{"id":637,"date":"2019-08-20T17:32:56","date_gmt":"2019-08-20T17:32:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/householdrealestate.com\/?p=637"},"modified":"2019-08-20T17:32:56","modified_gmt":"2019-08-20T17:32:56","slug":"a-septic-system-inspection-should-be-done-how-often-costs-precautions-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/householdrealestate.com\/a\/blog\/uncategorized\/a-septic-system-inspection-should-be-done-how-often-costs-precautions-and-more\/","title":{"rendered":"A Septic System Inspection Should Be Done How Often?! Costs, Precautions, and More"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A Septic System Inspection Should Be Done How Often?! Costs, Precautions, and More<\/div>\n
By Margaret Heidenry<\/a><\/div>\n

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racy A. Woodward\/The Washington Post\/Getty Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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A septic system inspection is one of those home maintenance tasks that you might put off, and then put off some more. Because septics exist underground in the backyard, they are often out of sight, thus out of mind.\u00a0But letting it go too\u00a0many flushes without an inspection\u00a0can result in some major problems if the system fails.<\/p>\n

Plus, septic system inspections are also required if you plan to\u00a0sell your home. Even if you don’t know if you’re going to sell, keeping your septic system in good condition will save you thousands of dollars in repairs if anything\u00a0does<\/em>\u00a0go wrong.<\/p>\n

Here’s everything homeowners\u00a0need to know about a septic system inspection.<\/p>\n

How often should you get a septic system inspection?<\/h2>\n

Experts say you should get a septic system inspection every three years. But here’s a dose of reality: Most homeowners never get their\u00a0septic systems inspected unless there is a notable issue, according to\u00a0Alex Glaser<\/strong>, a real estate agent in Richmond, VA.<\/p>\n

But that means\u00a0homeowners get an inspection only when issues that may signal big trouble arise, such as when the toilet backs up, water takes too long to drain, or there’s an actual septic system leakage. The benefit of doing an inspection every\u00a0three years is to avoid major problems like these.<\/p>\n

The three-year mark is also the maximum amount of time you should let your septic system go without being pumped out.<\/p>\n

A problem\u00a0caught at inspection can save you from having to replace the entire septic system (read: shell out a ton of money). It’s especially important to keep your septic system in good shape if you plan on selling. During closing, a certified inspection will be performed and you don’t want any last-minute surprises.<\/p>\n

Who should\u00a0perform a septic system inspection?<\/h2>\n

You’re going to want to hire a professional septic contractor for the inspection.<\/p>\n

General home inspectors\u00a0do only a limited, visual-only inspection of the septic system, says\u00a0Robert Boudreau<\/strong>\u00a0of Metro-West Appraisal and Home Inspections in Detroit.<\/p>\n

A septic contractor will look for cracks in the tank indicated by a low level of liquid, the\u00a0amount of solids inside the tank using a measuring device called a “sludge judge,” and possible ground contamination.<\/p>\n

How much does a septic system inspection cost?<\/h2>\n

Cost\u00a0depends on how extensive\u00a0the septic inspection is as well as the size of the tank, which is usually either 1,000 or 1,500 gallons. But a basic septic system inspection typically runs between $300 to $600, says Boudreau.<\/p>\n

You can also reach out to your local health department to see if it performs inspections for a reduced price.<\/p>\n

Is the home seller or buyer obligated to get an inspection?<\/h2>\n

The person who’s responsible for carrying out the inspection is determined based on where you live.\u00a0In states such as South Carolina and Texas, it\u2019s the buyers’ responsibility to handle inspections during their option period\u2014part of their\u00a0due diligence\u2014unless otherwise agreed upon.<\/p>\n

In Central Virginia, the standard purchase agreement contract states that it’s the home seller’s responsibility to get the\u00a0septic inspected within 30 days\u00a0of the closing date. If you live in a state with this type of timing caveat, don\u2019t do an inspection before an accepted contract or you may have to do it all over again to meet the contract timeline.<\/p>\n

Bottom line: Ask your local real estate professional about your obligation regarding the septic\u00a0system inspection.<\/p>\n

Is the seller obligated\u00a0to fix any septic problems?<\/h2>\n

The responsibility to pay for septic repairs typically falls to the seller. However, repairs of any kind found at inspection are\u00a0generally negotiable. Contract terms usually dictate the course of action, but sellers may have such options as doing the repairs themselves, splitting repair costs with the buyer,\u00a0giving the buyer a closing credit equal to the amount of the repairs, or refusing to do anything.\u00a0If an agreement on repairs isn’t reached, the\u00a0buyer\u00a0does have the legal right to\u00a0walk away\u00a0from the transaction.<\/p>\n

Don’t forget about\u00a0disclosure<\/h2>\n

In all states,\u00a0sellers are required to\u00a0disclose\u00a0any known problems with a home to potential buyers. If there’s a septic\u00a0issue after closing that the\u00a0sellers knew about, they will be liable for the entire cost of the repairs.<\/p>\n

For that reason,\u00a0it’s\u00a0good\u00a0practice for all sellers to\u00a0perform\u00a0their own septic system inspection, says\u00a0Jerry Grodesky<\/strong>, managing broker at Farm and Lake Houses Real Estate, in Loda, IL.<\/p>\n

“That way, the seller is protected from any future septic issues after the closing,” he explains.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Septic System Inspection Should Be Done How Often?! Costs, Precautions, and More By Margaret Heidenry racy A. Woodward\/The Washington Post\/Getty Images A septic system inspection is one of those home maintenance tasks that you might put off, and then put off some more. Because septics exist underground in the backyard, they are often out […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-637","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/householdrealestate.com\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/637","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/householdrealestate.com\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/householdrealestate.com\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/householdrealestate.com\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/householdrealestate.com\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=637"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/householdrealestate.com\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/637\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/householdrealestate.com\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=637"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/householdrealestate.com\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=637"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/householdrealestate.com\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=637"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}