Have Your Septic Inspected

Types of Septic Inspections

The  4  basic  types of septic re-inspection are as follows:

1. Full inspection –all lids off –tank inspected both full and empty ( pump out during inspection)
   • This type of inspection is the best. Typical results are that 45-50% of systems need some type of remediation with only a small % (usually 3-5%) needing full replacement
2. As above –only inspect tank at current level –no pump out during inspection
   • Close to the option # 1 but can miss a lot –for instance
     • if cracks are starting in the tank walls they will not be seen if the tank is partially to completely full
     • the inspector will also not be able to determine how thick the sludge layer at the bottom is-this is a key indicator
     • if the tank has recently been pumped the inspector cannot determine the level of fluid relative to the outtake pipe –this is one of the key indicators of problems
3. Paperwork plus site visit ( No lifting of the lids) ( this is what Algonquin Highlands did approx. 10 years ago) may find 3-5% of less than optimal performance
   • Considerably less effective than options 1 or 2as most problems are found inside the tank
     • Missing baffles
     • Lids crumbling
     • Fluid level above or well below the outtake pipe
4. Paperwork only -will only determine if the location has a permit