Septic Tank Inspection

Having a septic tank inspection carried out is not always at the forefront of your mind when purchasing a new property. However, a septic tank inspection can prevent home buyers from inheriting a septic tank that is failing or non-compliant, which can potentially cost thousands of pounds to resolve.

Septic tank inspections are not only important when buying a new property. Existing owners of septic tanks should have a septic tank inspection to ensure their system is compliant with regulations and to highlight any failures of the system before they become severe.

At Mantair, our experienced and accredited professionals can carry out a thorough septic tank inspection for domestic and commercial customers. Get in touch to book yours today.

Septic Tank Inspections – Home Buyers

If you are buying a property connected to a septic tank, then our septic tank inspection service will identify if the system is working effectively and highlight any operational problems or non-compliance with regulations.

During a septic tank inspection, we can identify if the septic tank is operating at the correct level and determine if the system has failed or surcharged in the past. We are also able to determine if the septic tank is correctly sized. In many instances, a septic tank can fail if a larger family start using the system and hydraulically overloads the system. 

Our septic tank inspection also determines if an existing septic tank is compliant with regulations. A septic tank should only discharge to an underground soakaway/drainage field.  Under no circumstances should a septic tank discharge to a ditch, stream or watercourse. It is not uncommon for septic tanks to discharge to a watercourse, which, under the General Binding Rules, is an offence.

The General Binding Rules were introduced in January 2015 by DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and the Environment Agency to simplify the way septic tanks and sewage treatment plants are regulated in England. 

Septic Tank Inspection – Existing Owners

Existing users of septic tanks only tend to think about their septic tank when it’s due for emptying or when the system is causing problems. Unfortunately, a failing septic tank can be very frustrating for users as it can affect the use of the drainage facilities and can cause untreated effluent to puddle on the surface of the ground.

The failure of a septic tank or receiving soakaway/drainage field can usually be prevented. A septic tank inspection will often identify if there are any issues that could eventually lead to system failure. Should a septic tank have already failed, our septic tank inspection service will determine the cause of the failure and identify what options are available to resolve the situation.

Septic Tank Inspections – What to look out for!

Common issues that may be identified during a septic tank inspection:

Collapsed Septic Tank

We were contacted by the owners of a property on the outskirts of Colchester in Essex, requesting a septic tank inspection after the top of their septic tank had collapsed.

We found the septic tank to be a serious health and safety risk and immediately ‘fenced off’ the tank. From our inspection and subsequent report, we were able to get the septic tank replaced with a sewage treatment plant under the homeowner’s insurance policy, despite the insurer’s initially trying to refuse the claim. Read more about our septic tank insurance services here.

Broken Dip Pipes

At a separate location, we were contacted to determine why a septic tank was flooding and causing pollution to enter a watercourse.

We found that the outlet ‘dip pipe’, this being the pipe connected to the outlet of the septic tank, had been ‘knocked off’ and was sitting on the floor of the tank.  This had allowed floating material such as tissue, oils and fats, which are normally retained within the septic tank, to pass through to the tank and clog the receiving soakaway chamber. Unfortunately, this resulted in the soakaway chamber flooding and untreated effluent draining on the surface to the adjacent watercourse.

Collapsed Baffle

The majority of modern septic tanks are made from either fiberglass or polyethylene. These septic tanks have some form of internal baffle that separates the tank into two zones. The Mantair team visits many properties where the internal baffles have become damaged and dislodged during the annual emptying by a vacuum tanker.

If the internal baffle within a septic tank becomes dislodged, heavy solids and floating material can pass through the tank and into the receiving soakaway/drainage field, which will result in it failing.

Book A Septic Tank Inspection Today

Operating throughout East Anglia, Southern England and the Thames Valley, Mantair is one of the most established and recognised brands in the domestic septic tank and sewage treatment plant market. Our ‘in-house’ expertise and technical knowledge enable us to provide consumers with an unrivalled septic tank inspection service. Book your septic tank inspection by using the contact details below.