Inspecting Wells

[Gary T. Heller]

I wonder how many members inspect wells. Is there a required certification? I have been getting many calls asking if I do. Most of the wells I see are deep (over 500 ft) and have a deep pump, bladder tank, shallow pump and piping. Not much to them.

I have been inspecting the sub panel, checking air pressure in the bladder tank, looking at the above ground piping and checking water pressure. So far I have not charged extra for the service.

If anyone has a check list to share that would be great.

[Russell J. Hensel]

I do check wells and with everything else, it just a visual inspection of the equipment. It is NOT a determination of the quality of water just that everything operates as intended at the time of the inspection. Why not? Yes, I do charge extra for the service. I just found it is proper to say how much we charge for things. So I can give you a hint its somewhere between $34 and $36 for the charge.

[Peter C. Russell]

Gary, talk to Joe Farsetta. He use to teach a well class and from what I understand it was excellent.
Unfortunately I couldn't attend when he came to NH a few years ago.

[Steven J. Wessler]

Gary, do talk to Joe Farsetta. He sent me a course on CD. Go through the information, take his test and send it in for review. It is an excellent course.

[Vern Mitchinson]

You might want to check for any state regulations. In this province all drillers are required to file a well log and these are posted on a data base. If this is the case an additional service for Fee would be to obtain the well log and have it ready for when you are on site and then add it to the rest of your inspection info. Have you taken InterNACHI's septic system course? I just did it last week. Very good course.

[Brian E. Kelly]

Originally Posted by gheller

I wonder how many members inspect wells. Is there a required certification? I have been getting many calls asking if I do. Most of the wells I see are deep (over 500 ft) and have a deep pump, bladder tank, shallow pump and piping. Not much to them.

I have been inspecting the sub panel, checking air pressure in the bladder tank, looking at the above ground piping and checking water pressure. So far I have not charged extra for the service.

If anyone has a check list to share that would be great.

I do a visual Gary and recommend they have the water tested..

I do not want get too involved here with well testing.

(you will make more money if you perform your own WDI inspections buddy, IMO)

[Peter C. Russell]

Originally Posted by bkelly2

I do a visual Gary and recommend they have the water tested..

I do not want get too involved here with well testing.

(you will make more money if you perform your own WDI inspections buddy, IMO)

I charge 140.00 for a standard water test. Lot of wells out here.

[Brian E. Kelly]

Originally Posted by prussell

I charge 140.00 for a standard water test. Lot of wells out here.

I see one or two a year Peter. But I do a WDI with 90% of all Home Inspections.

[David P. OKeefe]

Originally Posted by prussell

I charge 140.00 for a standard water test. Lot of wells out here.

What's included in the standard test?

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Most of the time when folks ask "do you check wells" what they are really asking is "can you take a water sample for me?" Get clarification.

I do take water samples. I refer them to a well specialist if they truly want a well inspection.

[Peter C. Russell]

Originally Posted by dokeefe

What's included in the standard test?

Fluoride
Chloride
Nitrate-N
PH
Hardness
Sodium
Iron
Manganese
Copper
Lead
Arsenic
Total Coliform Bacteria
E Coli Bacteria

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Originally Posted by dokeefe

What's included in the standard test?

This is commonly called the "FHA test". 4 parameters.

Lead
Bacteria
Nitrate
Nitrite

($175.)

[James E. Braun, CMI]

You got to be a state licensed sewer inspector to inspect wells for real estate transcations in Missouri.

[Joe Farsetta]

James,

Not exactly true. It depends on what you are inspecting and how you inspect it. There are specific parameters as it pertains to the well inspection you speak of, and they escape me at the moment, but it is not as broad a requirement as you think.

[James E. Braun, CMI]

You may want to pull up the Missouri law and read it. It says it in black and white. Not much will happen to those illegally performing well inspections except pay a big fine.
Also to perform a termite inspection in Missouri you need to hold a Non-Commercial Pesticide Applicators license. Sad but true.

Licensing Solves Nothing!