Buying a Florida home with septic: 10 questions to ask

Print this, bring it to the inspection, and don't leave any of them unanswered.

• When was the system installed, and is the original permit on file with the county?
• When was the tank last pumped, and is there a receipt?
• What is the tank size and material (concrete, fiberglass)?
• Where is the drainfield, and is anything built or parked over it?
• Is there an effluent filter, and when was it last cleaned?
• Has the system ever backed up or had repairs? What kind?
• Is the property in a sewer-conversion priority area?

  Especially relevant in Miami-Dade and Cape Coral.
• How does the system perform in the rainy season?
• Is there a well on the property, and what's the separation distance?
• If a mounded system: what was the design water table, and does it still match reality?