How to Inspect Septic Systems Course

Welcome to InterNACHI's free, online How to Inspect Septic Systems course.
Goal:
 The goal of this course is to teach home inspectors how to perform an inspection of the septic system of a home.
Objectives:
After successful completion of the training, the student will be able to:
  • describe two types of inspections of onsite wastewater (septic) treatment systems;
  • perform a maintenance inspection;
  • perform a functional inspection; and
  • document the inspection findings in a report. 
Course includes:
  • 30,205 words;
  • 80 minutes of video;
  • student book;
  • inspection and writing assignment;
  • research and writing assignment;
  • 60 quiz questions in 9 quizzes;
  • 50-question final exam (drawn from a larger pool);
  • instant grading;
  • a downloadable, printable Certificate of Completion.

You will learn the following topics:

  • Tools Needed
  • General Information
  • Permission to Inspect
  • Gather Information Before the Inspection
  • Evaluate the Plumbing of the House
  • Locating the Components of the System
  • Evaluate the System Components
  • Scheduling Maintenance Inspections
  • Report to the Client
  • The Inspection Forms and Report
  • A Package of 4 Sample Septic Inspection Documents
  • Sample Inspection Report
  • Additional Suggested Comments for the Inspection Report
  • Calculating Tank Volume
  • Sewage Flows
  • Septic System Additives
  • Onsite System Inspection Form
  • Terminology for Onsite (Septic) Wastewater Treatment Systems
  • A Homeowner’s Guide to Septic Systems
Upon completion of this course and passing the 50-question final exam (drawn from a larger pool), the student can download and print their own Certificate of Completion which is auto-generated in their own name. 


 

How to Inspect Septic Systems Course

Course # 3502

nachi.org/septic-course

Activity

Assignments

Estimated hours for the average student

Academic Engagement

Reading online course instructional material at 140 words per minute

3.6

Watching and listening to instructional video

1.3

Taking quizzes

1.9

Taking the exam
1.5

Conducting a directed and independent inspection study performed according to the Standards of Practice, including the development of an inspection report 

4.0

Submitting an inspection and writing assignment

0.5

Submitting a research and writing assignment
0.5

Total

13.3



Preparation

Studying and reviewing instructional material in preparation for taking quizzes and exam 

4.0

Reading the downloaded student course book including taking the quizzes with the book

3.0
Reading, research, and studying related to completing the research and writing assignment
4.0
 Studying and preparing for inspection processes according to a Standards of Practice, including capturing and storing digital images with a camera or device, making observations, evaluating conditions, deducing, formulating opinions, communicating observations in written form, attaining competency in performing inspections and using an inspection checklist or software and other inspection tools in producing a report. 
10.0

Total

21.0


Sub Total

34.3 

Overall Total


34.0 hours / 0.9 SCH

 
 
And, in keeping with InterNACHI's commitment to Continuing Education, this septic system inspection course is open and free to all members, and can be taken again and again, without limit.
Reminder to members:  InterNACHI's Code of Ethics 1.10 requires that you comply with all government rules and licensing requirements of the jurisdiction where you conduct business.  InterNACHI's courses and Standards generally exceed the Standards of Practice that you are required to abide by locally.  
This course has been approved by:


 
The student's (InterNACHI member's) information is recorded on InterNACHI's servers for membership compliance verification, and automatically logs completion into InterNACHI's online Continuing Education log. 
 
Non-members may view only the first page of the course.
 
Members will need their username and password.  If you have forgotten your password, CLICK HERE (instant response) or email fastreply@internachi.org and request it (don't forget your name). 
 
InterNACHI... #1 in inspection education.

InterNACHI® Members:

Take the free, online How to Inspect Septic Systems course now (free to InterNACHI members).

Not a member yet?

Join today for access to this and thousands of other InterNACHI® membership benefits.

 
 
Some features which make InterNACHI's courses superior to existing continuing education options:
  • The course is free for all InterNACHI members.
  • The course is written in pure XHTML code for quick loading.  The course loads fine on old computers and loads fast, even with dial-up.
  • The course is designed using a hierarchal menu coupled with a sequential page navigation.  This provides the student with the option to easily repeat areas of weakness.
  • The course permits the student to start, stop and restart any part of the course as often as desired.
  • There are a variety of images within the course, including diagrams, illustrations and photos. 
  • The illustrations can be enlarged for clearer viewing by clicking on them.
  • The text is integrated into InterNACHI's Inspector Glossary.  Rolling over blue-colored terms provides their definition.
  • The final exam uses multiple-choice questions that reference the images. 
  • The course's quizzes and final exam have numerous advantages over traditional exam systems:
    1. The course, quizzes and final exam incorporate built-in intelligence which identifies and strengthens each student's unique subject weaknesses.
    2. Not only is each question weighted with regard to score, but each answer is weighted, as well as the correctness of each answer being weighted.
      1. Answers to easy questions are weighted such that the student is penalized, in terms of score, for answering incorrectly, but rewarded modestly for answering correctly.
      2. Answers to difficult questions are weighted such that the student is rewarded, in terms of score, for answering correctly, but not penalized for answering incorrectly.
      3. Answers to questions regarding basic safety, or questions every inspector should know the answer to, are weighted such that the student is severely penalized, in terms of score, for answering incorrectly.
  • Upon passing the final exam, the student can print out a Certificate of Completion which is auto-generated in their own name.
The student's (InterNACHI member's) information is recorded on InterNACHI's servers for membership compliance verification, and automatically logs completion into InterNACHI's online Continuing Education log.
 


 

InterNACHI® Members:

Take the free, online How to Inspect Septic Systems course now (free to InterNACHI members).

Not a member yet?

Join today for access to this and thousands of other InterNACHI® membership benefits.