Well inspection checklist for buying a home with a well

When you buy a home on a private well, nobody else is responsible for the water: EPA notes that private well owners are responsible for the safety of their own water. EPA: Private Wells A pre-purchase inspection is your chance to find problems while you can still negotiate or walk away. Use this checklist with your agent, your inspector and the well contractor. It draws on the Water Systems Council's guidance for buyers and real estate professionals and on state requirements. [EPA source note]

1. Records to request from the seller

The Water Systems Council's buyer guide says to get the well log, along with maintenance and inspection records and past water tests, and notes that mortgage lenders typically require a recent water test. Water Systems Council: Buying a Home with a Well Its guide for real estate professionals lists what the well log should show. Water Systems Council: Buying or Selling a Home with a Well [WSC-BUYING source note] [WSC-REP source note]

• Well log or well report: drill date, depth, casing depth and type, pump depth and size
• Location of the well, septic tank and drainfield on a site plan
• Repair and service records for the pump, pressure tank and controls
• Past water test results, with dates and the lab used
• Any treatment equipment installed, and why
• Any unused or abandoned wells on the property

If the seller has no well log, the state may: see how to find water well logs and how to read a water well log.

2. At the wellhead

The Water Systems Council's two buyer checklists give these benchmarks for the visible parts of the well: Water Systems Council: Buying or Selling a Home with a Well Water Systems Council: Buying a Home with a Well [WSC-REP source note] [WSC-BUYING source note]

• Wellhead visible and at least 12 inches above ground (1 to 2 feet above the highest recorded flood level in flood-prone areas)
• Cap vermin-proof, watertight and securely attached to the casing
• No visible cracks or damage to the casing
• Well located uphill of the septic system and other pollution sources, and meeting state setbacks
• Well pump and pressure tank less than 15 years old

The older buyer guide also suggests casing at least 50 feet deep and an inspection of the whole system within the last 10 years. Check setbacks against the well to septic distance in your state.

3. Pump, pressure tank and controls

• Pressure switch cuts in and out at its rated settings
• Pump does not short-cycle; guidance treats a cycle under 45 seconds as worth investigating
• Pressure tank holds its air charge and is not waterlogged, leaking or corroded
• Wiring, disconnect and grounding look sound
• Backflow protection where hoses, irrigation or treatment connect

The short-cycling benchmark comes from the Water Systems Council's guide for home inspectors. Water Systems Council: wellcare Guide to Evaluating Water Wells (for home inspectors) How long wells last gives typical lifespans for each part. [WSC-INSPECTOR source note]

4. Flow and yield

A home inspector's flow test shows what the system delivered for a few minutes. The Water Systems Council says yield testing should be performed by a licensed well contractor. Water Systems Council: Buying or Selling a Home with a Well [WSC-REP source note]

• Flow rate at the pressure tank or an outside spigot, in gallons per minute
• Yield test by a licensed contractor: pumping rate, drawdown and recovery
• Report states the test length and when it was run

See well yield tests for what a good report contains and how many GPM a well should produce to judge the result.

5. Water tests

The Water Systems Council says every well should at a minimum be tested annually for bacteria, and buyers should check with the local health department about arsenic, lead, nitrate and radon, test before closing, and make the contract contingent on the results. Water Systems Council: Buying or Selling a Home with a Well [WSC-REP source note]

• Sample taken by the inspector or lab, not handed over by the seller
• Certified laboratory used
• Total coliform and E. coli bacteria
• Nitrate
• Local concerns: arsenic, lead, radon, uranium, manganese or others your health department names
• Results reviewed before the contingency deadline

Well water testing explains each test, and how to read well water test results covers what the numbers mean.

Where is well testing required at sale?

Most states leave pre-sale testing to the buyer, but some require it. New Jersey's Private Well Testing Act makes water testing a condition of sale, and closing cannot occur until both buyer and seller have received and reviewed the results; the required tests include total coliform, nitrates, iron, manganese, pH, certain volatile organic compounds and lead. New Jersey Private Well Testing Act, P.L.2001, c.40 Dakota County, Minnesota, requires existing wells to be tested by a state-certified lab within a year before sale, and unused wells to be sealed. Dakota County: Well Requirements When Selling Property Santa Cruz County, California, requires sellers to complete water quality and yield testing before a property transfer. County of Santa Cruz: Time of Sale Flow Testing & Water Quality Sampling FAQ [NJ-PWTA source note] [DAKOTA-WELL source note] [SCC-POS-FLOW source note]

Wisconsin is an example of the opposite approach: state law does not require a well inspection or water test at transfer, but if one is done, a licensed well driller or pump installer must perform it, covering the well's construction, separation distances, the pressure system, unused wells and tests for coliform bacteria, nitrate and arsenic. Wisconsin DNR: Property transfer well inspections [WI-DNR-TRANSFER source note]

What should you do after the inspection?

1. Read every report and lab result before your contingency deadline.
2. Put any problems in writing to the seller, with repair quotes attached.
3. Retest after any disinfection or repair before closing, if the contract allows.
4. Keep all reports, the well log and test results with your house records.

Put any problems in writing before your contingency deadline. Common fixes include replacing a cap, extending a casing, disinfecting the well after a bacteria result, adding treatment, or replacing an old pump or tank. Get repair quotes from licensed contractors so you can negotiate on real numbers; well inspection cost explains what the inspection itself should cost.