Functional Septic Inspections in Real Estate Transactions
The functional inspection is used to determine
whether a system is adequate to serve the
wastewater disposal needs of the household. The
functional inspection is especially intended for
use during a property transfer as a means to
protect the consumer and identify systems in
need of upgrade or repair. It may involve, as
appropriate, any of the procedures described below.
The following is an outline of the functional
inspection included in the “The Septic Checkup”
Rhode Islands recommended guidance for property
transfer inspections and the test that we
use. You can review the full guidance here: http://www.dem.ri.gov/pubs/regs/regs/water/isdsbook.pdf
Gather Records and Data:
Determine system conformance
Determine the history of the system
Aquire the most recent system drawings
Aquire information about the system from community officials
Interview the system user/owner
Evaluate In-Home Plumbing:
Estimate water use
Conduct leak diagnostics and repair evaluation
Evaluate household fixtures for water conservation devices
Locate System Components:
Locate and access septic tank/cesspool
Locate the system absorption system
Identify any potential retrofits
Evaluate and Maintain System Components:
Inspect and maintain the septic/cesspool
Inspect the distribution box
Observe overall site conditions
Conduct a flow trial
Conduct dye tracing, if necessary
What You Need To Know About Your Inspection
Your septic inspection will typically require two to
three hours of on site work to complete and
includes a thorough, organized report that is
emailed most often the same day. Our inspections
are based on the “Septic System
Checkup” from The Rhode Island Handbook for
septic systems inspection.
The cost of repairing or replacing a septic
system can be significant.
Maintenance Inspections and pumping are
a normal and required part of maintaining a
septic system.
For pricing and information call AGR Home Inspections at (401) 683-6767
What Homebuyers and Sellers Need to Know About Septic Inspections
The term "conventional" refers to the standard gravity flow design, which consists of a septic tank, a distribution box, and a drain field.
The Septic Tank
The purpose of the septic tank is to temporarily
retain and store wastewater to allow
solids, fats, oils, and greases (FOG) to separate
before the wastewater flows to the distribution
box, where it is dispersed evenly into
the drain field.
The tank is generally designed
to provide a 2-day retention time for wastewater
settling to occur. Heavy solids sink to
the bottom forming a layer of ‘sludge’, while
light solids and FOG form a floating ‘scum
layer’.
The Drain Field
Drain fields serve to disperse wastewater
to the soil environment, where it is expected
that pathogens will be killed by beneficial soil
microorganisms. The size of the drain field will
depend on the anticipated volume of water to
be produced in the home and the soil conditions
at the site.
In situations where required
separation to groundwater cannot be met,
modifications to the conventional drain field,
such as mounding or filling may be approved
for use.
