
If the need for septic system maintenance, repair, or replacement is discovered during the inspection, the needed septic services can be negotiated between the buyer and seller.
How Is a Septic Inspection Done?
When moving a property to a new buyer, insurance companies or banks may request a septic examination. When a system fails to function properly, it may be necessary to conduct an inspection in order to identify the problems before they worsen.
The following items are included in a typical septic inspection:
- The septic tank’s location is determined.
- The coverings are being taken off.
- The intake, outlet baffle, and partition wall are all being inspected.
- Examining the sewage system’s working status.
- Identifying the pump’s chamber (if necessary), the CK pump, the alarm, and the float
- Testing the septic bed area by digging test holes
- calculating the sewage’s below-grade effluent level
- Examining the state of the trenches.
- Providing a written report of the on-site inspection
If you’re preparing for a septic tank inspection and aren’t sure what to do, here are three procedures to follow:
1. Keep Designs Available
Septic tank designs must be available to all households. You should also have one. It will make the procedure easier for you, and the inspection will run more smoothly as a result. The plans will assist the inspector in determining the placement of your septic system.
2. Simple to Use
The septic tank lid may be buried in certain circumstances, necessitating the assistance of a professional to open it. However, removing the cover yourself will save you half the time and work. If you ask them to expose the septic tank, the septic tank maintenance service will charge you extra.
3. Find Problematic Areas
You can raise any concern with your septic system during the inspection process, whether you can point to a specific problem or merely suspect one. The inspector will assess whether any problematic areas need to be repaired or fixed after you’ve mentioned them.
There are two types of septic inspections: Visual inspections and full inspections.
4. Visual Inspection
A visual septic inspection usually begins with the septic expert asking about just the land as well as the septic system’s regular maintenance and repair histories.
Remember the last time time you had your septic system inspected? Have you had your septic tank pumped recent times? Were there any noxious odours? Is there any odd vegetation around the drain field or underground sewer lines? Is there any gurgling coming from the toilets or sinks?
To check that there are no evident drainage issues, the inspector will flush the toilets and run water through all sinks, tubs, and showers inside the house. Outside the house, the inspector will look for signs of problems such as standing water, foul odours, or strange vegetation growth patterns in the drain field and adjacent surroundings.
Visual inspections are a standard aspect of any real estate transaction. They can also be used as part of a septic system’s routine maintenance programme.
5. Full Inspection
A thorough septic inspection would cover everything that was included in the visual examination, as well as some additional tests. The cover of the septic tank will be removed to see whether there are any problems with the correct drainage of your system. This means the inspector will check the sludge level to ensure it does not threaten to block the output pipe.
Dye tests may be performed as part of an inspection to determine how much of the drained water actually enters the septic tank.
At the end of the process, your septic tank will be pumped. This allows the inspector to see if there is any backflow from the absorption region, which could indicate a drain field problem.
A Septic Inspector Would Look for the Following Items:
- When was the last time the tank was examined and pumped?
- The amount of sludge in the tank
- The distance between the tank and the drain field, as well as any wells or other water sources.
- The system’s size in relation to the size of the house
- Riser lids with damage or cracking
- Baffle connection security
- Integrity of drain lines
- A septic inspection can provide you piece of mind that this important component of your house is in good working order.
Septic Inspection Process
1. Locating the Tank
When you don’t understand what your tank is, the septic examiner can figure it out for you. Provide the inspector your original septic permit, which includes a map of the built septic system, and he will find it.
A retrievable radio transmitter as well as a ground probe rod flushed down the toilet may also be used by the septic specialist to pinpoint the position of the septic tank.
2. Removing the Lid
Once the inspector has determined the tank’s position, he will proceed to the next stage, which is to remove the tank’s cover in order to check it interior. You will save money as well as time if you can uncover the tank yourself.
3. Determining the Sludge Level
An instrument will be used by the inspector to determine the amount of sludge present. Typically, the equipment is a long, calibrated rod. The stopper at the end of the hollow, transparent rod enables wastewater to enter but prevents sludge from escaping. This rod is used by the inspector, who dips it into the tank’s bottom and then recovers it.
The sludge and wastewater in the rod reveal the state of the septic tank and aid in determining whether or not it needs to be pumped.
4. Testing for Leakages
The examiner will examine the tank for leaks and verify if it is watertight. Leaking tanks can pollute groundwater and surface water. It could also cut down on the time it takes to separate clear wastewater before dumping it into the sewer.
Hydrostatic testing as well as vacuum testing are indeed the two procedures for verifying the septic tank’s water tightness, and that both involve draining the tank and applying pressure drop or water pumping into in the septic tank to locate any leaks.
