Many banks and other lending institutions now require that a home with an on-site sewage system and/or water well be evaluated to ensure that the sewage system is working correctly and/or that the water supply is safe before they will approve a mortgage or other financing for a home sale. The process starts with the lender or current homeowner filing out an application for a home loan evaluation.
Note: The home must have been occupied for the last 30 consecutive days and the septic tank must not have been pumped out within the last 30 days in order for a sanitarian to do a home loan evaluation.
When an application is received, a sanitarian will contact the applicant to schedule the home loan evaluation. The sanitarian will take a water sample, which will be tested to make sure that there are no coliform bacteria in the water supply. The sanitarian will also place dye tablets in the drains for sinks, toilets, tub/showers, and the washing machine. This is done so that if any sewage is coming to the surface of the ground, which indicates a sewage system failure, it will be easy to see. The sanitarian will make a follow-up visit two days after placing the dye tablets to see if there is any dye on the ground surface. After the sanitarian has confirmed that the sewage system is working correctly, the septic tank will need to be pumped out if this has not been done within the last three years.