Septic Inspections:An Opportunity for One in Every Five Homes

Quick Summary: Home inspectors offer septic inspections to protect clients from surprise damage, costly repairs, contamination risks, and liability. This article explains how septic systems work, what home inspectors look for during a septic inspection, what investments these services require, and how to protect your business from septic inspector insurance claims.

One California family was six months into owning their new home when they experienced the shock of a surprise septic system. Just off the deck and below their son’s bedroom, the family had found a rotten, wooden cover box. A putrid liquid was overflowing from the decaying cover. At a loss, they texted the seller.

“Uh oh,” the seller texted back. “That’s the old septic tank.”

No one had disclosed the septic tank. 

Worse yet, the tank wasn’t properly abandoned. It had continued filling with waste from the kitchen to the point of overflowing. Plus, in order to service the old tank, the family would have to tear up their front deck, leave their home for several weeks, and miss work. 

They blamed the sellers and their home inspector for not informing them about the system.

“This is something that certainly would have been [known] by the sellers and should have been found by the inspection company,” their attorney wrote in a formal letter.

Stories like these aren’t rare. When septic systems go unnoticed, they can be a costly and disruptive blow to homeowners. And yet, as part of a concealed system or defect, septic system inspections are out of scope, particularly without proper disclosure, as this home inspector experienced. 

Though the inspector was deemed not liable in this case, it highlights an important point: septic system inspection awareness can be essential to protecting your business and your clients.

Understanding the Septic System

Section Summary: Residential septic systems remove pollutants from waste water for homes outside the centralized public sewer system. When septic systems fail, they can pose a health risk to residents, neighbors, and surrounding wildlife. That liability is why it’s important to recommend routine septic system inspections.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 20 percent of households in the nation have septic systems, and about a third of all new development uses septic or other decentralized treatment systems. 

Septic systems treat and dispose of wastewater from houses and businesses in suburban or rural areas not serviced by centralized public sewer systems, the EPA says. Also known as individual onsite or small community cluster systems, these systems treat wastewater produced by kitchens, showers, laundry, and bathrooms. Their primary components include the drain line leading from the home, the septic tank, the distribution box, and the leach or drain field. 

If properly maintained, septic systems are integral to removing pollutants and keeping residents healthy. If they aren’t maintained, they can cost thousands of dollars to repair or replace and pose a health risk. 

Septic System Dangers

Septic health matters for homeowners and their surrounding communities. 

As the Georgia Department of Public Health explains in their “Homeowner’s Guide to Septic Systems,” malfunctioning septic systems can contaminate surface and groundwater, including drinking and swimming water for people and animals. That contaminated water can expose people to harmful pathogens like parasites, bacterial diseases, and viruses like Hepatitis A.

Why is a septic system inspection important?

Many home inspectors are wary of what’s lurking beyond the confines of their visual examination. Buried in the ground, septic systems can be one of the last things sellers and buyers consider during real estate transactions. But they don’t have to be. 

Because the responsibility to test and maintain septic systems falls on the property owners, having a septic report prior to investing in a home can help buyers feel prepared and informed. 

With upfront and routine septic home inspections, you can help homeowners reduce their risk of malfunctions. That means potentially avoiding $5,000 to $15,000 system repairs and replacements, costly legal liability, sicknesses among their families and neighbors, and contamination to the surrounding environment, the EPA says.

As such, you stand to make a significant impact on your clients’ wellbeing should you decide to offer septic inspections. And you could make an extra few hundred bucks in the process.

What Home Inspectors Look for During a Septic Inspection

Section Summary: Septic inspections involve locating and evaluating the system’s components for red flags, such as signs of leaks, blockages, and corrosion.

A typical septic inspection process starts with finding the septic tank and leach field. 

How to Find a Septic Tank on a Property

If you’ve been hired for a septic system inspection, but the buyers and sellers aren’t sure where to find it, there are tools and methods for locating them. For example, some inspectors may use metal detectors to find metal components, says the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI).

From there, the inspector will typically evaluate the conditions of the tank, pipes, baffles, and leach field. 

What a Septic Inspection Covers

What does a septic inspection entail? 

During a septic tank survey, inspectors report if the tank needs to be pumped, which is essential for preventing backups and overflows, LunsPro Inspection Group explains. Some may perform a dye test and probe the drain field as part of a leach field inspection. They’ll check how much liquid is in the tank and look for signs of leaks, blockages, or corrosion, says Wind River Environmental.

According to InterNACHI, septic inspections might also involve checking the sludge level at the bottom of the tank using specialized septic inspection tools, evaluating if the system is adequately sized for the home, inspecting sewage levels around the baffles, and looking for liquid waste on the ground surface.

