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Sources of Information about your particular system * go back to the FAQS Table of Contents What can a prospective purchaser of a home do to gather as much information as possible relative to the present condition of a system and about possible future expenses associated with the septic system? Here are a few suggestons: Obtain Information from the present property owner - Ask for any drawings regarding the actual location (an "as-built drawing) of the existing septic system. - Ask for the records regarding maintenance of the system; Has the septic tank been pumped at a frequency of at least 3 to 5 years?; What pumping contractor was used?; If the system contains a pump. how often has it been maintained?; If major repairs have been made, when and to what extent? - Ask about the past performance of the system. Have any of the symptoms described earlier manifested during the life of the system? Do a Site Inspection of the Property - Once the locations of the septic tank and leaching fields are known, walk over the entire area and observe whether there is any evidence of a sewage overflow condition. Greener grass in the leaching area may not necessarily indicate a system problem. If, however the area is completely saturated and odorous you should be very concerned. It most likely indicates an active failure. - Try to get a sense of how natural conditions are effectng the capacity of the property to disperse water. Is the sewage disposal area located In a depression which would have a tendency to collect run-off of rain water? Is the lot flat? Is there a water course of wetland (swamp) near the leaching system? Is the system virtually at the same elevation as nearby wetlands? Are there steep slopes and/or ledge outcrops which reduce the available area for leaching purposes? All of the above factors could indicate that the existing system will experience difficulty or, that there may not be much additional area suitable for sewage disposal on the lot if needed in the future. Go to Town Health Department to Review the Property's File - Ask the town sanitarian to review the file with you. Is there enough information in it for him/her to give you an opinion on how the existing system and/or lot meets present health code requirements? - Ask for the records regarding maintenance of the system; Has the septic tank been pumped at a frequency of at least 3 to 5 years? What pumping contractor was used? If the system contains a pump, how often has it been maintained?; If major repairs have been made, when and to what extent? - Your goal is to, confirm and supplement information received from the property owner. - Obtain guidelines concerning the proper maintenance of a subsurface sewage disposal system. - If you are contemplating an addition to the home or plan on renovating an unfinished basement discuss the possibilities with the sanitarian and determine the procedures you would have to follow to accomplish your plans. In wm cases it will not be possible to "enalrge" an existing home. - Ask about the general neighborhood, the frequency of repairs, ability to install proper size repair systems, average life of systems in the area, etc. Obtain Additional Information from Outside Sources 12. Presently many home sales are contingent upon a home Inspection. Part of the inspection usually includes a test of the existing septic system. [Note: Septic Tests are beyond the scope of a professional home inspection but are offered as an additional for-fee service by most home inspectors who serve areas where private systems are common.] Unfortunately many of the people performing these tests do not have a complete understanding of how a systems function. Therefore, the conclusions reached from these tests are often misleading. Three common septic tests performed during home inspections are: 1. The Dye Test is used to trace the movement of septc tank effluent into the leaching system. The theory is that if the dye "surfaces" to the ground or appears in a brook or catch-asin the system is in trouble. Although this is indeed true, the opposite result does not necessarily mean the system is - functioning or will function properly In the future. In order for the dye to appear it must flow through the septic tank and leaching fields prior to arriving at the breakout point. This usually would take a large amount of water and sufficient time to occur, and most home Inspections do not last long enough to fulfill this requirement. [Webmaster note: This opinion of the Health Department is not entirely accurate. National data collected among professional home inspectors between 1985 and 1995 indicated that a significant number of inspectors performing dye tests discovered total failure of the septic system within 20 to 30 minutes of beginning testing. We agree that a dye test is by no means a complete test of a system, that the other measures suggested here are extremely valuable, and that the volume of water used is critical: too little or too much can both be serious mistakes. If a wet area or soggy area is present, dye has been found to appear in the short time indicated. However beware: NYS DEC has found dye appearing in nearby streams as late as five days following a septic dye test in cases where effluent migrates through considerable ground area before entering a stream.] 2. Probe Test is a procedure whereby the Inspector attempts to locate the "key" elements of the system (septic tank3 and leach fields) and determine if they are experiencing hydraulic distress (meaning the septic tank and fields are flooded). This test is basically inaccurate since it only takes a single "snapshot the condition of the system. It may be a "good" day for the system (very little water was used by the homeowner that day; the house may have been empty for some time; it may be the middle of the summer when soil conditions are at their besq and a judgment is being made with very little long term information. [Webmaster note: Further, there is little assurance that the probing is done in the area where a problem is present; finally, components may be damaged by over-aggressive probing.] 3. The flooding "test" is actually the process of discharging a vast amount of water into the existing system. Depending on the number of fixtures ublized, an additional 500 to 1,000 gallons of water can enter the ' system during the course of an Inspection. The inspector then examines the leaching area to observe any signs of an "overflow condition." If none is noted, it is assumed the system is functioning property. This type of test is most disturbing since it can actually do harm to the system by "artificially" flooding the septic tank and fields. This could lead to suspended solids escaping the tank, causing increased clogging to the leaching fields. Also, the results of such a test can be misleading in that the prior use of the system (both over and under utilization) will have a direct bearing on the outcome of the "test." [Webmaster note: the opinion that an inspector injects 500 to 1,000 gallons of water contradicts the earlier DOH opinion that it is impossible to inject significant volumes of water into a system during a typical 3 hour home inspection. The earlier opinion was correct for most cases, especially where a private water supply rather than municipal is available. We strongly advise against attempting flooding tests as in cases where the type of septic system is unknown it is possible to damage or even destroy the system leading to very costly and previously unnecessary repairs. The Septic Information Website describes appropriate procedures for performing various septic tests based on a national survey of inspection and engineering practices.] 13. Use of Soil Conservation Service County Soil Maps (through the town sanitarian), try to identify the type of soil most likely present on the site in order to predict the feasibility of future repairs to the existing leaching system. 14. Talk to neighbors about the general performance of septic systems In the area and specifically the system on the property you're Interested In. However, this is suggested only for those comfortable approaching this subject with strangers and with the realization that the information gathered may not be totally factual for various reasons (devaluation of their own property; not wanting to spoil the sale of a friendly neighbor, etc.) 15. Hire your own consultant either a professional engineer [who is specifically familiar with septic system design and repair]or, licensed septic system installer, who performs a great deal of work in the particular town. They can give you advise as to the condition of the soils and septic systems In the area and what might be expected (especially pertaining to costs) if/when you find problems with the existing system. 16. Obtain water meter readings (if the home is serviced by a municipal water suppy) to determine what the present occupants of the hme are utilizing. Then compare those results with what your family is presently using. If your family Is using significantly more water than the former ompants you may be asking for trouble if the sewage system is undersized by today's standards. This text was copied (and edited and supplemented) from a public document provided by the CT State DOH |
