Related Services

Water Testing

Bacterial - A bacterial water test is the most common water test
performed during a real estate transaction. Also known as a potability
study, the purpose of this test is to ensure that the water is safe to
drink. Most lenders will insist on a bacterial water test if the home you
are considering has a private well. If the home is connected to a
public water supply bacterial water testing is usually not necessary,
but you should check with your lending institution to be sure.

If your home has a private well and is being financed through the
FHA or VA you will be required to have more comprehensive water
testing performed. In addition to the bacterial test, tests for nitrites,
nitrates, and lead will need to be done. Again, check with your lender
or Realtor regarding these requirements if the home is connected to
a public water system.

Bacterial water test samples are processed by a local laboratory.
Because these water samples are delivered to the lab on the day of
the inspection results are usually available by the next day (except
weekends).

Lead seldom occurs naturally in drinking water. Lead enters
drinking water primarily as the result of corrosion or wearing away of
materials containing lead in the water distribution system and
household plumbing. These materials include lead based solder,
brass and chrome plated fixtures, and in some areas with homes
built prior to 1930, pipes made of lead that connect the house to the
water main. In 1986 congress restricted the lead content of solder
and other plumbing materials.

When water stands in lead pipes or plumbing systems for several
hours, the lead in the pipe or solder may dissolve into the drinking
water. The first water drawn from the faucet in the morning or late
afternoon after the water has not been used for several hours may
contain a higher level of lead. The lead level may be lowered by
flushing the water lines before using the water. Cold water should
be used for cooking and drinking because hot water dissolves lead
more quickly than cold water. The EPA estimates that drinking water
accounts for up to 20% or more of a persons total lead exposure.

Testing for lead in water involves taking a water sample during the
inspection and shipping it overnight to a lab for analysis. Test
results are usually available approximately five days after the
samples are mailed.

Radon is a cancer causing radioactive gas. You cannot see, smell
or taste radon but it may be a problem in your home. When you
breathe air containing radon, you increase your risk of getting lung
cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the
second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. If
you smoke and your home has high levels radon levels, your risk of
lung cancer is especially high. Click here to see a map of radon
distribution in New York State as determined by the EPA.

The age of your home has nothing to do with the presence
of radon. The presence of radon is a function of the geological
structure of the ground upon which the house is built, so it is not
uncommon for brand new homes to have unacceptable levels of
radon present.

The good news is that homes with high radon levels can be made
safe, sometimes quite easily and inexpensively. Testing for radon
involves leaving at least two testing devices in the lowest finished
living space in the house for 2 to 4 days, then collecting the test
kits and sending them to a lab for analysis. A more accurate result
is achieved by using two test kits and then averaging the results of
the individual kits. The test kits are mounted in a tamper-proof
enclosure that contains devices that can detect movement as well
as changes in temperature and humidity. Test results are usually
available approximately 5 days after the tests are mailed.

A septic dye test can be performed on homes that have private
septic systems. A florescent dye is introduced into the homes waste
water system and the water is run long enough to ensure that the
dye is distributed through the system and into the leach field. If the
leach field is not absorbing waste properly the dye will become
visible as it rises to the surface. A septic dye test is included at no
additional charge on all properties that have a private waste
disposal system (weather permitting).
Note: A septic dye test cannot identify all types of wastewater
treatment system failures. By itself a septic dye test is not indicative
of the overall condition of the system, but short of excavating and
visually inspecting the system components, the septic dye test is the
best indicator of the condition of the septic system.

Other Water Tests - You may also wish to have additional tests
performed if the house has a private well and is located near a farm
or orchard, or near a gas station, dry cleaner, or industrial site.
Chemicals and/or pesticides used by these businesses can
sometimes leach into the water table and may present a health risk.

The Wood Destroying Insect inspection (sometimes referred to as a
Termite Inspection) documents the existence of live or dead insects,
damage from a current or previous infestation, and identifies
conditions that are conducive to the presence of wood destroying
insects. For the purpose of this inspection and report wood
destroying insects are identified as termites, carpenter ants,
carpenter bees, and re-infesting wood boring beetles.

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