Selling a House with a Septic System

To find out if you need to have a septic inspection before a sale, check with your county's health department. Completing your own pre-inspection can also help you identify any issues.

If the seller knows of any issues with the septic system , the law requires them to disclose it to the buyer. If the seller doesn't disclose the information and the buyer finds out, a pricey lawsuit could be in order.

Sellers and buyers alike wonder whose responsibility it is to repair a damaged septic system. It typically falls on the seller's shoulders to repair the septic system, but you can negotiate costs as part of the deal.

Buying a House with a Septic System

If you are purchasing a house with a septic system, you'll want to know the answers to a few questions:

How old is the house?

• When was the septic tank last inspected and pumped?
• Have you had any back-ups or standing water issues over the septic tank?
• Have there been any repairs on the septic tank?
• You'll also want to make sure a third-party inspector completes a thorough inspection. It may be tempting to get an inspector that will go through the inspection quickly and sign off with a gold star. But that could result in you purchasing a house with a bunch of problems down the road.

Septic systems are highly efficient, as long as you maintain them properly. Do your due diligence by getting regular, professional septic inspections and pumping your septic system regularly. You can also maintain it by not putting any non-biodegradable or hazardous chemicals down your drain.

For information or to make an appointment, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: listwithclever.com

Septic systems can last up to 25 years — or indefinitely in rare cases. It completely depends on the maintenance of the system. If you get regular inspections and make repairs as needed, your concrete septic tank can last longer than a lifetime.

Should I repair or replace my septic system?

Here are a few things to look out for.

Puddles in Your Yard

If there is standing water in your yard over your septic system, it's a good idea to get an inspector over there to check it out. Make sure to keep yourself and your animals away from the water, as it could be toxic.

Backups h4

If you are experiencing a high level of plumbing backups, it's a sign that something is wrong with your septic system. It could be something as easy as a tiny repair, or as extensive as a tank replacement. Either way, you need an inspector to figure that out.

Healthy Grass

If your grass is greener over your septic area than it is in other parts of your yard, it's time to check your septic system. When a septic system begins to fail, it puts more water out into the ground which can enrich your plant life but can be dangerous for people.

Results of an Inspection

If your inspection turns up contaminated well water or irreparable damage to the septic tank itself, you will probably need a new system.

How to Maintain Your Septic System

You can make sure your septic system lasts longer by making sure to never flush tampons, paper towels, baby wipes, or really any foreign objects that cannot break down easily in your septic system.

Use a garbage disposal, if you have one, to help break down any food that will clog the pipes. Make sure you never put grease down the sink, as that can clog up the septic tank.

Find a laundry detergent that's safe for septic systems as well.

Small amounts of bleach are okay to have in your septic tank, but never flush medication, anti-freeze or harmful chemicals, as they damage the bacteria in your septic system which creates issues down the road.

If you have a sump pump, make sure that it is not hooked up to the septic system. Sump pumps put too much water into the septic system which can have adverse effects on how it breaks down the waste.

For information or to make an appointment, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: listwithclever.com

Before purchasing a house, prospective buyers usually hire an inspector to complete an home inspection. The inspection often includes inspecting the structure of the house and checking for any pests. One of the most important aspects of the house is the .

Septic inspections are crucial for your health and that of anyone else living in your home, so homeowners should make sure to schedule them regularly. However, because septic systems are buried in the ground, they're often the last thing on many homeowners' minds — until something goes wrong.

Here's everything that you'll want to know about your septic inspection when you are looking to buy or sell your house.

How often should you get a septic inspection?

You should get your septic tank inspected at least every three to five years. The inspection usually lands around the time that you should also have a professional septic tank pumping service pump the tank. Pumping the septic tank is necessary to keep your septic tank healthy and in satisfactory working order.

Despite what experts recommend, many homeowners wait much longer than five years to have their septic tank inspected. Many wait until something goes wrong to have the septic inspectors over. At that point, inspectors will often recommend you repair or replace your septic system, which can cost thousands of dollars.

Getting a regular inspection and pumping will not only save you money from needing a major repair, but it will also help deter any unwanted surprises if you decide to sell your house later.

How is a septic inspection done?

There are two types of septic inspections.

Visual Inspections

When buying or selling a house, the home inspector will usually complete a visual inspection.

A visual inspection involves asking a few questions, such as how old the house is, how often the owner pumps the septic system, and when the last inspection was. The inspector will then flush all the toilets and run all the water in the house to make sure the water pressure is up to par and everything is draining properly. Finally, the inspector will go out to the drain field to make sure there is no standing water, which can indicate a cesspool.

A visual inspection is helpful and quick, but a full inspection can really tell you the real story behind the health of the septic system.

