Out in the Country Part Two

Continuing our series about buying a first home in the country, let’s talk about some “business”- septic inspections. 

Property out in the country doesn’t have the benefits of a city sewer system. So instead, it uses a septic tank to dispose of ‘waste’. It’s going to be important to both the buyer and the buyer’s lender that the septic system meets county and state guidelines for size and usefulness, and that it’s functioning properly. As part of your inspection, you should, and most lenders will require, an inspection of the septic system to make sure that it is properly functioning.

While we recommend these inspections, we do not necessarily recommend that the buyer be present for this inspection. A septic inspection is not always a great experience to witness, so don’t think that you need to be there to see the actual inspections. Just know that it is in fact an important thing to inspect.

State and county guidelines require that septic systems be of adequate size, and many counties have a rule of tank capacity per bedroom to make sure that the people living there do not overload the system. An overloaded system does not filter correctly, and so when the waste passes through the lateral system, over capacity does not allow it to process fully, and allows the waste to flow into the natural system without being processed. The county inspectors will also make sure that the flow rate of the system is proper for the size.

For more information, visit us at www.springfieldfirsthome.com, or simply call or text us at 417.872.9222.