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OUTSIDE INSPECTION of the SEPTIC SYSTEM - Simple Visual Site Inspection Gives Key Information About Septic System Condition InspectAPedia®  -     How to Perform a Septic Loading & Dye Test: Septic Testing Procedure Details - a chapter of "Inspecting, Testing, & Maintaining Residential Septic Systems" How to inspect a building site before testing a septic system Where to look outside for evidence of septic failure, difficult sites, or clues indicating a septic problem How to perform a septic loading & dye test, step by step

This document describes how to look for visual evidence of septic failure without or before testing a septic system and also difficult site conditions that may require special measures to install a working septic system. A later page, FAILURE SPOTS, which is part of our STEP BY STEP procedure, describes where you're likely to see actual evidence of septic failure during a loading and dye test.

Looking for septic failure conditions outdoors give key information about the condition of the septic system before (and perhaps without) performing a septic loading and dye test and also before (and perhaps without) invasive septic system inspection measures such as excavation. These pages are part of our SEPTIC DYE TEST PROCEDURE for testing septic system function. Technical review by industry experts has been performed and is ongoing - reviewers are listed at "References." Comments and suggestions for content are welcome.

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© Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

The observations described here can be performed regardless of whether or not a septic test is planned at a property.

There are often visual clues, such as the ones described here, which can be strong indicators of a history of septic system problems or of a building site which will involve special difficulties in installing an effective onsite wastewater disposal system.

These site observations can increase the property owner, seller, or buyer's understanding of the chances that significant costs are likely to be faced in providing or repairing the septic system.

Anyone buying a property or owning a property and needing to assess the condition of the septic system should consider this easy procedure. Simply paying attention to a building site's shape and other visual clues can give critically important information.

Safety Advice for Septic System Testing & Inspection

Is there any visual evidence of unsafe site conditions such as subsidence, collapse, sink holes, or report of presence of a cesspool, missing or damaged tank covers (like the collapsing septic tank cover in the photo at left), or other old or site-built equipment?

If so dangerous, possibly fatal conditions could be present and it may be appropriate to rope off suspect areas and postpone any testing at all.

It is absolutely essential that any unsafe or even suspected unsafe conditions be reported to the building owner and occupants immediately - falling into a septic tank can be fatal. See SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY for details about Septic System, Septic Tank, & Cesspool Safety Warnings for Septic Inspectors, Septic Pumpers, and Homeowners

The next four documents (following the green link below) provide details of what you can see outdoors that indicates either a septic system that is in failure or a system that probably required special measures to deal with a difficult site, such as a steep or hilly site, a rocky site, or a septic system near a lake or stream.

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SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME
SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK
SEPTIC DYE TEST PROCEDURE
HOW TO PERFORM A SEPTIC DYE TEST
WHAT TO DO BEFORE
OUTSIDE SEPTIC INSPECTION
  IMMEDIATE FAILURE EVIDENCE
  LOOK FOR COMPONENTS
  DIFFICULT SEPTIC SITES
  RECENT SEPTIC WORK
  SEPTIC SAFETY
STEP BY STEP SEPTIC TEST
  INSIDE SEPTIC TEST STEPS
  WATCH FOR INSIDE
  OUTSIDE SEPTIC TEST STEPS
  SEPTIC FAILURE SPOTS
  SPOTTING SEPTIC BREAKOUTS
SEPTIC TEST VOLUMES & DYE AMOUNTS
  SEPTIC TEST WATER & DYE TABLE
  SEPTIC TEST FIXTURE FLOW RATE
  HOW TO SET THE SEPTIC TEST VOLUME
REPORTING SEPTIC TEST RESULTS
PUMP THE SEPTIC TANK
SEPTIC DYE TEST WARNINGS

• Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education, publications, report writing materials, and home inspection services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building design, inspection, and repair, and about indoor environment testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
• ...

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

• Return to the septic system textbook: Inspecting, Testing, & Maintaining Residential Septic Systems
• The Septic Information Website
  
  
• Safety Warnings to Septic System Inspectors
• Testing Water for Real Estate Transactions - Water Test Cheating Warnings for Home Buyers and Home Inspectors.
• Home & Outdoor Living Water Requirements
• Septic Tank Capacity vs Usage in Daily Gallons of Wastewater Flow calculating septic tank volume and septic tank size required
• How Big Should the Leach Field Be? - table of soil percolation rate vs. field size
• The Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems
• Material Safety Data Sheet MSDS for Red Septic Dye from Tramfloc.
• MSDS for Septic Dye Tablets from Tramfloc.
• MSDS for Septic Dye Liquid from Tramfloc.
• Septic Dye Technical Data Bulletin from Tramfloc.
• Tramfloc, Inc. source of septic system testing tracer dyes
• Bright Dyes Inc. source of septic system testing tracer dyes
• Pollard Water source of septic system testing tracer dyes

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