Septic, Well & Rural Home Inspections in Licking County
Septic, Well, and the Inspections City Buyers Forget
If you're moving out here from Columbus, there's a good chance you've never bought a house that wasn't on city water and sewer.
A lot of Licking County isn't. And the inspections that matter on a rural property are different from the ones that matter in a subdivision.
Here's what I make sure my buyers look at.
The standard home inspection isn't enough
A general inspector will look at the house — attic, basement, roof, structure, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, windows, grading. That's necessary and you should absolutely have it.
But a general inspection typically does not include the septic system, the well, radon, or the sewer line. Those are separate, and on a rural property they're often where the real money is.
Septic
The single biggest surprise expense in rural buying.
Get it inspected separately — not as part of the general inspection. A septic inspection should include locating the tank, checking the tank and baffles, and evaluating the leach field.
Things to establish before closing:
Age and type of system
When it was last pumped
Whether it's permitted and on file with the health department
Condition of the leach field
Whether the system is sized for the house as it exists now — this catches people when a previous owner added bedrooms
[VERIFY: Brittany to add the Licking County Health Department's current requirements — whether a point-of-sale inspection is required locally, what the permitting process is, and roughly what a replacement system costs in this area. This is exactly the detail that makes this post rank, and it needs to be current.]
Well water
If the house is on a well, you're responsible for your own water quality.
Test for: bacteria (coliform and E. coli), nitrates, and depending on the area, arsenic, iron, hardness, and sulfur. Also worth checking flow rate — a well that produces enough for two people may not for five.
[VERIFY: which contaminants are worth testing for specifically in this part of Ohio.]
Radon
Ohio has meaningful radon levels in a lot of areas, and it's a cheap test relative to the risk.
[VERIFY: Licking County's typical radon levels and whether testing is customary locally. Don't overstate or understate — cite the Ohio Department of Health.]
Mitigation is straightforward and not usually expensive, but it's better as a negotiating item before closing than a surprise after.
Sewer line
If the property is on city sewer, a sewer scope is still worth it on any older home. A camera down the line finds root intrusion and collapsed pipe — a several-thousand-dollar problem that no other inspection catches.
Other inspections worth considering
Depending on the property: mold and mildew, lead-based paint on pre-1978 homes, structural or foundation evaluation, and on lake property, a shoreline or seawall assessment.
On new construction, inspect anyway
I say this in my new construction guide and I'll repeat it. New homes have defects. Inspect at pre-drywall and again before closing.
Who to use
I'll give you names of inspectors I've worked with, and Howard Hanna maintains a network of vetted service professionals. What I won't do is push you toward one — you should pick someone you're comfortable with, and it's worth getting your own recommendations too.
The honest summary
Rural property is a different kind of purchase. It's usually a great value, and I'm not trying to talk anyone out of it — I live out here.
But the inspection budget is bigger, and going in knowing that is much better than finding out during due diligence.
