While doinh a inspection it is important to look and report any trees or other type of extensive root system that is located within 10 feet of any component of the system. While walking around the house also keep an eye out for any other plumbing pipes or dishcharge outlet.
After locating all components, it is important to try to measure the depth of the scum and also the depth of the sludge. While measuring the depth of the sludge a key point to note is making sure the sludge line is with in 12 inches of the outlet baffle.
This is a recent inspection I was involved in. This septic was buried about 10 feet away from the house. There were no noticeable issues with the tank and its components. There was minimum sludge and a typical amount of clear liquid.
I gathered from my readings that you will need more than a metal rod to locate the septic tank. I have found during inspections that its extremely hard to locate the openings or lids without the right tools. Ensure you get the right tools for the right job.
a single compartment septic tank is one of a varity of septic tanks. They have an inlet and outlet cover plus a center man hole to access the tank. Inside the tank is made up of three layers of waste water. The top layer is the scum,below the scum is the clear water layer, and below the clear water is the sludge layer. There is also a baffle or filter to prevent solids from entering the absorbtion field.
Filter
Filters are added to the outlet pipe inside the septic tank. The filter catches and stops any solids from leaving the tank. This prevents solids from plugging the absorbtion field. Filters should be pulled and cleaned every 5 years or as often as recommended by a septic inspector.
This home is equipped with an on site waste water treatment system (septic). The picture is of the septic tank, located 45 degrees off the corner of the home at 8" depth indicated by dry grass, metal detector and as-built plans. This system is a year old and appears to function as expected.
The article I chose to read was “What Happens When Your Inspection Report Gets Recycled?” This subject truly is the bane of an Inspectors existence but, can be turned around to a positive when the buyer calls to talk about the report and you inform them that the report is now an inaccurate assessment of the homes possible condition, that you can only discuss w/ the client that paid for it and that you would be happy to set up an appt. to come out & do an inspection for them!
“septic” is used to describe all types of systems (anaerobic and aerobic). The term “septic” is a commonly used term to describe all types of septic systems and components, even though it should only be used when describing anaerobic systems. The term “septic” actually refers to the anaerobic bacterial environment that exists in the treatment tank, which decomposes the waste discharged into the tank.
septic system A typical septic system has four main components: a pipe from the home, a septic tank, a drain-field, and the soil. Microbes in the soil digest and remove most contaminants from wastewater before it eventually reaches groundwater. The septic tank is a buried, watertight container typically made of concrete, fiberglass, or polyethylene.
The hot tub at this home was recently emptied into the drain system of the home. Since the home has a septic sewer system the volume of water as well as the chemicals in the water have created a need to have the tank serviced and pumped
The article that describes the three photos that every inspector should include at the end of an inspection is a reminder that we can be accused of a plumbing leak that may not have been the inspectors fault. Without proof the inspector may be liable for the cost of a plumbing repair
A septic tank is a watertight chamber made of concrete, fiberglass, PVC or plastic, through which domestic wastewater flows for primary treatment. The term “septic” refers to the anaerobic bacterial environment that develops in the tank which decomposes or mineralizes the waste discharged into the tank. Septic tanks can be coupled with other onsite wastewater treatment units such as biofilters or aerobic systems involving artificially forced aeration.
Septic tanks are self-contained sewage depositories. In areas where municipal sewage systems don’t reach, septic tanks are buried in the ground not far from a home’s sewage outlet. A pipe drains all wastewater from the home to the septic tank, where human waste and other matter settle to the bottom of the tank while the grey and black water (terms that describe the types of waste water) filter through the tank and into a drain field. Septic tanks rely upon aerobic bacteria to break the waste down. Septic tanks and sewage systems similar to septic tanks have been around for a long time.
When a toilet is connected to an anaerobic (septic) system, care has to be taken with what is flushed and what isn’t. Nothing that is not human waste should be flushed down a toilet, to prevent unnecessary strain on the system.
Composting toilets are a great option for homes with septic systems, or even in large urban buildings in some cases. While they require more work than a standard flush toilet (work that can be unpleasant if a composting system isn’t working properly), the advantages to the environment as well as practical advantages in some cases make composting toilet systems a great alternative.
I found out that the criteria for estimating the volume of sanitary sewage from private residential sources was pretty easy to determine. The minimum volume for any dwelling or apartment is 350 gallons per day. When calculating for larger houses the first bedroom is always 200 gallons per bedroom is 150 gallons per day and each additional. This is pretty much the golden standard across the country.
Septic System Inspections, by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard helped broaden my understanding of this course. Even though this article is packed with information I will only hit a few key points. A septic system should be inspected at least once a year or when the home is place on the market for sale. Contact your local health and zoning agencies if home owner does not know where the septic system is. If its an old system it might not have any records on file with city or county agencies, so contact the previous homeowner. Newer tanks contain risers that rise visibly above the ground surface. You can use a thin metal rod to insert into the ground and use to probe the suspected area just be careful as this could damage some system components. Baffles are inserted into outlet tees that slow wastewater to ensure the breakdown of solids, and prevent their release into the drainfield. The article also gave many tips for what inspectors should look for while inspecting a septic system, as well as maintenance tips and precautions. I would recommend reading this article to anyone taking the septic inspection course or thinking about taking the course.
The tank illustrated in this drawing has failed due to it’s maintenance not being done. The pipe is clogged by the scum layer indicating it needs pumping and it is not sending clear effluents to the leaching field. Recommend pumping and further evaluation.
Inspection Reports: Present or Past Tense? is the article I read for this exercise. I really never have given much thought to this in the past. It opened my eyes to some situations that MIGHT have the opportunity to bite me in the rear so in the future I will work at changing to standardizing most evaluations to reflect the past tense.