I am a new business startup that has worked primarily on government sector projects and am now transitioning back into the residential market. I hear that FHA, VA or HUD backed mortgages have certain requirements that requires you show the dimensional relationship between the well, septic tank and the septic drain field.
Do you locate these things? If so, is there an easy way to find where the septic tank is so that you can probe for it? and how do you locate a septic drain field? I don't even know where to start there.
Thanks,
The Bow Tie Surveyor
Sometimes you can get a copy of the septic permit from the local permitting office. In my area, you can tell the location of the septic tank by the spot of dead grass over the tank in the summer, and the dark green grass over the septic lines.
You may find useful notes and sketches from permit applications or as-built records with the City or County Health Departments, or local plumbing inspection department.
Where is the Septic Tank? Ask The Homeowner.
If they are totally dumb and nothing is visible you may have to enter the basement to first locate the sewer pipe, then follow it by digging or probing. If it is critical you may have to send out a metallic snake in the line and use a metal locator or an underground locator service. If you need to locate the bed and verify it's size it may take a lot of probing. I use a sharpened 1/4" steel rod with a wooden tee handle as a probe. Several years ago in PA I had excavated every 5' to take a shot on the top of the outlet pipe for location and slope. About 30' until it left the PQ. Then it was necessary to get written permission from the adjoiner to excavate. It became necessary to then get an eaement from the adjoiner and then purchase the land in fee. All above and beyond the cost of a survey.
Prior to sale in NJ the tank must be opened and inspected, pumped out if necessary, possibly the field must be evaluated. If there is no tank and field but only a cesspool a new septic system must be installed prior to the sale.
What good is it to hold a mortgage on a house that cannot be used because it does not have a functioning septic system?
All this soon coming to a state near you.
Some of the minimums; tank or field 10' from house, driveway or property or ROW line, 50' from a stream, 100' from a well or sinkhole, on lot and any nearby property. I have located all of the above and knocked on a lot of neighbor's doors.
Paul in PA
> I am a new business startup that has worked primarily on government sector projects and am now transitioning back into the residential market. I hear that FHA, VA or HUD backed mortgages have certain requirements that requires you show the dimensional relationship between the well, septic tank and the septic drain field.
>
> Do you locate these things? If so, is there an easy way to find where the septic tank is so that you can probe for it? and how do you locate a septic drain field? I don't even know where to start there.
>
> Thanks,
>
> The Bow Tie Surveyor
Besides Paul's comments,
A Shoenstadt (or similar) metal locator will detect the rebar in handle the septic tank covers.
The leach field area can sometimes be determined of looking for the flat area below the house that w/ 1:3 slopes on the down slope sides. Use common sense to guess where to look for the tank.
I'm in your neck of the woods.
First make sure they don't have municipal water and/or sewer.
The septic tank is going to be just past the clean out at the house. Usually outside one of the bathrooms.
Use a probe rod to find the corners.
The drain field is the "little hill" that's about 2-3 feet above the ground, past the septic tank.;-)
Of course, this only applies to our area, especially the lower properties.
According to Erma Bombeck
The grass is greener over the septic tank.
In my case the tank was installed a bit too shallow and the past two years have been extremely dry. So, the tank is where the grass doesn't grow and the septic field is where the grass grows wild and green.
Took me a minute but I've put two and two together for the bow tie surveyor. 🙂
Shoot me an email on Facebook and I'll walk you through it, or give me a call. Unfortunately, most of the new septic tanks are plastic in those parts so the metal locator will be useless. If it's old, you should be able to find it with a metal locator.
Google Earth can be your friend...
A tank is generally not too difficult, just follow the clean outs.
The lateral field can be a little trickier. On the ground, these are sometimes difficult to see...but from altitude, they show up rather well:
any guesses?
Google Earth can be your friend...
Funny how different parts of the country do things differently.
In NH, I rarely would find a clean-out outside the building unless the pipe run is longer than 100' (then it is required)
Also, of the last 500 designs I have been invloved in, only about 4 or 5 were plastic tanks (and at least one of them was removed when the tank got crushed.
Google Earth can be your friend...
> any guesses?
Texas?, or Oklahoma.