Full Inspections

A full inspection includes everything a visual inspection includes, but it also goes the extra mile. This inspection is the one you'll want to get done every three to five years.

In a full inspection, inspectors will remove the cover to the septic tank and check the water level. The water level can or show whether the water is draining properly. The inspector will then run water in the house to make sure it is properly flowing from the house to the septic tank, and to make sure the water level within the tank does not rise when they introduce more water.

The inspector may use a dye test during this part of their inspection. In a dye test, the inspector will introduce dye into the water that is being drained to see how much of it enters the septic tank.

From there, the septic tank will get pumped and the inspector will check for any backflow from the absorption area. The backflow level tells the inspector if there is a problem with your drain field. The flow level is then checked again to make sure every aspect of the septic system is in working order and there are no blockages.

How much do septic inspections cost?

Septic inspection costs vary depending on the detail with which they inspect the tank and the size of the tank, but for a 1,000-1,500 gallon tank, a full inspection typically runs between $300 and $600. .

Keep in mind that the cost may vary based on the person or company inspecting your septic system. Qualified inspectors will have licenses in several areas through their state and on a national level.

For information or to make an appointment, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

listwithclever.com

The responsibility to pay for septic repairs typically falls to the seller. However, repairs of any kind found at inspection are generally negotiable. Contract terms usually dictate the course of action, but sellers may have such options as doing the repairs themselves, splitting repair costs with the buyer, giving the buyer a closing credit equal to the amount of the repairs, or refusing to do anything. If an agreement on repairs isn't reached, the buyer does have the legal right to walk away from the transaction.

Don't forget about disclosure

In all states, sellers are required to disclose any known problems with a home to potential buyers. If there's a septic issue after closing that the sellers knew about, they will be liable for the entire cost of the repairs.

For that reason, it's good practice for all sellers to perform their own septic system inspection. That way, the seller is protected from any future septic issues after the closing.

For information or to make an appointment, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: realtor.com

Septic tank size is typically determined by the number of bedrooms your home has. This is used as a way to estimate how much water will flow through the system daily. Generally, the larger the system, the higher the cost.

Two Bedrooms

A two-bedroom house requires a septic system with a minimum of a 750-gallon septic tank. However, in many municipalities, a 1,000-gallon tank is the smallest size allowed.

Three Bedrooms

A three-bedroom house will need a minimum of a 1,000-gallon water tank, which regularly handles about 360 gallons of water per day.

Four Bedrooms

A four-bedroom home requires a larger tank with a minimum volume of 1,250 gallons. It handles around 480 to 600 gallons of water per day.

For information or to make an appointment, contact Morse Engineering and Construction

Source: homeserve.com

There's no way around it -- installing a new septic system is expensive. This can be even more painful if you discover that you need to install a new septic system while you're in the process of selling your house. And unfortunately, there's no generic answer to how much a septic system will cost. The only sure way to find out is to get a number of competing quotes.

Septic systems will vary in price depending on a few different factors such as material costs, the company which you hire to install the system, the area in which you live and the type of septic system which you have installed. In general, gravity-powered conventional septic systems are the least expensive.

Concrete septic tanks are generally cheaper than high density polyethylene tanks -- though they won't last as long. Other types of septic systems such as aerobic tank systems cost substantially more, as they require more complicated electrical pumps and alarms.

Other Costs

A quick call to your Town Hall should provide you with the costs for any permits you will need during the process.

The best approach to estimating your costs is to get on the phone with your friends and neighbors. Find out who had a septic system installed, and which septic companies they used. Local realtors are also likely to provide a wealth of information on this topic, as they have likely dealt with home sellers who needed to have a septic system replaced.

To schedule an appointment or for more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

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Whether you're installing a septic system in a new home, it is a costly and potentially stressful job. This post deals with the process of installing a conventional gravity-powered septic system.

Installing a septic tank is not a task to undertake lightly. There are regulatory issues that must be addressed, you'll often have to get a permit from your local town, and there are plumbing and environmental issues to consider. You'll want to work closely with a septic company -- if you haven't chosen one, now is a good time to choose a septic contractor.

Evaluating Your Site

Your septic contractor will begin by determining how large of a drainage field and septic tank you need. This decision will be influenced by an estimate of how much wastewater your house is likely to produce (generally based on the number of bedrooms), and by an analysis of the soil in your yard. There are a couple of different tests that septic designers use.

Installing the holding tank

Before choosing the location to install your septic tank, your septic contractor will need to check local regulations and the soil quality. Most municipalities require tanks and leaching fields to be located a minimum distances from houses, wells, streams, etc. The size of your septic system will depend as well on how many bedroom you house has (including any you plan to add down the road!) Since septic tanks are stored below ground, tank installation generally requires a backhoe to dig an adequate hole. Inlet and outlet pipes must also be planned for an laid during initial installation.

