Septic System Inspection
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Septic System Inspection
Performed by a Certified MDE Inspector
Basic Tank View Basic Drainfield View
APECS, Inc. performs a thorough visual inspection of your septic system which includes:
•
Our inspectors are certified by the Maryland Department of the Environment
(MDE) and follow all MD state procedures and protocols.
• We will research and provide (if available) any records at the local
Department of Environmental Health.
• We will pump out the tank during our certified
inspections, we will not certify any tanks that
have not been recently pumped out, and which cannot provide us written
documentation within the past 2 months. Anyone who inspects a septic
tank without it being pumped is taking your money.
• Locating the Septic System and components.
• Locating the Distribution system and Drain Fields.
• Locating the Dry well or wells.
• Inspect inside the tank.
• Check for proper flow of waste water into septic tank and waste water
leaving tank and entering into drain fields or Dry wells.
• Check for problems with baffles not functioning or eroded. If the baffles
are not visible, the tank must be pumped before the baffles can be checked
for proper function and or deterioration.
• Check for any visual tree roots & tank cover failure.
• Check for any visual signs of sewage in your yard or the surrounding area.
• When necessary, use of a tracer dye which will help determine if there is
leakage, or a blockage, or failure a in the lines or Drain Field, that is
allowing seeping upwards. This helps determine if a system needs to be
repaired.
Typical Problems
Typical Problems, and the causes, range from things that are easy and cheap to repair, to a need for a complete system replacement.
• Clogged pipes
• Broken pipes
• Damaged tank
• Tipped distribution box
• Clogged/broken soil absorption piping
• Clogged absorption soil (grease & solids)
• Saturated soil absorption area
• Driving over absorption system
• Paving over the absorption system
• Flooding the absorption system from roof runoff or poor drainage
• Improper original construction
• Tipped or flooded distribution boxes that result in uneven loading of soil
absorption system lines.
• Use of additives which claim to extend the life of the system can cause
many problems. Do not add treatments, chemicals, yeast or other treats to a
septic system, in general they do not work and cause many problems.
• Rusting steel tank covers can cause death! Rusted covers can collapse and
septic gases and waste water are highly toxic and can kill in just minutes
of exposure.
• Concrete tank lids can be damaged by vehicle traffic, Heavy duty covers
are available.
• Steel tank baffles can rust out and fall off, permitting solids to enter
the soil absorption system.
• Steel tank bottoms rust out. For this reason a Metal tank cannot be
re-certified in Maryland.
• Concrete tank baffles may erode from chemicals, detergents, bad concrete
mix, poor maintenance and general use.
• Concrete tanks can crack.
• Summer homes or temporary built structures normally will have marginal
septic systems.
• Age, eventually even a well-maintained system, will clog and have to be
replaced.
Examples of a Septic Tank & Drainage Systems
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
