One of the most important thing a homebuyer can do is to not only get a housing inspection, but also to invest in a septic tank inspection. Septic tanks can be creatures unto themselves and if not cared for properly can be gigantic, expensive time bombs for unsuspecting home owners. Don’t just assume everything is good because the house has everything you wanted – what’s under the hood is extremely important.
We definitely recommend you take the step – largely because it doesn’t cost much and you’ll have the piece of mind that knowing that your home’s wastewater system will work as intended and you won’t get any surprises later on.
Here’s a few tips to make sure you know what you need to know:
1. Don’t just ask the seller – they might help, but that’s not enough
Every home is its own unique beast – full of both amenities and quirks – and getting to know both is an important aspect of owning your new home. However, sellers aren’t always honest – and definitely don’t expect their real estate agents to be honest, either.
Ask for maintenance and cleaning records, ask them about the history of the system, when it was installed and the like. If the tank is more than 25 years old, it’ll likely need to be replaced so keep that in mind!
2. Eyes don’t always lie
Do a visual inspection of the drainfield and the back yard. Notice anything suspicious? Any odd odors? If there’s standing water, you don’t need to be a professional to understand that there might be an issue.
Also walk through on your own. Check the toilets and drains. Do they flush quickly and seamlessly or does the water gurgle and go down the drain slowly? If so, it might mean there’s a deeper, underlying issue.
3. Invest in the camera inspection
Septic systems and really any wastewater system for that matter – is a real ‘guts of the house’ piece meaning that you really need to get under the hood of you new home in order to understand what’s going on. Hire a professional. Be thorough in your inspection. Like we said – your home is one of the most significant investments you’ll make. If you don’t have the time to do it right, you won’t have the time to do it over!
We hope you found today’s blog helpful. If you need help with lift stations, lift station maintenance or advice on your wastewater system, don’t hesitate to give us a call today. Until then -good luck!