Septic System Inspection
What Is Entailed In A Septic System Inspection?
Here at JLG Septic, we strive to meet the needs of all of our clients, that is why we offer several different inspection types to meet those needs. These types of inspections are usually requested for the sale of a property with an existing septic system(s) just how you would request a home inspection before you make that big purchase. Following is a list of descriptions for all of the inspection types that we can perform for our customers.
MAIN SEPTIC TANK PUMP OUT *
We always first recommend a pump out when someone is requesting an inspection. This will allow our technicians to have a clear view of the tank which will make it easier to check for cracks, dirt, or any other undesirable material in the tank. Technicians can typically tell if the drain fields are working properly or not from a standard pump out (due to clogged filters and other variables they, on occasion, cannot which is why Drain Field Inspections are important), however, they will only at best be able to tell if the drain fields are working or not with no further information or detail.
· SECONDARY (LAUNDRY) TANK PUMP OUT
This service is almost identical to the main septic tank pump out, but a laundry tank is an entirely different system that only accepts water from your laundry machine. In the case that you do have a secondary tank, you may consider requesting an additional pump out for this tank and a drain field inspection as well. This will allow us to visually inspect the additional tank for failures and defects like we would for the main tank, that would otherwise be unnoticed until it is too late. Secondary tank pump outs will have an additional cost compared to a normal pump out because they are a completely separate service.
· MAIN SEPTIC DRAIN FIELD INSPECTION *
This type of inspection will allow our expert septic technician to evaluate the health and quality of your septic tank drain field. This inspection will be accompanied by a summary report of many aspects of your systems field lines to give you a head start on what your system has in store for you. Some of the most common things we look for are root intrusion, “bio mat” build up, ponding, and proper distribution. This inspection will only include one (1) system inspection and does not include any additional systems that may be located on the property such as a laundry system. in the case that there is more than one system, additional charges will apply.
· SECONDARY (LAUNDRY) SYSTEM DRAINFIELD INSPECTION
In some cases, a property will have a secondary tank that is strictly for laundry effluent. These systems often are in place because of high water table or poor draining soil and is required by the Florida department of health. If your particular property has one of these secondary systems, an additional inspection will be required if the customer requests inspection of said system. The main septic system inspection will not cover a secondary tank system, yet inspection procedure remains the same for both types of systems.
· SEPTIC DOSING PUMP INSPECTION
If your particular system has a dosing pump in place, our dosing pump inspection is highly recommended! This inspection will go over the overall condition of the pump, floats and alarm that should be in place on all systems. This inspection will list any items that are worn, broken, missing or no longer working that are vital to the operation of your septic dosing system.
This inspection cannot guarantee the lifespan of any given part due to the location of these electrical parts but will warn of any current issues.
· SEPTIC TANK CERTIFICATION *
Tank Certifications are an official form filled out by JLG that states the tank is in working order and has no visible cracks or defects. This certification can be filled out for both main septic tanks, secondary laundry tanks and dosing system tanks. By law, we are required to first perform a pump out on the tank to visually inspect it before we can issue a tank certification. This will allow buyers or sellers to verify that the tank itself is in good, useable condition. A tank certification can be used in modification or repair permit applications is valid for 5 years. FHA loans often require a tank certification to allow for proper closing.
· GRINDER/IMASSERATOR PUMP & STATION INSPECTION
Even in the case that you don’t have a septic system and are on a city sewer “forced main” system, JLG is still here to assist you. We perform grinder pump and station inspections to ensure that your costly piece of machinery that makes everything flow, is in good working order before you buy. This inspection is similar to a dosing pump inspection, yet different because these pumps are not in a tank but a “station” as we like to refer to them as. These are usually made of heavy-duty fiberglass and have large alarm panels that are mounted to the wall nearest to the station. Our inspection starts at visually inspecting the lid of the station for wear and hazardous conditions as well as any missing bolts that secure the lid down. From there we will look at the condition and
operation of the panel and pump and make any notes about repairs that need to be made and equipment that may be faulty.
IMPORTANT NOTE
JLG Septic always recommend performing at least the three inspections that have a * when purchasing a home in the Gulf Breeze, FL and surrounding areas that have an existing septic system in place. This will give you a very complete and all around look at how your system is performing at the time of our septic inspection. If a dosing pump or secondary tank inspection apply to your particular property, we would recommend performing these inspections as well.
For scheduling or more information about septic tank system inspections, feel free to call our office at (850) 496-4906. Our friendly staff will be more than happy to assist and help you find a combination of septic system inspections that fit your specific needs. Be sure to explain exactly what you would like to receive from your inspection so that we can be more precise in what services to recommend.
We are proud to provide these services in the locations and surrounding areas listed below.