Percolation area - Is the house likely to have one?

DontBanMe

Hi,

I'm in the process of buying a house and the final piece of paper work required by the solicitor is to find out where the percolation area of the house is.

The house is 27 years old and is in the country, has it's own septic tank. But what I'm not sure of is if a house of this age would even have a percolation area?

The engineer we got to do a report on the house said he couldn't determine if there was one because it is all underground. I rang a company about doing a CCTV search and he's said it is a very unusual request and said depending on the tank it may cost anything from €400 to €1000.

I don't want to waste more money looking for something that isn't there, any ideas on how we can find this out at a lower cost?

P. Breathnach

It's likely that it has a percolation area, because the need for proper percolation was well-known at the time. My home, which is older than 27 years, has a septic tank and percolation area.

Is there any possibility of finding somebody who was involved in the building of the house, or an older neighbour who was around when it was built?

Be aware that sometimes a percolation area can silt up over time, and might have to be replaced.

Nekarsulm

As long as there is ample room for a percolation area, a mornings work for a diggerman with a Hitachi, and a lorry load of pea gravel will put a new one in for you. 400 euro approx.
Worth asking the vendor if they have registered the septic tank with the council. While you're at it, request a copy of the planning permission and site maps from the local Planning Office. There is no guarantee the percolation area is where its shown on the map, or even there at all, but it would be a starting point.

DontBanMe

There is plenty of room. But have a guy going out to check it out and to see if its in good order.

The tank is registered alright. The house was originally built by the council and under the legislation at the time no planning was required so no map exists with it showing where it might even be.

Just spoke with the auctioneer who said he spoke with the vendor and they told him that there isn't any percolation area with the tank. Is that likely??

godtabh

A percolation area isnt simple digging a hole and putting pea gravel down. Depends on the ground condition.

If its a septic tank it may not have a percolation area.

DontBanMe

Is it necessary to have one? Would you buy a house without it?

Nekarsulm

godtabh wrote: »

A percolation area isnt simple digging a hole and putting pea gravel down. Depends on the ground condition.

If its a septic tank it may not have a percolation area.

Actually a properly functioning septic tank may not need a percolation area, but one consisting of a "fan shape" series of drains allows the surrounding soils to absorb any nutrients which may escape the tank.
A proper septic tank can run for decades without any human attention, certainly without the annual or bi-annual cleaning out that seems to be the accepted norm with the newer electrically percolated designs beloved by Co.Councils nowadays.

Nowadays,the greatly increased use of detergents in washing machines, dish washers and showers, and Rim-blocks in toilets, all conspire to kill the bacteria needed in septic tanks.

godtabh

There is a difference between a septic tank and percolation area. One is a tank that is emptied periodically. A percolation filters the fluent through the soil.

Certain soils are good for it. Some aren't. Clays would be bad.

Many tanks are in bad shap and 'percolate' by default