Before a septic system can be installed on a property, the soil must be tested to determine the conditions and suitability of land for a sewage disposal system. Perc tests refer to two functions performed for the testing: deep hole tests and percolation testing. Both of these types of testing require digging holes, one deep and one shallow. A board of health sanitarian or civil engineer will “read” the soil types and how well the soil accepts liquid to determine if they are suited for a septic system or not.
The term “Perc Test” comes from the word percolation. Once the shallow hole has been dug, water is poured into the hole to see at what rate the soil will accept liquid or how long it takes the level of water to go down within the hole. This rate is measured by “minutes per inch.” The perc rate will determine how many square feet of leaching area the septic system will need. The perc rate will be taken and then combined with the number of bedrooms to be built within a house. The number of bedrooms can be a sole determining factor on the size of a required septic tank. The number of people within a home determines the size of a septic system because they must all be accounted for in regards to how much waste the system can manage.
A perc test is required before a septic system can be installed onto a piece of property. This is a test to determine the absorption rate of soil for a septic drain field or “leach field.” The results of a percolation test are required to properly design a septic system. While every jurisdiction will have its own laws regarding the exact calculations for the length of line, depth of pit, etc., the testing procedures are the same.
Posted on behalf of Septic Service Pro
