Most prospective home buyers want to know as much as possible about the condition of the house they are buying. Few would be willing to buy a house with a leaking roof or a heating system that could fail at any time without at least getting an adjustment in the sale price to compensate for the problem.

But even careful buyers often overlook a critical system in the house that could cost tens of thousands of dollars to replace: the septic system.

Most people don't realize that a good part of the value of a house can be buried outside in the yard. It's usually out of sight and out of mind. As a result, many buyers pay too little attention and ask too few questions about the condition of the septic system when they are buying a house.

People think that if the toilets flush and the water drains out of the sink that everything is working fine, but that doesn't necessarily mean that everything will be working fine tomorrow. It is alarming how many people own a home with a septic system and have no idea how it operates, or how to best maintain it so that it functions smoothly. It doesn't take much to throw a delicately balanced system off track.

No Regular Pumping
If the solids in the septic tank are allowed to rise to the level of the outlet port, they can clog the distribution box, the perforated drainage pipes and the drain field itself.

Over-Use
If too much waste water drains into the system too quickly, the drainage field may be unable to accommodate the volume. Too much water can lead to overflows, and forcing solids into the field bed, clogging the countless perforations which would otherwise release water.

When buying a property with a septic system you should do two things: get as much information as possible about the maintenance of the system from the current owner and then hire an expert to inspect the system. You want to know how well the system was maintained and if it has been pumped regularily. Have they left you a well-maintained system, or a ticking time-bomb? After all, you want to make sure that the system can handle what you need it to handle. Large families have large water use, and an inadequately sized tank can have long-lasting repercussions.

Testing a septic system is one process where no results are good results. There should be no smells, no signs of stress or wear, and no signs of blockaged, past of present.

If you want more information, or would like to arrange for us to inspect a system for you, then contact us today!