Septic Inspection Red Flags for Home Inspectors

Some red flags during a septic tank assessment may include:

• Excessive liquid in the tank.
• Insufficient records of septic inspections, maintenance, and pumping.
• Dangerous buildup of sludge on the bottom of the tank, a possible sign of poor pumping and a red flag for future flooding.
• Tanks and leach fields that are close to other water sources, like wells.
• Foul odors around the pipes, tank, or drain field, which could indicate a leak.
• Slow-draining toilets and sinks.
• Deteriorating septic tank lid.
• Standing water, particularly around the drain field.
• Cracks or other signs of damage in the tank and pipes.
• A dye test during a home inspection revealing dye in the drain field or outside the tank, explains Pro-Spect.
• Sewage levels significantly higher or lower than the top of the baffles, potentially indicating a leak or blockage, InterNACHI says in their guide.

Why Home Inspectors Offer Septic Inspections

Section Summary: Home inspectors offer septic system inspections when such systems are common in their region, to make more money from a routine ancillary service, and to protect clients from expensive repair and replacement costs.

If septic systems are common in your area, residential septic inspections can add revenue and value to your business. 

More specifically, home inspectors typically offer septic inspections in response to regional demand, the need for routine septic tank inspections, and the hope of saving their clients money. 

1. Septic systems are more prevalent in their area.

Does every house have a septic tank? No. The distribution and density of septic systems varies widely by region and state, reports the U.S. Bureau of the Census to the EPA.

While septic systems service only 10 percent of California properties, the systems service 55 percent in Vermont. Indeed, New England has the highest proportion of homes served by septic systems, with many states reporting about half of homes being served by individual systems. The southeastern states, too, depend on septic systems, with more than 40 percent of North Carolina, Kentucky, and South Carolina homes using such systems.

Inspectors living in regions that rely on these systems may offer septic inspections to meet demand.

2. Septic systems require regular inspections.

The EPA recommends that homeowners get septic system inspections at least every three years. Additionally, some regions and states, like Massachusetts, have specific requirements that mandate septic inspections during real estate transactions. 

Such regulations enable inspectors to tack septic inspections onto their standard home inspections and provide more frequent ancillary services. What’s more, state laws requiring septic inspections may give inspectors more material to argue the value of pre-listing inspections to sellers.

3. Identifying septic issues early can save clients money.

Whether your client is a buyer, seller, or homeowner, providing them with current information about the property’s septic system helps. 

If your inspection identifies issues early, your client can save thousands of dollars in repair or replacement costs. And even if you catch problems that have already developed, you’re still providing your client with valuable information that will inform their real estate transaction and potentially lead to necessary improvements.

Investments Inspectors Make for Septic System Inspections

Section Summary: Before offering septic inspections, home inspectors should ensure they have correct state-specific licensing. They should also pursue training to expand their knowledge, invest in equipment like dye tests for home inspections and sludge sampling tools, and get an insurance endorsement.

As with most ancillary services, home inspectors invest in licensure, training, equipment, and endorsements before offering septic inspections.

Licensure

Most states do not require a septic inspection license. But some jurisdictions, like Missouri, do. Check your state and local laws to see if your area requires licensure and how to obtain a septic inspection license.

Training

Even if training is not required in your state, taking courses to increase your knowledge of septic systems is wise. By pursuing knowledge, you qualify yourself to perform better septic inspections, generate more credibility in the field, and mitigate potential claims.

Equipment

Lucky for prospective septic inspectors, you don’t need any equipment to perform a septic inspection. However, some inexpensive equipment can make it easier to verify the water level, run water flow tests, and check for backflow from the absorption area. 

For those inspectors interested in flushing dye down the system to confirm from where water originates, they may purchase dye kits for less than $20. Besides dye tests for home inspections, you might invest in tools to locate septic tanks and components, like the ones InterNACHI describes. Some inspectors also use a soil sampler probe or even a shovel for the leach field inspection, as well as sludge sampling tools to measure sludge levels.

Endorsements

Do septic inspectors have insurance endorsements? Absolutely, endorsements are crucial for anyone looking to offer septic system inspections.

An endorsement is a form that either modifies or adds coverage to your insurance policy. Some home inspection insurance policies exclude additional services like septic inspections. Thus, without proper endorsements for services not included in a standard inspection, a policy may not cover claims arising from those services. 

If you perform septic inspections or want defense and indemnity for septic inspector insurance claims, you may wish to modify your policy with an endorsement. 

