Title 5 Inspection (Massachusetts Septic System Inspections)

When is a Title 5 Inspection Needed?:

A Title 5 Inspection is required in the following scenarios;

• Any transfer of property in Massachusetts (any system over 2 years old)
• When changing the footprint of an existing building
• When increasing flow into the system (adding bedrooms to existing house)

What happens during a Title 5 Inspection?:

• Our licensed Title 5 inspector will research information from the local Board of Health (i.e. plans, permits, pumping records, etc.)
• Upon arrival at the property, the inspector will interview the owner or agent to owner to acquire additionally needed information
• The inspector will use existing plans to locate all system components, groundwater information and drinking water setbacks (well, reservoirs, etc.)
• When plans are not available, all of our trucks are equipped with state of the art electronic locating equipment and fiber optic pipe cameras which make it easy for the inspector to locate components on his own quickly.
• When digging in a lawn to expose system components, we always use tarps and cut sod when possible. If we are not able to save the sod, we will reseed the disturbed areas. Over 90% of inspections we perform do not require the use of a back-hoe.
• During the inspection, the tank is pumped to remove solids and check the interior tank structure.

Additional information:
Title 5 Inspection Loan Program for Septic System Repair

When will I get my Inspection Results?:

• In almost all situations, the inspector will provide you with your verbal results while on the site.
• Your official Title 5 Inspection report will follow via email and hard copy within 24 hours.

What are my chances of passing?:

• Less than 10% of inspections performed are deemed a failure
• Around 15% of inspections require small repairs that can be performed shortly after inspection
• Over 75% of inspections are passing and require no additional work

If my system fails, do I have to fix it?:

• No, we are allowed to consider your inspection a “Voluntary Inspection”. In this scenario, no report is sent to the Board of Health
• The state code requires an inspection be performed to sell a property, but does not require the system to be upgraded for 2 years, therefore if you are able to come to an agreement with a potential buyer, the system can be upgraded after the sale of the property.

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