NO! …
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Says it all right there or up there. LOL
You don’t flood a septic system. You find the distribution box and then the field and dig out some test holes and find out what is there. Chambers, Pipe system and inspect the inside of the tank for scum levels. If you can not do that, Sub out the sewage system inspection with a full report.
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Matt the best thing you can do for your career is join InterNACHI and get a proper education before you continue to ruin any more property.
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I fail to see how this ruined any property…please explain
and explain what exactly would need to be repaired
Inspecting a septic system is typically an involved process. In my neck of the woods it actually costs more than a standard home inspection. If you’re giving your clients the false premise that you fully inspected their system you may open yourself for a lawsuit. Also running all the water at once is a bad idea and it unfortunately caught up to you today. You may be on the hook for the bill. Going above SOP is one thing most of us do but none of us run all the water at once and not for any length of time
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I will take that course
thanks
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Good luck. It is a good course.
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I dont run all the water supply points at once…
and I dont tell the clients anything other than I check for functional flow and drainage and I walk the leach field.
I’ve caught faulty leach fields in the past that were wet and smelled of sewage and saved my clients a bundle.
But it is easy enough for a seller to put some soil or sod over a faulty leach field in order to hide it…and then run the bare minimum of water for a week to hide the issue
especially for something that can cost thousands to repair.
so I do go check after running water in the house…which is impossible not to do when inspecting all of the water supply points/dishwasher, etc.
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Are you a INachi member?
When the home is on a septic system why don’t you just coordinate a separate septic inspection by a qualified person? That’s what we do in my area. Personally I wouldn’t feel comfortable basing anything on a wet leach field and smelly sewage and come to any accurate conclusion.
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Sounds dirty… for $200? no thanks!
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Septic inspections are separate in my business. I do run water to inspect every visible fixture, valve, supply line, and drain, but not the septic tank, system, or drain field unless hired to do the additional inspection. There are 5 levels of septic inspections levels 0-4. I am certified to do a level 2 septic inspection. Levels 3 and 4 are beyond the scope of an inspector. I charge $150 if done with a home inspection.
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Amen Larry! I flooded a bathroom last week…the tub and vanity sink drain backed up. Luckily the home had a bundle of towels and believe it or not, a floor fan! I got it cleaned up, laundered the towels, and left the floor fan run for a day. The buyers were there and said no big deal. The listing agent was cool with it and glad I got to it immediately to clean it up. Thing is, I went to an inspection conference last fall and heard those very same words…not to leave a running fixture unattended. I had been out checking the septic tank to verify my dye was going into the tank and not bypassing to a grey water system.
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Had a dishwasher drain leak a couple of years ago. As I was cleaning that up the buyer ran the dishwasher another two times to try and isolate the leak. What a mess. Since then I carry a rag mop for that type of cleanup. Haven’t gotten it out once.
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I also do up to level 2 septic. It is a good add-on for me. In my county 80% of the homes are on septic.
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I had one a couple of weeks ago. The clients and agent were wandering around the home and I was doing my thing.
I get to the kitchen and water is all over the floor and I can hear it still splashing. I look behind the frig and the line for the ice maker is not connected and spraying all over the place. The client and agent were in the basement and turned on one marked “icemaker” because when they looked at the frig the water dispenser didn’t work! We cleaned it up the best we could with rags and paper towels I had in my truck. I wrote up a quick document and had the client and agent sign it noting they turned it on! It had slightly stained the drop ceiling in the basement.
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Nothing a little spray of clorox can’t fix. LOL
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I am not…and see that I need to be to take that course…
I’m considering joining
You are True Value Home Inspection in NC?