In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that well water systems be inspected by a certified well water inspector or a licensed water well contractor.
In a home with a private well, maintenance and water testing are the homeowner's responsibility. To make sure you have safe water, you'll need to hire a home inspector who can check your well to confirm it's not contaminated.
How Much Does a Well Inspection Cost? An average well inspection ranges from $300 to $500. This depends on the inspector's rates as well as the type of water tests they intend to conduct to check water quality.
In most states, requesting a well inspection is the responsibility of the buyer. And as a buyer, you won't want to skip the inspection. Getting a well inspection before you purchase a home can save you a lot of time, energy, and money.
Key points. Test your well water at least once every year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids, and pH level. Contact your health department to find out what other germs or chemicals to test for based on where you live.
Regular checkups of water wells are imperative to ensure the safety, functionality, and proper operation of a private water well. Naturally, you should leave this to licensed professionals who can conduct detailed water well inspections that help unveil potential issues, including health risks or poor water quality.
Some counties offer free well water testing, so check with your county first. If they don't, use this EPA website to find a list of state-certified laboratories in your area that do water testing, or contact your county or state health department or your State Certification Officer for assistance.
By letting the seller attend the inspection, you also build a sense of comfort and ease for them. They would know what the red flags of their property are. They would also know about the information your inspector will share, which will help open a transparent communication between you and the seller.
1. Does the home have a drilled well, and if so, when was it drilled? The average lifespan for a well is 30–50 years.
A typical well inspection takes 1–2 hours.
The inspector should return a detailed well inspection report of all their findings within 1–3 days, though you may have to wait longer for your water test results.
Properties with abundant, high-quality well water are likely to see a positive impact on their value. Conversely, properties in areas with water scarcity or poor-quality groundwater may experience a negative impact.
The results are then used to design an efficient septic system. The cost of a perc test can vary depending on the location and size of the property. According to HomeAdvisor, a perc test costs between $750 and $1,850, with a national average cost of $1,300.
A well inspection costs $250 to $550, depending on the well type, depth, and age and whether the inspection includes water testing. Laboratory well water testing alone costs $100 to $350 on average. A well and septic inspection cost $400 to $650 when done in the same visit.
If so, you may already have an idea about the answer to the whether a plumber can handle well maintenance & repairs. Yes, some do, but that doesn't mean they do enough of them to be efficient or effective.
Usually it's the seller. The reason it's on the seller is because it's the seller's system and as a buyer, and your buyer's agent, I would expect the seller to keep their system compliant and running up to par.
CALCULATING A WATER WELL'S FLOW RATE
The average American household needs 100 to 120 gallons per person per day, and a flow rate of about 6 to 12 gallons per minute. This requirement may be higher if it serves a home housing a large family or there are large water demands.
An annual well maintenance check, including a bacterial test, is recommended. Any source of drinking water should be checked any time there is a change in taste, odor or appearance, or anytime a water supply system is serviced.
The main benefit of waiving the home inspection contingency is that the seller might like your offer better than an offer requiring a home inspection. In addition, buying a home without an inspection can be a much faster process because you do not have to wait on an inspector's report.
In fact, if you're buying a home under construction, you should hire an inspector twice. The first time is so he can look over the home before the walls are closed, and inspect framing and systems installation. The second should be after the home is complete, so he can inspect everything else.
The inspection process, including the report, forms a confidential business agreement between the buyer and the home inspector. Sellers are often not part of this agreement despite the property being theirs. In short, if the buyer pays for the inspection, they decide whether to share the report.
A well inspection includes checking all of the well components, water pressure flow rate, water level before and during pumping, pump motor performance, pressure tank performance, and well water quality. Well inspectors measure the volume of water pumped and the rate at which the pump works.
When you have your own private well you can skip paying a monthly water bill to the local utility. And if you have your own septic system, you won't have to pay for sewage as well. Of course, when you have your own well, it's your responsibility to pay for your pump and other infrastructure as necessary.