Installing the leaching field

The size of your leaching field depends on a number of factors, including the size of your septic tanks, the type and absorptive capacity of your soil, and the particular technology that you've chosen to absorb the wastewater. Again, your contractor can help you through this process.

The exact location of your leaching field within your yard will vary, based on a number of factors, including local regulations, the slope of your yard and your home's location on that slope, and the composition of the soil in different parts of the yard.

Other Issues to Consider

If you're installing a concrete septic tank, don't forget that they are immensely heavy, weighing up to 10 tons! The company delivering the tank will likely do so on a large truck and require a crane to remove the tank.

To schedule an appointment or for more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

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Where is the opening to my Septic Tank?

If it's time to have your septic tank cleaned this is a critical issue! It can get tricky, because the opening is typically buried several feet under the ground! It's no fun digging multiple holes in a yard, hoping to get lucky and hit the septic tank. If you have a septic system, but don't know where the opening is, go through the documents you received when you purchased your home. If you're lucky, the previous owner included a map. If not, can you get a hold of the previous owner? How about calling around to the different septic contractors that maintain systems in your town and try to find the one that serviced your home before you owned it?

How often does my Septic Tank need to be cleaned?

How often you need to clean your septic tank depends on a few factors, like how many people live in your household and how large your septic tank is. The general answer is 1-3 years. Most home owners usually have their septic tank cleaned every two years, this kind of steady, regular maintenance will help keep you trouble free.

Why should I bother cleaning my Septic Tank?

Think of all of the wastewater that is used in your home. You have wastewater from the toilet, and water that goes down the drain from when you cook and clean or even run the garbage disposal. It is full of food and grease and bugs and all of those things you will never (and hope never) to see again. Some of this matter accumulates at the bottom of the tank or gets stuck floating near the top, lessening the capacity of your septic tank and increasing your water bill.

The septic tank is cleaned by pumping all of the sludgy matter out of the tank to be hauled away and disposed of elsewhere.

For more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

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A is a necessary procedure, especially for prospective homebuyers who are interested in a particular property and wish to determine if the septic system is working properly. Most septic inspections are done in a non-invasive manner, which means that the inspector does not need to dig up the septic tank and system parts in order to determine that it is working properly. Although septic inspections will vary from company to company, there are a few general steps which many septic inspectors follow in their inspections.

Basic Steps of a Non-Invasive Septic Inspection

The first step in a basic inspection is to examine the liquid level inside of the septic system access areas. After an initial review of the liquid level, the water is turned on in the home and left to run for a specified period of time in order to have the liquid fill up. The inspector will then check the access pipes as well as the absorption area surrounding the septic system. When inside of the home, the septic system inspector will flush toilets, run water and identify drain lines to determine how the drainage system is set up.

Defects may be noticed by the inspector in the way of too much water seepage in the absorption area or a liquid level which is too high. The inspector will make note of these potential defects and alert the prospective buyers of anything that appears to be concerning in nature. The inspector will be able to provide information to the buyer which can help them to determine whether or not the septic system is in faulty working order and to what extent. Based upon the information gathered by the septic system inspector along with the personal judgment of the buyers, the future potential homeowners must decide if going ahead with the purchase is a wise idea or if the possibly faulty septic system is too much for them to handle.

To schedule an appointment or for more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

Source: septic.com

Site Evaluation: There are two considerations to "perc test" or site evaluation: 1) the soil type and 2) projected sewage usage. To determine your projected sewer usage, please check with your local health department or regulator agency. Please keep in mind, the site evaluation is done with a backhoe.

Soil Classification: Soil classification is determined by the US Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Classification System. The importance of soil classification should not be underestimated. If the soil is inaccurately classified, it could cause unnecessary delays and expense. Please consult with a soil expert before proceeding with your septic system design project.

Designing a Septic System: Hire a septic system design engineer to design a septic system based on your house or building's plan; this will help to ensure that the septic system design meets all local regulations.

Department of Health Evaluation: In most states, the Department of Health is the agency that regulates septic systems. This agency also reviews and approves and/or denies septic system design plans. The engineer that designed your septic system will have to not only submit the designs, but also the soil classification results and the "perc test" or site evaluation in order for the plans to be considered for approval.

Approval: Congratulations! Your septic system design has been approved. If you followed the proper septic system design procedures, you should hear those words. If approved, the septic system engineer should give you a copy of the approved designs.

Now you have a basic understanding of the process for designing a septic system.

To schedule an appointment or for more information, contact Morse Engineering and Construction.

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