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Septic Inspections

If you’re buying a home in Texas, you may very well be buying a septic system as well. A regular home inspector can not really tell you whether or not the septic system is in good working order. As part of your due diligence, I always recommend that you get a certified professional inspector early in the option period of the contract.

A house that has a private septic system it should definitely be inspected by a certified professional septic inspector. A standard home inspection will not include this. Some inspectors will provide a limited (visual only) inspection by running a few faucets for about 10 minutes or about 100 gallons. This will surge the system with an unusual amount of water. The inspector can then look for signs of leakage or odors. Some inspectors will even put a dye into the system to aid in spotting leakage. If leakage is present, then the system is in failure. If an odor is noted but no leakage, this is a sign that the tanks may need to be pumped and further inspection is advised.

You should have the underground parts of the system inspected. Each end of the tank should have an access cover. The cover can be removed for pumping and inspection of the baffles. Visually inspecting the tank will determine its size, the condition of the two baffles and whether it needs to be pumped out. If the inspection is being performed at the time of pumping the tank, the presence of a back flow from the field can be determined.

Very few inspectors offer a complete certified septic inspection. Therefore, you may want to have Simplex Inspections inspect the system as part of your home and property inspection. It is very common to have the seller pay for the pumping of the tank. This way you can start with an empty tank and an inspected system.

The 4 Major Components
A pipe that carries the waste to the septic tank.
A Septic Tank
A distribution "D" box.
A leaching field.

Illustration:

FREE ADVICE:
Have your tank pumped, cleaned and inspected by a Certified Professional Septic Inspector. Use this table to determine how often you should have your tank pumped and cleaned (figures in green represent average situations):

	Household size (number of people)
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9+
Tank Size (gallons)	Duration (in years) Between Pumping or Inspections
750	9.1	4.2	2.6	1.8	1.3	1.0	0.7	0.6	0.4
1,000	12.4	5.9	3.7	2.6	2.0	1.5	1.2	1.0	0.8
1,250	15.6	7.5	4.8	3.4	2.6	2.0	1.7	1.4	1.2
1,500	18.9	19.1	15.9	4.2	3.3	2.6	2.1	1.8	1.5
1,750	22.1	10.7	6.9	5.0	3.9	3.1	2.6	2.2	1.9
2,000	25.4	12.4	8.1	5.9	4.5	3.7	3.1	2.6	2.2
2,250	28.6	14.0	9.1	6.7	5.2	4.2	3.5	3.0	2.6
2,500	31.9	15.6	10.2	7.5	5.9	4.8	4.0	3.5	3.0

Common Causes of Failure
Neglecting to inspect and clean the septic tank regularly.
Lack of understanding on proper use of the system.
Poor soil conditions and/or faulty design or installation.
The signs of failure include high surface water in the leaching area, lush growth of grass, odor and waste water draining slowly from the bathroom or kitchen -- or even backing up into the house.

Useful Tips:
Have your tank pumped and inspected every two to three years.
Keep records of pumping and any repairs.
Conserve water and fix leaks.
Garbage grinders shorten the life of systems.
If your system wasn't designed for one don't use it.
Roof drains should not be located near your system.
If you don't know where your system is located contact the county ?
Department of Planning and Development to see if the information is available.
Keep a copy of the location with your home records.
Do not allow anyone to drive over your system.
Do not plant shrubs or trees over a septic system. Roots may cause damage.
Do not allow anyone to make repairs without a permit from the county Department of Planning and Development (this is required by law). It may cost a few extra dollars for the permit but it helps to protect the homeowner from poor quality work and provides an official record.