If buying a home how to check if septic is working properly.

About all you can do is have the tank pumped, as usually required by the lender, and then hope for the best.

in mass we have title 5..
have a read here to get some ideas..
[www.mass.gov]

Septic Systems, depending on their age and how long they sat idle, can be a pain or pleasure. Hire a septic specialist and have the holding tank emptied and flushed. The tank could be good but the field bad, so do your homework and Good Luck


Best Wishes

Double what Wheelchair posted

The drain field age and condition are of up most importance. I don't know how it can really be determined except with time and use. Observe the location / area of the drain field. Is it subject to rain water just "collecting" on top and flooding the field and in the yard not draining away. Is the soil sandy or are there layers of clay which would affect distribution of the waste water. A post hole digger can determine this, near but not on the actual septic field.

You may want to google "Book on septic systems".

Note there are different opinions on what if anything (chemical etc) can or should be used to clean/maintain a septic system. (There a lot of chemicals sold for that --- but do they really work?)

It is unlikely but maybe something in the contract can give a year or so warranty (Would not hurt to try.)
(Determine WHY is the house being sold.)

Septic systems are our specialty. You've got to be careful when you call a plumber though as not all plumbers will empty your septic tank...for example we don't. We will service the entire septic system, repairs, installation, etc., but no pump-outs.



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