What to look for in a Home / Well / Septic Inspection and Inspector?

[Owen Lucas]

Potential home purchase coming up for a family member and I have been tasked with running the inspection operation.

Walking through the house which is 24 years old, I don't see many issues based on recent updates and how well it was taken care of.

I am not familiar with septic tanks or wells so what should I look for? Here are some basics that I have researched, do you have anything to add?

Well inspection:

• Operation and pressure.
• Inspection of the well and pump, is it scoped? Does the well head get pulled out?
• Water quality test. How in depth can you go? It appears arsenic and bacteria are standard tests. House also has a water softener.

Septic inspection:

• How full is the tank?
• Borescope for structural integrity? (Hopefully not the same one used for the well inspection!)

Home inspection: I know this can be a very exhaustive list, but what are the most important items to inspect?

• Roof appears to be original (24 yrs) and in good shape. Depending on the quality of the shingles, it might have anywhere from 0 - 6 years left.
• Finished basement, so I can't see the entire foundation except in the utility closets. Visible cinderblocks look solid.
• Are roof crawl spaces typically inspected?
• Electrical panel looks up to date.
• Hot water heater appears to be original but in great shape along with furnace (propane).
• Compressor / condenser are original with weathering but no obvious concerns.
• I plan on having a radon and air quality test (for spores and mold) completed before the official inspection.

Any additional items to consider?

 

[AZjeff]

You don't list location.

Here a septic tank has to be pumped and the leach field tested and certified for flow rate. I'd want an empty septic tank at minimum.

A 24 YO water heater would be reason for a price reduction for me. Same for 24YO roof, assuming asphalt shingles.

Is radon a thing in your area?

What about termites?

Gotta ask why not hire an inspector? If they flag something that's not to code or worn out the buyer can ask for a repair or concessions. Depending on the problem the buyer can back out of the deal if the seller won't budge. Will your relative have that ability if inspector dad/uncle/? sees something he doesn't like?

 

[Donald]

Some will get a septic company to inspect the septic. Need to know type of septic. Regular or engineered? My home has an engineered septic with an electric air pump. Get it pumped after purchase unless it was pumped recently.

The well water definitely needs to be checked for bacteria (fecal matter) and other contaminants. For $200 you can get a super complete well water taste. Most people get the basic test for about $100.

Some get a roof company to inspect the roof.

Seems the roof, heat, A/C and hot water heater are all original and nearing end-of-life. Plan accordingly.

Roofs can start to leak around flashing way before the shingles look bad.

I had my house inspected when I bought it in 2017. The report said I had gas heat. There was a gas pipe near the air handler. But it was capped. Electric heat pump supplies the heat in my house. I got a refund from the home inspection company due to their errors.

 

[Owen Lucas]

Here a septic tank has to be pumped and the leach field tested and certified for flow rate. I'd want an empty septic tank at minimum.

I didn't even know a leach field is a thing. This rural technology boggles my city slicker mind. I'd hate for the effluent to make it to the ground water!

A 24 YO water heater would be reason for a price reduction for me. Same for 24YO roof, assuming asphalt shingles.

Problem is it's a hot market, there isn't much that can be negotiated here.

Is radon a thing in your area?

No extreme measurements I've heard about but someone I know did have 5pci so they had a mitigation system installed which supposedly brough readings down to .5 and below. From what I've read you could have minimal readings while the neighbor is off the charts.

What about termites?

Great point.

Gotta ask why not hire an inspector? If they flag something that's not to code or worn out the buyer can ask for a repair or concessions. Will your relative have that ability if inspector dad/uncle sees something he doesn't like?

A home inspector is being hired along with a well and septic guy. I just want to make sure a thorough inspector is hired and I know the right questions to ask. I've personally dealt with a few inspectors that barely do anything. They walk around, loo at appliances, go off a basic checklist. I need someone who is meticulous and experience, not just a small checklist checker.

 

[Owen Lucas]

Some will get a septic company to inspect the septic. Need to know type of septic. Regular or engineered? My home has an engineered septic with an electric air pump. Get it pumped after purchase unless it was pumped recently.

I don't know what type, I didn't see any access ports on the property. I'll ask the sellers.

The well water definitely needs to be checked for bacteria (fecal matter) and other contaminants. For $200 you can get a super complete well water taste. Most people get the basic test for about $100.

Definitely want the most thorough water test. There is currently a water softener installed and the future owners are contemplating whole house RO which is very pricey.

Some get a roof company to inspect the roof.

Seems the roof, heat, A/C and hot water heater are all original and nearing end-of-life. Plan accordingly.

Great points. I can work on both, EPA certified for refrigerant handling, so there is a cost savings but still a PITA.

Roofs can start to leak around flashing way before the shingles look bad.

Seller admitted to a small leak which was due to flashing around a bathroom exhaust vent. Roofing company is a good idea.

I had my house inspected when I bought it in 2017. The report said I had gas heat. There was a gas pipe near the air handler. But it was capped. Electric heat pump supplies the heat in my house. I got a refund from the home inspection company due to their errors.

These are my concerns with inspectors. Having dealt with a few before some appear to be checklist guys that know zilch about home construction. I need a guy like Bob Villa with a bad case of OCD.

 

[Donald]

The typical asphalt roof is done with rubber boots for the vent pipes. Builder grade. They last 10 years. Less than the asphalt shingles last. One can get a repair boot to go over the rubber boot. A good roof done these days should have a lifetime silicone rubber boot. Not a builder grade plain rubber boot

 

[UncleDave]

Potential home purchase coming up for a family member and I have been tasked with running the inspection operation.