5. Inspecting the Baffles
Baffles act as a regulating valve at the tank’s inlet and outlet. The input baffle controls the flow rate of waste from the house to the septic tank, allowing the solids to settle and be separated from the wastewater. The outlet baffle prevents solid form from entering the drain.
The inspector will examine these valves to ensure that they are in good working order and are securely attached to the exit and inlet lines.
The baffles may succumb with time, causing wear and strain as well as corrosion. Inspections can assist determine when these components need to be replaced.
5. Checking Filters and Water Flow
The effluent filter on the tank’s outflow line also prevents particles from entering the drain field, which can contaminate groundwater. The filter in your septic tank may be inspected to check whether it’s operating properly or if it needs to be replaced.
Finally, the inspector will look at the septic tank’s water flow pattern. Water flowing into the septic tank might suggest a leak, while water returning to the septic tank could signal a problem with the drain field.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Septic Tank Inspection
A septic system disposes and treats unwanted solids and wastewater from a building or facility’s plumbing system. Partial break down of these solids takes place in a septic tank followed by their separation from scum (grease, oil, and fat, and effluent (water). Effluent continues to exist in the tank regularly and goes into a drain field where it gets filtered by bacteria naturally and then enters into the groundwater.
- Sewage Backup.
- Slow Drainage.
- Pooling Water in Yard.
- Greener Grass Around the Septic Tank.
- Trees or Shrubs Near Septic System.
- Pungent Smells.
Septic Tank Inspection Cost
A septic inspection costs on average about $300 and up. Factors that determine the cost are the size of the tank and other areas that need inspecting. A septic system should last about 25-30 years if maintained properly.
Visual Septic Inspection
Visual inspections are typically done when someone is buying or selling a home. These inspections are generally quicker. The inspector will ask the homeowner some key questions about the septic system and then proceed to test the toilets and run water in the home.
Septic and Well Inspection Cost
Nationwide, the average cost of a well inspection is $300 to $500. The price depends on the inspector’s rates, the types of water tests they conduct to check your water quality, and whether they provide a septic inspection at the same time.
How Is a Septic Inspection Done?
A septic inspector will open the septic tank and look around visually. Most of the time they will pump the tank as well unless it has been done recently. The inspector will also open up the distribution box and check to see that’s it’s functioning as intended.
Septic Inspection Process
Here, the septic system inspection process are as follows.
- Locating the septic tank.
- Removing the covers.
- Inspecting the inlet, outlet baffle, also partition wall.
- Inspecting the operational level of sewage.
- Locating the chamber of the pump (if required), CK pump, alarm operation, and float.
Septic Tank Inspection Home Purchase
If you’re selling a property with a septic tank, then you must be transparent with buyers about the fact the property uses a one and provide a detailed specification of the system. In fact, you are required by law to inform a buyer in writing about the presence of a septic tank.
County Septic Inspection
These services are most often requested when a property transaction (either a sale or a refinancing) is taking place, and in many cases is required by a lender and/or buyer. A fee for this service is charged, per the lchd environmental health fees schedule.
Roto-Rooter Septic Inspection
Roto-rooter septic tank & cesspool treatment is a high-potency formula of cultured bacteria and selected enzymes formulated to break down greases, starches, proteins and other organic materials that can clog septic tanks, drain fields and cesspools.
Cost to Inspect Septic Tank
A septic inspection costs on average about $300 and up. Factors that determine the cost are the size of the tank and other areas that need inspecting. A septic system should last about 25-30 years if maintained properly.
Septic Scope Inspection
A sewer scope inspection uses a video attached to a snake-like cable to examine the home’s sewer line. This privately-owned pipeline leads from the house to the publicly owned main sewer line or septic tank. Sewer scope inspection can reveal damage to the pipes, blockages, and other problems.
Septic Tank Inspection Before Buying a House
Like building and pest inspections, the cost of septic inspections are shouldered by the buyer in question. While specific costs will depend on your location and chosen inspection level, most buyers can expect to pay between $260 and $420 for a septic inspection by a licensed septic technician.
Septic Tank and Well Water Inspection
Septic system inspections are particularly important when you use a private well. You want to ensure both systems are working properly. The last thing you want is for septic waste to seep into your drinking water. Typically, a septic system inspection will run you between $400 to $650.
Septic Tank Inspection Pipe
The white PVC pipes that stick up in the area of your drain field offer a “window” into how well it is operating (draining). They shouldn’t be removed but they can be cut down, level with the ground.
Licensed Septic Inspector
- Step 1: Obtain Your Building Code Identification Number (BCIN)
- Step 2: Prepare for the OBC Part 8 Licensing Exam.
- Step 3: Book Your Exam Date and Location.
- Step 4: Register with MMAH and Pay Registration Fees
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