If you're buying a Connecticut home on a septic system, plan for two separate evaluations: a home inspection of the house itself, and a septic evaluation by a licensed septic contractor, who locates and opens the tank and checks the system below ground. A home inspection does not include pumping the tank or testing the leach field. Homes on septic are usually on a private well too, so well water testing belongs on the list as well.
Plenty of homes in Suffield, Granby, East Granby and the more rural parts of the Hartford area run on septic instead of public sewer. Buyers often skip the septic evaluation or treat it as an afterthought. That's a mistake. A septic system works out of sight, and a failing one can be very expensive to repair or replace.
A septic system has three main parts:
If any one of these fails, the whole system is in trouble.
Some septic problems show up at the surface or inside the house. When you tour a home on septic, watch for:
Ask the seller when the tank was last pumped and whether there are records. If nobody knows where the tank is, that tells you something too.
A septic evaluation is done by a licensed septic contractor, separate from the home inspection. It typically includes:
If the seller doesn't know where the tank is, the contractor has to find it, sometimes by probing the yard or checking the town health department's records.
Pumping the tank is the only way to see the inside walls, the inlet and outlet baffles, and the pipe levels. Baffles keep solids from flowing out into the leach field, so damaged or missing baffles are a serious concern.
The distribution box should be level and sending flow evenly. The contractor also checks whether liquid backs up at the tank or surfaces over the leach field, which signals a failing system.
Connecticut local health departments keep records of septic permits, repairs and pumpings. Your septic contractor or your real estate agent can help you track these down.
Ask the contractor up front what their evaluation includes and whether pumping is part of it.
A home inspection is a full visual inspection of the house: the structure, roof, attic, foundation, basement, electrical, plumbing, HVAC and more. On the plumbing side, I check fixtures for proper function, including tubs, sinks and showers, and look for leaks. Slow drains or other signs that point toward a septic problem go in the report, which you get the same day with photos.
What a home inspection does not do is open, pump or test the septic system itself. That is the septic contractor's job, so book both and build them into your timeline early.
If the home is on septic, it is very likely on a private well too. Connecticut well water can contain arsenic, uranium, lead, bacteria and nitrates, none of which you can see or taste. Well water testing can be added to your home inspection, with samples analyzed by a certified laboratory and results typically back within a few days. Read more about water quality and well water testing.
You have options. Negotiate a price reduction, ask the seller to repair or replace the system before closing, or ask for funds to be held in escrow for the work. If the problem is severe, walking away may be the right call. Your real estate agent and attorney can help you decide. Documented findings from a licensed septic contractor give you real leverage; without them, you're guessing.
No. A home inspection covers the house and its systems, including the plumbing fixtures, and reports any signs that point to a septic problem. The septic system itself is evaluated separately by a licensed septic contractor.
A licensed septic contractor. They locate and open the tank, check its condition, and evaluate the distribution box and leach field.
It depends on the tank size and how many people live in the home. Ask a septic contractor what schedule fits the property, and ask the seller for pumping records.
Yes. Conditions can change. A wet season, new occupants using more water, or damage nobody noticed can change how a system performs.
The well. Homes on septic are usually on a private well, and testing the water for contaminants like arsenic, uranium, lead and bacteria is a smart step for any rural Connecticut purchase.
Buying a home on septic in Suffield, Granby, or anywhere across the Greater Hartford region? Schedule your home inspection and well water testing, or call Jim Angell at (860) 402-6644, then book a licensed septic contractor for the septic system. You'll get a same-day digital report with photos, the InterNACHI Honor Guarantee, and a Certified Master Inspector on every job. See all home inspection services.
Angell Home Inspection Services is just a click or phone call away. Schedule your inspection now.