So, you’ve cleaned the floors, touched up the paint on the walls, and enhanced the curb appeal of your home—you might think this is all it takes to get your property ready to be sold. On the contrary, however, there’s something else you need to consider: septic pumping.
At All Septic & Sewer, we often receive questions from local homeowners about whether they should pump their septic system before selling their home.
The answer is simple: yes.
In fact, current homeowners don’t really have much choice in the matter. For the Washington counties, we service, including King, Thurston, and Pierce, septic pumping, and an O & M inspection is required before a home can be sold.
Understanding The Septic Pumping & Inspection Process Before Selling A Home
While each individual county in Washington has its own set of requirements for selling a home with a septic system, the overall expectations are the same. You must hire a certified septic pumping and inspection company, like All Septic & Sewer, to ensure your system is operating correctly.
Typically, septic systems only have to be pumped every 3-5 years. Despite this, however, county law mandates the system to be cleared out before the sale of a home.
However, it’s important to recognize that many buyers expect the septic pumping and inspection to occur during their own home inspection. Thus, it’s in the best interest of the seller to wait until there’s a prospective buyer to begin the process.
When the septic inspection process begins, you can assume your technician will perform a variety of tasks, including:
- Examining the exterior appearance of the tank
- Opening the tank up to observe the interior of the unit
- Reviewing the drain field flow
- Inspecting the overall integrity and operations of the system’s pumps and baffles
Depending on the final results of the examination, potential buyers may request further repairs or replacements as a part of their contract.
Preparing For Your Septic Pumping Appointment
When you’re ready to get started on the septic pumping process, you’ll need to contact a reputable company that can help you get the job done right.
They will ask you a series of questions about your system, such as the size of the tank, the number of people in your home, and how long it’s been since the unit has been pumped. Using this information, you will receive a detailed price quote.
After you’ve been provided a quote, you’ll be given an estimated arrival time for the day of your scheduled appointment. Once the appointment has been made, your contractor will contact the local county health department to obtain any available drawings of your septic system that they have on file. This helps your septic company save you labor time and money.
On the day of your appointment, 1-2 technicians will arrive at your home and hook your system up to their truck with a variety of hoses. The actual pumping process normally takes 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of your tank.
While servicing your system, the technicians will look for any possible damages that need to be repaired.
Filing Inspection Reports With Your County Health Department
After your septic system has been inspected and pumped, your technician will file the required ‘Report of System Status’ to your local health department.
This will include a summary of information about your system’s overall condition, any completed repairs, and confirmation that septic pumping has occurred. Filing this document is not only required by the county but is necessary before the home can be sold.
For More Information On Septic Pumping Before Selling A Home—Call Us Today
When you’re ready to sell your home, the last thing you might want to deal with is having your septic system pumped. Unfortunately, though, it’s par for the course.
If you’re looking for ways to simplify the process, why not consider hiring a reliable company to get the job done right. That’s where All Septic & Sewer comes in! Our highly-trained team has the knowledge and skills needed to make your septic pumping experience an easy one.
If you’d like to make an appointment or learn more about our services, give us a call today at (888) 541-6680 or fill out our online form.
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