Loudoun VA Perc Test: The First Step to Buying Land for a Home

Perc Testing

When you are considering buying land for the purposes of building a home in Loudon VA, a perc test is one of the first steps you’ll want to take before buying the land. A perc test determines whether you can build a septic system on the property. If the conditions are not suitable for a septic system, then you may not be permitted to build.

A perc test should be conducted by a licensed, reputable septic system installation expert working closely with the local board of health to ensure that any special stipulations to the testing process are well understood in advance of the procedure. The local board of health may also follow up conditions for building based on the results of the tests conducted. A septic system expert should well understand these specifications.

Perc testing measures the amount of time it takes for liquid to drain through soil. Specifically, the aim is to see whether the site chosen for a septic system can support a drain field (or leach field), which receives the liquid discharge from the septic system and aids in eliminating bacteria as the water drains to lower levels of the ground.

In the simplest terms, the perc test involves digging a number of holes in the area of the proposed drain field. The location and depth is to be determined in consultation with the local health department in Fairfax VA. The perc test holes must be presoaked for a 24 hour period before testing. There should be no more than 6 inches of water standing the next day. Once this step is completed, the next step is to fill the holes to a fixed point at timed intervals (30 to 60 minutes typically) and to measure the rate the water surface drops at each interval. The percolation test, while simple, also has to be precise.

The perc testing professional will record this data and share it with local health department in Fairfax VA. Perc test results will determine the suitability for building a septic system and ultimately a home on the property in question. SES technicians are experts in septic systems, soil management and other environmental sciences related to home and commercial building. Contact us to make sure conditions are right to support your needs.

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Is Your Water Safe to Drink?

The EPA & Health Department Recommend You Have Your Water Tested Annually For…
  • Total Coliform Bacteria
New Well Owners – Test Now and Again in 3 Years For…
  • Total Coliform Bacteria
  • Lead
  • Nitrates/Nitrites
Keep your family safe and healthy by having your home’s water tested today!