Many homebuyers do not inspect a septic tank during purchase, although the facility is the most critical part of a building as far as hygiene goes. Failure to inspect the septic tank of a house on the market exposes you to unforeseen sanitary problems in the future. Thus, homebuyers must hire plumbing services to establish the status of a septic tank. It is mainly the case if the previous homeowner does not know when they had a septic tank inspected. This article highlights what to expect during septic tank inspection.
Locate a Septic Tank — The first step in septic tank services involves finding your septic tank on your property. Most people think this will be a straightforward task, but it is not. Some septic tanks are not easy to identify, especially on old properties. Thus, a plumber must use a variety of different methods to locate a septic tank for inspection. The easiest way to find the facility is by referring to architectural plans. The plans show the exact location of a septic tank on a property. Once an inspector has located a septic tank, they first conduct a visual inspection of the surrounding. The visual inspection looks for signs of greener grass growing close to a septic tank since it signifies a leaking septic tank.
Check Septic Tank Water Level — The next step entails removing a septic tank's cover so that an inspector can check sludge level using a 'sludge judge.' Septic tank sludge level is an excellent indicator of whether the system is draining water as required. If the sludge level is higher than expected, you must check for blockages along the drain pipe leading to the main municipal drainage. An inspector also runs water in a house and checks whether the water level in a septic tank changes. Ideally, the water level should not change if a septic tank works optimally.
Checking For A Watertight Seal— Lastly, an inspector examines whether a septic tank is watertight. Ideally, a septic tank in optimal condition should not leak. Besides, a leaking septic tank is a health hazard since it can contaminate groundwater systems. Besides containing sludge, a septic tank should also not allow external water in. If it happens, a septic tank fills fast, causing overflow issues when you least expect it. Most importantly, any cracks on or around a septic tank cover should be repaired before using the system.
Share21 December 2021
We aren't on the main sewer line on our property and it's always been an issue getting the septic tank emptied in winter when the road gets muddy and trucks get bogged. As a result, we decided to switch to composting toilets in the home. It's been a great option to get our toileting waste minimised and to help the environment at the same time. It's a bit of an adjustment period when you move to a composting toilet so I thought I'd start a blog explaining the process. I hope it will be useful for other people who have septic tanks and are contemplating making the switch.
