Septic Investigations

There are several times when a septic investigation may be necessary. You have been told your septic needs further evaluation. Now, what do you do?

An investigation includes Cullison’s office staff gathering information from you, then reaching out for records from the County, and notifying Miss Utility that there will be digging. Once the Miss Utility is cleared, our licensed and insured crew will come out to the site. The investigation includes excavating the septic from the outlet of the tank towards the distribution box. These components are examined to see if there is an issue that can explain the issues that are of concern. If that area does not show an issue pointing to a cause of concern, the excavation will continue toward the beginning of the drainfield. This will allow our technicians to see what is happening with your septic’s components.

Examples of what our technicians check for would be checking to see if the outlet pipe is still connected to the tank, any cracks/breaks/settlement of piping, and if there are bellies in the paper from possible settlement. The investigation will check the distribution box to make sure it is still fully functional or if it is cracked or deteriorating and check for any possible clogs.

These first areas are typically where a problem is found; if nothing is found or there is reason to continue, the excavation will move to the beginning of the drain fields. In the drain fields, any signs of root intrusion or if the gravel in the area of the drain fields is being matted with solids from your septic are being looked for.

Depending on the area that needs further investigation or where the problem is, the excavation could include the inlet side of the tank. If the issue is between the house and the tank, that pipe may have settled and been broken or may have come unattached, which can cause issues and cannot be seen or corrected without excavating the system.

Again, it is an issue that can be repaired at that time, and it will be discussed to fix it at that time. Things that could be fixed the same day, for example, are a broken pipe or a pipe that is unconnected from the tank or the distribution box.

Unfortunately, things like replacing the distribution box and new tank top and working in the drain field lines will need to be permitted by the Health Department. During the investigation, pictures and videos are taken to share with the Health Department to back up the request for a permit. This saves money and time so the Health Department does not require a site visit and helps approve a permit quickly and efficiently.

Septic investigations are priced as a “starting at” price and increase based on how extensive the investigation becomes or if repairs are optional. This is discussed onsite with the client before moving forward with each step. Having clients onsite during this investigation is highly encouraged and recommended. If being on site is not possible, it is imperative to be available by phone so discussions can be had to move forward, as repairs at the same time are the best way to keep the cost of repairs down since the system is already exposed.

Leaving the system exposed is not typically done, but backfilling and rough ground grading are done before leaving the site. This ensures that no one may get hurt with the excavation left open.

Septic Investigations are an important step in offering repairs when systems fail inspections. It is much cheaper and adds life to the system versus going straight to repair perc for a new system.