Whether it is because you are interested in buying a home with a septic system or because you’ve noticed something wrong with yours, you might find yourself in a position where you need to do a septic system inspection. To help you out with this challenge, here are things to know about a septic system inspection.

Common signs you need this inspection

One of the most useful things to know about a septic system inspection is when you might need it. Well, there are several scenarios, including:

  • You notice a strong, unpleasant smell in your yard.
  • You are suffering sewage backups.
  • There are puddles around your drain field.
  • There is noticeable green gas over your septic system.
  • You have a persistently clogged toilet, sink, or drain.

A plunger

Of course, if you have a clog, try using a plunger before deciding you need a septic system inspection.

A septic system inspection during a home sale

Another helpful thing to know about a septic system inspection is that the problems they uncover are typically expensive to fix. Meaning this is another example of how a home inspection can save buyers money since they would likely regret the purchase otherwise. Also useful to note is that the cost of this system inspection always falls on the seller, so, as a buyer, you can and should freely request it!

The two types of inspection

The parts of a standard septic system are the plumbing, the tank, the drain field, and the soil. Inspections are always focused on the plumbing, and you can notice the tank due to issues with the last two. There are two types of septic system inspections, visual and full.

Visual septic system inspection

The visual inspection is much faster and, typically, cheaper. The inspector will just ask questions about the system’s age, the frequency at which the tank needs to be pumped, and whether you’ve noticed the signs we’ve already listed. Then, they will check whether drains and toilets function properly before inspecting your yard themselves. If the inspector notices nothing wrong, they will end the inspection there.

Water draining away

You can tell a lot about a home’s septic system from how quickly the water in the house drains away.

Full septic system inspection

If the inspector does, however, notice something wrong through the visual inspection, then things become more complicated. A full inspection has a lot more steps and requires an actual opening of the septic tank. We will guide you through it in more detail in order to better explain things to know about inspecting a septic system.

Ascertaining location

The first step of the full Septic System Inspection is actually locating your tank. Now, this is typically easy if you have a plot map or a site plan of the property. Alternatively, you can rely on the county records, even though the previous two documents should come with other files on the property once you’ve bought them. If you don’t want to waste time on county records, then your inspector should be capable of locating the tank through a quick visual inspection of your property. Alternatively, it is possible to use a ground probe rod or a retrievable radio transmitter to identify the right location.

Opening the tank

Now, this next step is not exactly difficult. However, the effort and time it takes to remove a septic tank’s lid is still something you’d be paying for. If you have the necessary tools and wish to try them, you can likely save time and money by opening the tank on your own. Of course, there are a few things you need to pay attention to here for your safety. First, always be extremely careful of falling in and the possibility that the lid can fall on your fingers. Septic tank lids tend to be very heavy. Meaning that they can and have ripped people’s fingers off in moments of carelessness.

Checking sludge levels

Now, this next step is not exactly difficult. However, the effort and time it takes to remove a septic tank’s lid is still something you’d be paying for. If you have the necessary tools and wish to try them, you can likely save time and money by opening the tank on your own. Of course, there are a few things you need to pay attention to here for your safety. First, always be extremely careful of falling in and the possibility that the lid can fall on your fingers. Septic tank lids tend to be very heavy. Meaning that they can and have ripped people’s fingers off in moments of carelessness.

Septic waste trucks

Pumping a septic tank is unpleasant but very, very necessary.

Looking for leaks

Two methods to check for leaks in septic tanks are hydrostatic or vacuum testing. Unfortunately, both ways require the tank to be emptied first. This is why it is wise to schedule an inspection when you need to have your tank pumped. It is essential to check thoroughly for leaks during a septic system inspection, so you cannot skip the process. If there is leaking, groundwater in the area quickly becomes contaminated. What’s worse, surface contamination can happen, too. This would promptly drive most people away from the property until steps are taken to fix things. Note, too, that the storage experts from Apollo Moving advise taking most clothing and similar items with you since smell easily pervades entire buildings. And it can take ages to get such a bad smell out of your clothing afterward.

Making sure the baffles work correctly

The next step in a typical septic system inspection is checking the baffles. In simple terms, they are valves located in the inlet and outlet of the tank. They control the waste’s flow rate, and keeping them at the proper flow is essential for adequately separating solids from wastewater. If there is a problem with the baffles, the process fails to occur correctly, and solids might end up in your drain field. This can easily lead to severe contamination.

Checking the outflow

The final step of inspecting a septic system is making sure your filters and outlet pipe work properly. The filters are one final check to prevent solids from ending up in your drain field. The outlet pipe, on the other hand, needs to be properly checked to ascertain its water flow is good and that there is no backup of water into your septic tank. If water is flowing back into it, then it’s a sure sign that there is a problem with your drain field, which could end up being a complicated thing to fix. Reliable and professional septic system inspectors will make absolutely sure this is not happening before finally declaring your septic system to be in good condition.

Final comment

This covers all the things to know about a septic system inspection you will need! If you contact professionals, we are sure that you will be able to pinpoint any problems you are having quickly. Remember, though, that this is an exhausting and rather smelly process, and don’t give up easily!