- Locate your septic tank and drainfield. Keep a drawing of these locations in your records.
- Have your septic system inspected at least every three years, or annually if required by local ordinances.
- Pump your septic tank as needed (generally, every three to five years).
- Don’t dispose of household hazardous waste in sinks or toilets.
- Keep other household items, such as dental floss, feminine hygiene products, diapers, and cat litter out of your system.
- Use water efficiently.
- Plant only grass over and near your septic system. Roots from nearby trees or shrubs might clog and damage the system. Also, do not apply manure or fertilizers over the drainfield.
- Keep vehicles and livestock off your septic system. The weight can damage the pipes and tank, and your system may not drain properly under compacted soil.
- Keep gutters and basement sump pumps from draining into or near your septic system.
- Check with your local health department before using additives. Commercial septic tank additives do not eliminate the need for periodic pumping and can be harmful to your system.
Category Archives: Plumbing
IS IT NORMAL FOR MY PLUMBING FIXTURES TO BE GROWING CRYSTALS?
Have you noticed a white residue on any (or all) of your plumbing fixtures? This may indicate calcification, which usually means that water softening and/or filtration improvements may be desirable. Point-of-use and whole house filtration and softening systems are readily available. Personally, I recommend having a water system contractor laboratory test the water and then make recommendations for improved water quality.
DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO DIY?
Should you DIY plumbing vents to the exterior of your home? I recommend leaving this up to a qualified plumbing contractor, as venting is important and getting it wrong can lead to unpleasant sensory experiences and/or improper drainage function.
DOWN THE DRAIN: NEW TECH HELPS SAVE MONEY, TIME
Today’s home improvement technology is pretty impressive.
Consider the toolbox in your garage. More than likely, at least some of the tools it holds are light years ahead (technologically speaking) of the devices in your grandparents’ or great grandparents’ garages.
This reality is doubly true for contractors. If properly deployed, technology isn’t just “cool,” it’s also a potentially huge time and money saver.
One example of this is videoscoping sewer lines to gauge pipe conditions. For readers who may not be familiar, videoscoping is the use of a snake-like camera to inspect places you can’t usually see, like the inside of pipes.
I typically encourage the practice when I encounter older iron sewer lines (as I did during a recent inspection in Bellingham). Iron sewer lines have an expected life of 55-65 years and rust from the inside-out, so deterioration can be difficult to detect.
When paired with home improvement strategies, new technology such as videoscoping can make a significant difference, as the video showcased in this post shows.
If you have questions or comments about plumbing or home inspections in general, tweet me (@AIHomeInspect).
IT’S A CUTE LITTLE WATERFALL!
What does it mean when your dishwasher air gap dispenses a little stream of water, not unlike a teeny tiny waterfall? Although somewhat sensorily pleasing, this could be caused by blockage in the dishwasher drain line.
This is most commonly caused by food and grease backed up over time, or possible areas of slack in the drain line where waste can accumulate. If you’re comfortable disconnecting the hose between the disposal and air gap, you can give that a shot and see if it flushes out. If that doesn’t work, I would recommend having a qualified plumbing contractor or handyman come in and take a look at other possible causes/fixes.
PROBLEM PLUMBING NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED
During a recent inspection on Lopez Island, I came across “handyworker” water supply plumbing practices throughout the home.
While I didn’t notice any leaking where the plumbing infrastructure was installed, I did suggest that the amateur work should be further evaluated by a qualified plumbing contractor to make repairs as deemed necessary.
If you have questions or comments about plumbing or home inspections in general, tweet me (@AIHomeInspect).
WHAT’S SO ‘HARD’ ABOUT THIS? CALCIFICATION & PLUMBING FIXTURES
Hard water can wreak havoc on plumbing fixtures. Luckily, many of us living in the Pacific Northwest can count ourselves and our water systems lucky because most of us have access to soft water.
Occasionally, however, I come across a home where hard water is what’s available. During a recent inspection in Mount Vernon, I noted a white build-up on plumbing fixtures known as calcification—calcite residue from hard water.
I advised the homeowners to speak with a water system contractor about options (such as the installation of a water softener) to reduce the likelihood of calcification. Unchecked, calcification can reduce appliance life expectancy, affect the taste of water, and is, well, just plain ugly.
If you have questions or comments about plumbing issues or home inspections in general, tweet me (@AIHomeInspect).
FAILING FITTINGS: WHEN PIPING CONNECTIONS GO BAD
It’s no secret that galvanized piping can be problematic. Before more contemporary piping options, such as PEX or copper, galvanized piping was commonly used. If you are living in an older, historic house, chances are good your plumbing system may be operating with galvanized piping.
Galvanized piping has a relatively short shelf life—approximately 40-50 years—so it certainly doesn’t last forever. Usually, failure occurs from the inside-out with rust and corrosion. I often see homeowners attempt to replace sections of failed galvanized piping with newer, more durable alternatives. I ran into this scenario during a recent inspection at a house in Bellingham. When connecting sections of pipe, fittings are required. However, sometimes, these components can become compromised.
During this inspection, I noted corrosion at copper-galvanized water supply fittings and CPVC-galvanized water supply fittings within the basement. I recommended the issues be further evaluated and repaired by a qualified plumbing contractor.
For more information on how to properly install pipe fittings, I invite you to watch the video below.
If you have questions or comments about plumbing or home inspections in general, tweet me (@AIHomeInspect).
RUNAWAY WATER HEATERS!
Why is it important that you double strap your water heater? Not because it’s going to run away…but because of earthquakes! Did you know that earthquakes are semi-common in Northwestern Washington?
It’s recommended that you strap the bottom and top 1/3’s of your water heater appliance, which is customary in seismic zones. This may seem like a step that’s done in an abundance of caution, but you wouldn’t want it to be your water heater that topples over in an earthquake and takes a fuel line out with it! Also, FYI, most lenders require water heaters to be double-strapped as a condition of financing.
Check out this link for more information on double strapping your water heater: Earthquake Country Alliance: Welcome to Earthquake Country!
UNCONVENTIONAL VENTING: PLUMBING ISSUES NEED FURTHER EVALUATION
Recently, I inspected a house in Ferndale where I noted handyman drain-waste-vent plumbing practices at the exterior.
The property owner had installed an exposed ABS drain line, and the laundry room utility sink was unconventionally vented adjacent to an exterior wall. A qualified contractor should always evaluate these types of unorthodox issues, which I cited in the report.
If you have questions or comments about plumbing issues or home inspections in general, tweet me (@AIHomeInspect).