Typically, insurers charge a flat, annual fee around $100 for a septic endorsement. With InspectorPro, you can purchase endorsements for mold, radon, pest, septic, pool, code, lead, and carbon monoxide for one, lower price. Learn more about insurance endorsements for home inspectors here.

Limiting Your Liability

Section Summary: To protect yourself from septic inspector insurance claims, InspectorPro recommends tailoring the scope of your pre-inspection agreements and getting them signed before every inspection, septic inspection or otherwise. Also, protect yourself and others from falls and health hazards and avoid jumping to conclusions about your septic home inspection findings.

Below are some suggestions on how you can safeguard your business while performing septic inspections.

Tailor the scope of your pre-inspection agreement.

Your contract should include your inspection scope: the provision that defines the purpose of your inspection, which standards you follow, and what your service includes. 

It’s used to set expectations for standard inspection services. But what if your scope deviates from a standard home inspection, like when you’re performing a septic system inspection?

Always remember to tailor your pre-inspection agreement to accommodate your changing scope. If you’re offering a standard inspection with a septic inspection added on, you can adjust your scope with a contract addendum. If you’re performing a septic inspection only, you’ll need a separate service agreement.

Reviewing and adjusting your agreement for every inspection ensures you’re getting the most out of its protection. For more information about custom home inspection contracts for separate services, read our guide.

Get your pre-inspection agreement signed ahead of time.

For most of you, getting a contract signed is second nature. But are you getting it signed prior to the inspection, 100 percent of the time? 

If not, you’re in jeopardy of losing your insurance coverage and gaining a potential lawsuit. Make the “pre” in “pre-inspection agreement” a priority by making sure your clients sign prior to every inspection.

Learn more about the importance of getting your contract signed ahead of time in our article “Your Pre-Inspection Agreement: Signatures.” Or explore 12 ways to get your signatures signed before every inspection.

Protect yourself and others from potential health hazards.

By nature, septic systems contain dangerous waste and noxious fumes that pose potential health risks. 

Never put yourself in a position that puts yourself in harm’s way during a septic inspection. Don’t enter a septic tank—even to look for cracks. Additionally, be cautious of unstable tanks that might collapse, and never pump or remove waste yourself.

Additionally, follow Gary Youness of House To Home Complete Structure & Property Inspections, LLC in Michigan’s advice to protect you, your team, and any passerby from falling into the tank during septic inspections.

“Once the flow test starts, the inlet cover is replaced. Then a plywood cutout is placed over each exit side, and the exit cover is placed on that for weight,” Youness said. “This reduces the risk of anyone falling into the tank, like buyers’ kids who run wild and, many times, unattended.”

Don’t jump to conclusions.

Don’t make assumptions based on incomplete information. 

Checking the system’s maintenance history is important and instructive. However, it’s the sludge and sewage levels that should determine whether contractors need to pump the tank again. Additionally, while a dye-flushing test can confirm where water’s originating, it cannot confirm that the septic system is functioning properly. 

Make sure to carefully and accurately report any observations you make and tests you run. Overpromising and assuming can lead to septic inspector insurance claims.

As with all inspections, many things can change from the time of examination to when the homeowner potentially starts seeing problems. Encourage your clients to keep their expectations in check, too, in your pre-inspection agreement and your reports. Things like heavy snow melt, spring rains, and large moving trucks can lead to different septic conditions post-inspection.

Septic Inspections and Home Inspectors

Are septic systems common in your area? Would you like to offer a service that homeowners require regularly? Want to save your clients money and protect them from health hazards?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, perhaps it’s time for your company to offer septic system inspections.

Septic Inspection FAQs

How long does a septic tank inspection take?

Some inspectors report their septic inspection process taking one to four hours.

How often should a septic system be inspected?

For most systems, the EPA recommends routine septic system inspections at minimum every three years. However, the EPA also reports that systems with electrical float switches, pumps, or mechanical components need annual septic inspections.

Your clients may need to pump their system more often depending on:

• How old the septic system is.
• How many people are in their household.
• How big their tank is.
• How much wastewater their system produces. Efficient water use, like with high-efficiency toilets, can help prevent malfunctions, the EPA says.
• How much solids are in the wastewater.

When should a septic system be inspected?

Although general guidelines help, septic inspections and maintenance are never one size fits all. 

For example, you might recommend septic pumping and inspection if your clients are homeowners preparing to sell their house. Other important signs that they’re due for a septic system check include:

• The house draining slowly or making odd noises while draining.
• Foul odors around the pipes or drain field.
• Standing water around the field or tank.
• Significant household changes, like more residents or recent renovations with new bathrooms. This can affect water consumption and subsequent strain on the septic system.

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This article was published in the ASHI Reporter in November 2021. See how this story appears in print below.