Walking through the house which is 24 years old, I don't see many issues based on recent updates and how well it was taken care of.

I am not familiar with septic tanks or wells so what should I look for? Here are some basics that I have researched, do you have anything to add?

Well inspection:

• Operation and pressure.
• Inspection of the well and pump, is it scoped? Does the well head get pulled out?
• Water quality test. How in depth can you go? It appears arsenic and bacteria are standard tests. House also has a water softener.

Septic inspection:

• How full is the tank?
• Borescope for structural integrity? (Hopefully not the same one used for the well inspection!)

Home inspection: I know this can be a very exhaustive list, but what are the most important items to inspect?

• Roof appears to be original (24 yrs) and in good shape. Depending on the quality of the shingles, it might have anywhere from 0 - 6 years left.
• Finished basement, so I can't see the entire foundation except in the utility closets. Visible cinderblocks look solid.
• Are roof crawl spaces typically inspected?
• Electrical panel looks up to date.
• Hot water heater appears to be original but in great shape along with furnace (propane).
• Compressor / condenser are original with weathering but no obvious concerns.
• I plan on having a radon and air quality test (for spores and mold) completed before the official inspection.

Any additional items to consider?

On the well.

How old is the pump? What is the pump? HP? Depth? Wires?

Whats the productivity in terms of GPM recovery rate, and constant flow - can you irrigate from the well?
Can you run a sprinkler for the lawn, and shower and run appliances ?

What kind of filtration and treatment is in the water chain, and what are the frequency and upkeep costs.

Get water test to understand what treatment would be ideal vs what's onsite now.

You'll often find that the prior owner "got by" without PH correction, softening, cyst, or pathogen removal, carbon final polish etcetera.

 

[PontiacHO]

Talk them into a home with municipal water and sewer. They will have only the plumbing in the home to be concerned with. Especially if they are first time home buyers. Any old items, HVAC, roof, hot water heater etc. can knock down the purchase price. Hire a pest exterminator to check for everything including termites, mice, and roaches.

 

[Nukeman7]

OL, use this checklist and don't forget to request a Radon test if the area is prone to buildup.

Home Inspection Checklist

 

[AZjeff]

Problem is it's a hot market, there isn't much that can be negotiated here.

A hot RE market changes the game. You're making sure there aren't any expensive surprises for your buyers and they can handle any small stuff that can't be negociated. All you can do.

Good luck.

 

[clinebarger]

Talk them into a home with municipal water and sewer. They will have only the plumbing in the home to be concerned with. Especially if they are first time home buyers. Any old items, HVAC, roof, hot water heater etc. can knock down the purchase price. Hire a pest exterminator to check for everything including termites, mice, and roaches.

My first home was on Septic & a well....Never again! My city water bill hovers around $100 a month including trash pickup with a extra bin. And I can haul stuff to the dump for free.

Natural Gas is another utility I will not do without after being on Propane in my first home.

 

[Owen Lucas]

My first home was on Septic & a well....Never again! My city water bill hovers around $100 a month including trash pickup with a extra bin. And I can haul stuff to the dump for free.

Natural Gas is another utility I will not do without after being on Propane in my first home.

I agree and don't understand it. I like the reliability of city water and NG coming out of pipes in the basement wall.

But hey, if you want peace and quiet away from the unwashed uncivilized culturally deficient masses, its either somewhere rural or somewhere extremely expensive.

 

[AZjeff]

People here will buy an acre of grassland back a dirt road and haul water to get that peace and quiet.

And be able to change an engine in the front yard because nobody telling them what they can't do..

 

[IndyIan]

I agree and don't understand it. I like the reliability of city water and NG coming out of pipes in the basement wall.

But hey, if you want peace and quiet away from the unwashed uncivilized culturally deficient masses, its either somewhere rural or somewhere extremely expensive.

Natural gas would be nice, but locally municipal water and septic is more on the $200/month range... I think all in for our well (with pump and softener) and septic was like $10k? I can replace the submersible pump when its time, and we've had about 5 $200 pump outs in 20 years... So we are maybe $35k ahead in 20 years...
We have good water though, nothing needed to drink it and we have a cold unsoftened tap in the kitchen for just that.
If we lived on the Canadian shield, I would have a different opinion likely! There, often you can only get not very much of bad water from a well....

 

[Donald]

I agree and don't understand it. I like the reliability of city water and NG coming out of pipes in the basement wall.

But hey, if you want peace and quiet away from the unwashed uncivilized culturally deficient masses, its either somewhere rural or somewhere extremely expensive.

I have had many houses with well and septic. No big deal. Well water is better than most city water.

 

[oil pan 4]

Things I look for are:
Roof, without a roof you got nothing.
Walls and floors, make sure they're somewhat flat square and level a 4 foot level and string can tell you a lot, avoids potential foundation problems.
Electrical, make sure the electrical isn't cringe worthy.
Sewer, the VA mandates pump out and inspection of the septic tank. Not a bad idea.
Well water arsenic, it builds charter.
Radon can be in wells are basements, it's a regional thing. Plus how much radon is it?
If your basement is threshold level that's like 1pCi. Check the math on this but that comes out to something like 4 radon disintegrations per second in a cubic foot of air. It's undetectable without special equipment. "bad radon levels" are 4 pCi which is almost nothing. Even 8 pCi is undetectable in the presence of a concrete slab.
I could put a few stones worth of high grade uranium ore in my in my basement and have the worst radon basement in the united states.