Septic Inspections
One in five homes in the United States has a septic system but you’d be surprised how many people don’t actually know what they are. A septic system is a system set up to remove the waste from your house.
In working condition, it takes the water and waste from the washer, sinks, showers, and toilets and filters that water. The system then redistributes it into the ground. The entire process helps to decrease water and soil pollution.
The water and waste from the house go into the septic tank. Once in the septic tank, the waste settles to the bottom where the natural bacteria breaks it down. The liquid rises to the top and goes through an absorption area. The absorption area is a series of pipes that run from the septic tank to the drain field. A layer of gravel acts as a drain field that filters the water enters the soil. As the water goes through the gravel and soil, minerals found naturally in the ground filter it so that it is usable once it hits the groundwater.
How is a septic inspection done?
A septic inspection begins by asking a few questions, such as how old the house is, how often the owner pumps the septic system, and when the last inspection was. We then flush all the toilets and run all the water in the house to make sure the water pressure is up to par and everything is draining properly. Finally, we will go out to the drain field to make sure there is no standing water, which can indicate a cesspool.
We may use a dye test during this part of the inspection. In a dye test, we introduce dye into the water that is being drained to see how much of it enters the septic tank.