Clermont County Public Health offers a septic system inspection service for homeowners. This inspection can be requested by the homeowner at any time; however, it is most commonly requested by potential homebuyers so they can have a system inspected prior to purchasing a home. In some cases, an inspection is required by the lending institution as part of the loan process and, in other cases, the buyer requests an inspection from the seller. Regardless of how the inspection is generated, it is always a good idea to gather as much information as possible about septic system prior to purchasing a home.
Access Septic Records
Clermont County Public Health maintains a database that has information about past inspections and Operation Permit Inspections. This information can show trends such as reoccurring problems or passing assessments. Reoccurring problems should raise a red flag for the potential buyer. On the other hand, if the system consistently passes the operation permit inspection and there are no issues, then that may indicate the system has been well maintained. However, never assume that just because a system passed its last operation permit inspection that it is operating properly. A system’s operation can change relatively quickly, and a system that was operating properly at the last assessment may develop problems by the next one.
What to Expect from a Service Inspection
When a service inspection is conducted by Clermont County Public Health, the inspector attempts to gather as much evidence as possible about the system’s performance. Many variables can affect the system’s evaluation. If a home has been vacant for several weeks or longer, the lack of water usage can make a marginal system appear to be operating. Likewise, a home being sold during the dry months of the year can mask a problem that shows up during the wet months. A home where the system is working fine but is only occupied by one or two persons may not be able to handle the waste flow from a larger family.
Below are some phrases you are likely to see on a service report and what they mean:
The system is undersized by today’s standards.
This means that the system is older and if it were to be installed under the current regulations, it would be bigger with more capacity. This suggests that you will have to watch your water usage so that you do not flood the system.
The system is saturated.
The area over and around the soil absorption portion of the system is soft and saturated with water. This could mean that the system is struggling to treat the wastewater it is receiving from the home or that the area the system is located is a wet area, which could adversely affect the system causing it to fail in the future. If it is the dry time of year, such as late summer or early autumn, and the system is saturated, that is a bad sign.
The system appears to be operating correctly.
This is the ideal outcome. It is in the new homeowner’s best interest to keep the system this way through routine maintenance and vigilantly watching what goes into the system. Unfortunately, it is not a guarantee that the system will continue to operate correctly. Always keep in mind what time of year the home is being inspected and the current ground conditions.
To request a service inspection for a loan or just to review your system, please download the Loan Inspection/Homeowner Request Form. For more information, please contact us.
