|
Test the water quality if the house has a private well
Water quality is a concern for many reasons:
- Your Family’s health. Drinking and bathing in contaminated
water can cause serious health problems.
-
If you are purchasing a home with a private well, you should also be
concerned about its physical condition. Sometimes a well becomes contaminated
because it
is defective. In other words, it’s not the water source that’s
the problem, it’s the well itself.Wells can be very
expensive to repair or replace ($5,000 - $10,000 per well).
- Your lender
may require that the well pass a water test prior to loan approval.
- Whether you are purchasing a home or have lived in yours
for a long time, a private well should be tested for the
most common contaminates: bacteria,
nitrates, nitrites and lead. The EPA, University of Maryland Water Experts
and the American
Ground Water Trust
recommend ANNUAL testing of private wells.
Alban inspectors are accredited to collect water in all
local States and all associated laboratories are nationally
accredited.
For Conventional Financing
Basic water sampling includes testing for bacteria and nitrite/nitrate
chemical contamination.
For FHA/VA Financing
FHA/VA and some state housing finance programs require more
extensive water testing, including bacteria,
nitrite/nitrate chemical contamination, turbidity (clarity),
iron, lead, chlorine, and pH.
For Property Owners
EPA and other experts recommend annual water testing for
bacteria and nitrite/nitrate chemical
contamination. In addition, every three years, test for
sulfate, chloride, iron, manganese, lead, hardness and corrosion index. |
