Everything You Need to Know About Well Inspections

When should you get your well inspected, and how much do they cost? Find out everything you need to know and why a well inspection is worth it.

Table of Contents

Everything You Need to Know About Well Inspections

Warning about Well Inspections

What To Do If Your Well Inspection Failed

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How much does a full inspection cost?

How often should a well be inspected?

Who should inspect a well?

What to look for in a well inspection?

What is included in a home inspection?

Who pays for inspection and appraisal?

How much does a well and septic cost?

It is critical to have a well inspection completed when acquiring a home with a well as the primary water source. When searching for a property in the country, buyers may come across residences for sale that use well water on a regular basis.

When residents utilize municipal water, it is expected to be easily available and comply with the municipality’s safety rules.

However, no inferences can be drawn about the quality of well water. Aside from water quality, wells may have other difficulties that you should be aware of and investigate before committing to purchase a home. After all, you may be shocked at the average cost of well and septic when it’s too late.

When a private well serves a property, whether you’re buying or selling a home, there’s always concern about testing the water.

If you’re purchasing a home with a well instead of municipal water, make sure to include the contingency for testing in your offer!

When evaluating the water, you should do both a quality and quantity test. Both of these tests are crucial because you want to ensure that the water is safe and that there is enough to service the property appropriately.

One of your primary considerations as a buyer contemplating a property with a well should be the quality of the water, how easily it flows, and the quantity available to the residence. Continue reading for some of the best techniques for determining well quantity and quality when purchasing a property.

Everything You Need to Know About Well Inspections

Don’t buy a house unless the well has been examined through a local company or a private well inspection. One of the features to consider when purchasing a home is the well. A few tests, the most obvious of which is one for water safety and cleanliness, may be performed.

A sample of water will be taken from the household tap and sent to a licensed water testing institution to establish its composition. The lab will email you a report with the water test results.

The lab will usually show you what elements are present in the water and the passing limit for each element.

You should have a water specialist who is familiar with the region go over the data to help you comprehend them, as water conditions can vary quite a bit in various places.

Standard water testing will typically look for PH, hardness, alkalinity, and turbidity. Routine mineral testing will frequently include elements such as iron, calcium, manganese, copper, fluoride, chloride, and others. Coliform bacteria are also commonly tested in most well testing, particularly in rural regions.

It is also strongly suggested that you test for VOCs. Volatile organic compounds are the terrible stuff you don’t want in your water. VOCs include gasoline components such as MtBE and benzene.

Don’t panic if the only thing wrong is the sump pump, you’re in good standing. The cost to put in well and septic vs the average cost to replace well pump is thousands of dollars. The cost of well pump ranges between $900-$2500.

Warning about Well Inspections

You should be aware of the necessity to test for radon in water. In many instances, radon is not on the list of components that are routinely examined.

If you are purchasing a property with a well, make sure you ask the individual doing the test to have the lab test for radon as well.

If the test reveals that there are excessive radon levels in the water, this may be simply remedied. It is, however, not inexpensive. The typical cost to remove radon from water is $5000-$6000. When you compare that to the cost of a new well, it’s much easier to remove the radon if the rest of the well is in good working order.

What To Do If Your Well Inspection Failed

When you get the well tested, you may discover that it includes unwelcome pollutants, such as contaminants that affect the water’s flavor, smell, or texture.

Fortunately, there are a number of options for dealing with such contaminants, so it isn’t a dealbreaker if there are any problems with the water.

If you’re interested in the house, speak with the water expert who tested the well to see if there are any options for resolving the issue.

Almost every sort of well quality issue may be solved with a competent filtering system. While certain water treatment systems are capable of removing several pollutants, no one treatment system can address every application or water contamination.

It is critical to understand the capability of the treatment systems under consideration, what contaminants they remove, what flow rates they can manage, and what water pressures they can deal with.

Most water treatment systems are self-cleaning and are regulated to require a certain minimum flow rate. The most typical issue is that a water treatment system will require a number of gallons per minute, but the present well pump produces less than the treatment system requires. These two items must be appropriately aligned.

Water pressure is also an important consideration when selecting a well water treatment system. Almost all water treatment systems reduce water pressure as the water passes through the device.

Before selecting a water treatment system, it is critical to determine the water pressure from the well pump. If you don’t, you’re likely to have clogged water pressure in your house.

Iron and hardness treatment are two of the most prevalent well-treatment difficulties. If you discover that you have these difficulties, they are simple to resolve.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How much does a full inspection cost?

