If you are purchasing a Fairfax VA home with a septic tank, you need to understand that there may be problems with that septic tank. Here are some red flags you need to be looking for:
- Garbage disposals on kitchen sinks. This is a really big no-no in a house with a septic system. If you see this in a house, odds are very good that the drain field is going to have problems.
- Grass or weeds that grow at an accelerated rate over the drain field. See that nice thick section of the yard that appears to grow so much better than the rest? That’s because it gets more water and fertilizer. The drain field is not working. The water is rising instead of percolating downward as intended.
- Landscaping or trees on or near a drain field. Remember that a root system is usually at least half the size of the plant that you see above the ground. Trees that have been growing near a drain field for a number of years will always entangle the drain field. That’s just Mother Nature doing her thing.
- Drain fields that encroach a driveway. People pull their cars up into the yard for a multitude of reasons. A drain field that has been driven on once or twice by a small vehicle might be ok, or it might not.
- Property on a well and a septic system? There are many modern day laws that address this issue. Generally, the minimum distance is 75 feet between the two systems. Check your local building codes in regard to the minimum distance in your area.
- The neighbor’s property has a nice, thick, lush area in his yard close to your well.
Structure your offer contingent upon an inspection by a reputable septic system contractor, such as the experts at Soils and Environmental Services. Serving Fairfax VA and the Northern Virginia residential and commercial markets since 1987, Soils and Environmental Services, Inc. specializes in designing alternative septic systems and assessing septic tank options for homes, commercial properties, and sub-divisions.