28/04/2022
This folks is why I always urge folks to not only dye test when buying a home, but also pump and inspect the tank. If you look at the inside of the tank you can see the inlet baffle. It is broken vertically. What isnt pictured is the top of the tank ready to completely cave in. The top of the tank has massive cracks and is sagging about 6" in the center. (Sorry my pictues of that just don't show much. I blame the photographer). We only discoved this issue when our customer, a very nice lady called to have the tank pumped at her new home. We located her septic. Simple right? Not so fast. Not only was this tank ready to fall in, but as is the case at many homes, the system had a second tank commonly refered to as a dosing tank. It contains a pump system that pumps effluent from the septic to the field lines which are located far above the tank. The pump was disconnected and laying in the bottom of the tank due to poor installation. These issues could only be discovered by pumping out all the tank contents and visually onspecting the system.
These nice folks were told that the septic passed "inspection by dye test". A dye test will tell you if all the drains go to tge septic, and it will let you know if something is just coming to the surface. The dye test won't tell you the condition of the tank, nor will it show much about any other components that must function so that you can enjoy your indoor plumbing.
Like every person buying their slice of the american dream, these folks as new buyers are likely low on cash because everyone buys as much home as they can afford. This is usually the worst time to be faced with a tank that must be replaced imediately with a hefty repair bill for tank and pump repairs. If you or someone you know is buying a house that uses a septic, call us we are happy to help you make an informed purchase. Have a great day friends!