In Florida, a home inspection cost is around $300 on average, with a usual range of $250-$375. An examination for a very small property may cost as little as $125, while an inspection for a very large home could cost $1,000 or more. Some home inspectors will incorporate thermal imaging for leak detection as part of their standard service, while others may charge extra for this.

The following services are often not included in a normal home inspection:

• Checks for radon
• Mold inspection
• WDO Inspection (i.e., termite)
• Asbestos analysis
• Inspections of sewer scope
• Inspections of septic systems

These will incur additional costs above and above the cost of a typical home inspection and may need the use of a different qualified specialist in your region.

How often should a well be inspected?

A well inspection should take place annually to check for cleanliness, mechanical problems, and the presence of any contaminants. Some of the common ones are:

• Coliform bacteria
• Nitrates/nitrites
• Local contaminants (arsenic and radon)

It’s worth the well inspection cost to ensure you’re not about to be in dangerous waters (figuratively and literally)! These are the things your typical well inspectors will do:

• A flow test to evaluate system output, as well as a check of the water level before and during pumping, pump motor performance (check amp load, grounding, and line voltage), pressure tank and pressure switch contact, and overall water quality (odor, cloudiness, etc.).
• An assessment of well equipment to verify that it is clean and in accordance with local laws.
• A test of your water for coliform bacteria and nitrates, iron, manganese, water hardness, sulfides, and anything else that might create plumbing issues, stains, water appearance, or odor in your area.
• A written report containing all laboratory and other test findings and a concise, clear explanation of the results and recommendations for your well.

Who should inspect a well?

Professionals that specialize in this sector are known as well inspectors. These are the persons who are most informed and capable of adhering to a comprehensive well inspection checklist. It is crucial to remember that reputable inspectors do not make well repairs since it is a conflict of interest. Keep in mind that the well and septic costs for inspection before you purchase could save you from disaster.

Because both systems typically coexist on a single property, some septic tank inspectors are also trained as well inspectors and can complete the septic and well inspection simultaneously.

General home inspectors will visually assess your well and may be able to sample the water quality. However, this level of scrutiny is usually insufficient to meet lender requirements for a well and septic inspection.

What to look for in a well inspection?

When completing a water well inspection, there are several things that need to be reviewed and logged to determine the condition. While the well water testing cost could be between $300-$500, this can vary depending on the well inspection companies’ rates. However, completing this step ahead of time can save you in the long run! During the well inspection services, the professional will check:

• The operation of the submersible pump and water recharging into the well
• All parts of the pressure tank
• The condition for any defects such as leaking seals, faulty gauges, or rusting tank
• The well hole and casing
• Electrical wiring, if applicable
• Valves and pressure gauge
• Control box
• Capacitors

What is included in a home inspection?

Typically, your well septic inspection is not included in your home inspection. Most general home inspectors will consist of the following during their home inspection:

• HVAC system
• Interior plumbing and electrical systems
• The roof
• The attic and any visible insulation
• The walls, ceilings, and floors
• The windows and doors
• The basement and foundation
• Structural components of the home

Who pays for inspection and appraisal?

The well and septic inspection cost, typical home inspection, and appraisal fees are often paid for by the buyer. However, this can be negotiated into your offer. Keep in mind that during a fast-paced sellers’ market, you may not get the well water testing cost covered by the homeowners.

However, the well water test cost could certainly be worth it, considering the cost of well and septic in florida for any new system can range from $6,000-$20,000+. If there’s a problem, it’s undoubtedly worth knowing about with a much smaller cost of well and septic testing instead.

How much does a well and septic cost?

For an average depth of 150 feet, drilling a well costs $5,325 to $9,180. The average cost of a well installation is $3,750 to $15,300, or $25 to $65 per foot. A shallow well costs between $1,800 and $3,000. The cost of drilling a well is determined by the depth dug, the soil conditions, and the diameter of the well.

Between drilling and installation, the new well cost alone can range from $9,075-$24,480. With the cost of a well almost matching a sizable down payment, it’s well worth the well inspections to ensure you know what you’re purchasing.

The cost of buying and constructing a septic system can range from $1,500 to $15,000. The cost is determined by the system’s size and the kind of soil. More than two bathrooms need a bigger tank, which raises the material expenses. They will also require a larger septic field, which will take longer to establish.

If you’ve been considering buying a home but are stressed about the well and septic cost, you should submit your offer through Richr. The streamlined service allows you to redeem up to 2% cashback of the purchase price. With a home over $250,000, you’ll have your water well inspections covered!