How do you choose someone to do a septic inspection?
Meera (Environmentalist in King County, owns a waterfront property, works closely with local septic providers and engineers):
Septic inspections are done by certified septic maintainers, who are certified by King County’s OSS Program every year. I recommend getting at least three bids to make sure that you get the best price for your inspection.
What information do you get from the inspection?
Madrona (King County resident, professional landscaper, has had a septic system for 10 years):
During inspections, the OSS maintainer walks you through how much wastewater is in the tank, whether it is too low or too high. Plus, they tell you if the tank needs to be pumped, and if not, you can save your money to get it pumped later.
I try to be there when they’re doing the inspection so I can learn about the system.
How often do you get it inspected? How much does it cost?
Keehn (Recent King County resident in suburban area, has a 2-year-old kid, used to have a lot of concerns about moving to a home on septic):
I try to get my septic inspected every year because it has more technology in it. I think ours is a pressure distribution (PD) system. It costs somewhere around $400-500, but it is really important for us because our child plays in our yard, and we want to keep sewage treated properly without causing health issues.
Do you have any tips for remembering to do routine septic inspections?
Jene (Has had septic tank fail by ignoring the alarm going off, expert at scheduling septic inspections):
With all our family matters, my calendar books up so quickly. It is good to have a calendar reminder or have my “septic guy” send me reminders. Some neighbors schedule together for group inspections and they can potentially get discounts on the services.
What does a septic inspection mean to you?
Carl (farmer in South King County, has had septic forever):
It’s an investment for my home.
Sarah (teacher in Woodinville, is teaching at a school that is served by a septic system):
Septic maintenance is important to keep our family safe and free of public health concerns. It takes more to treat what goes bad than prevent the risk in the first place.
Levi (real estate agent, has had septic for the last 10 years):
I get my septic inspected like I get my teeth cleaned: routine, routine, routine! It’s important for my septic to get routinely checked so I can be assured that there is no issue with it.
