John and Marge Smith just bought a new country home, just outside the city limits. After about of week of unpacking and re-storing the household to normal, John decided to crank up the old lawnmower and tackle the young “hayfield” that had started growing in the back yard. After about 30 minutes of mowing, John came running into the kitchen, all excited and out of breath, “Marge, Marge, we’re rich, we’re rich. Marge, thinking John had maybe gotten a little too much sun or had started on the “Bud Lites” a little bit early, asked John, “what in the world are you talking about?” We’ve got oil bubbling up in the back yard, we’re rich! You know, Black Gold, Texas T!
Well, unfortunately that bubbling crude was not “Black Gold or Texas T”, it was sewage from the Smiths septic system. The Smiths had been “city dwellers” all of their lives and really didn’t understand anything about septic systems. The Smiths didn’t think that it was a big deal because they had been told that people who live in the country have septic systems instead of public sewer. What the heck, you flush the toilet the same way. This was the first of many lessons the Smiths will learn over the course of dealing with this problem.
What should John and Marge have done to prevent this from happening. John and Marge used the same Realtor that had sold them their house in the city and used the same home inspector that had given them a very thorough inspection and comprehensive report on the previous home they purchased. John and Marge made a very common mistake, they “assumed”. They assumed that houses were houses, no matter where they were located. They also assumed all home inspectors had the same level of knowledge and expertise. Generally this is true, but rural property is a little different. John & Marge should have asked their Realtor if they were accustomed to selling property in rural areas. They should have also asked their home inspector, “How do you check the septic system to see if it is working properly?” They assumed a standard home inspection would reveal any and all problems. As with most standard home inspections, you will note somewhere on that inspection report there are certain items that cannot be inspected because of not being accessible. Wiring, plumbing, ductwork, sewer lines, septic systems are examples of things that cannot be inspected because they cannot be accessed by the inspector. If you can’t see it, you can’t inspect it. Since a septic system is buried in the ground there is really no effective way to inspect a septic system to see if it is going to function properly. Unless there are some noticeable signs of a problem, then you must assume that every thing is working properly. This is no fault of the inspector, it’s just reality. If you are considering purchasing a country home or a building lot in a rural area, your best assurance is to hire a REALTOR that not only can sell rural property but understands rural property. With a knowledgeable Reator you can avoid getting stuck with an existing problem like John and Marge or avoid getting stuck with a lot that you cannot build your dream home.
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