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Septic Tank Inspection Checklist: Free PDF Download
Septic
In this post, we share a free septic tank inspection checklist for service technicians to use during septic inspections and maintenance visits. It prompts techs to follow essential steps, such as:
Verify customer information
Interview customer about septic history
Request septic system records
Perform a site evaluation
Assess the current condition of the septic system
Inspect the drain field
Take liquid samples (if required)
Inspect additional systems
We’ll provide a link below to download the checklist and use it in your septic business.
However, while this checklist provides some benefits, such as fostering consistency and accountability during the inspection process, PDF templates have some key limitations. For example:
It’s difficult to be sure they’re used for every job.
PDFs don’t integrate with the other apps and software tools you use to run your business, so you must manually record results into your CRM (or whatever system you use to keep track of customer data and maintenance records).
The details of any issues discovered during maintenance inspections can’t be easily shared between field and office staff, potentially causing delays for corrective actions (e.g. ordering replacement parts or equipment).
In addition to sharing the free maintenance checklist below, we’ll also walk through how our septic business software, ServiceTitan, solves these challenges and more.
Below, we cover:
How to download and use our septic tank inspection checklist
How ServiceTitan custom forms streamline septic tank inspections
Other ways ServiceTitan helps septic businesses improve efficiency and profitability
Want to see how ServiceTitan’s septic business software can give you the tools you need to streamline operations and grow your business? Schedule a call for a free product tour.
How to Download and Use Our Septic Tank Inspection Checklist
Click here to download the septic tank inspection checklist.
It’s a fillable PDF that you can complete digitally, saving it as a new file for each new report. Alternatively, you could print copies for technicians to keep in their trucks.
At the top of the inspection form, you’ll find fields to record the basic information about the service visit, including:
Date of inspection
Technician or inspector name
Customer name (i.e. property owner, homeowner, or business owner)
Address
Contact information
Service order number
Below that, the rest of page one provides a checklist to help ensure technicians are thorough in their inspection procedures. It consists of the following sections:
Pre-inspection Protocol
Verify customer information and reason for inspection.
Check if any prior septic records are available (e.g. tank size and type, last inspection date, last pump-out date, etc.).
Interview customer for history of septic issues (e.g. clogs, backups, etc.).
Explain the process and safety measures to the customer.
Set up safety barriers, if necessary.
Site Evaluation
Check for easy access to the septic tank and drain field.
Observe the ground condition around the septic system.
Note any visible signs of system failure.
Measure and record the distance from the house to the septic tank and drain field (i.e. leach field).
Verify local building codes and regulations for compliance.
Initial System Assessment
Inspect the condition of the cover (e.g., cracks, corrosion, damage to tank lid or riser).
Check liquid levels/water levels.
Above inlet pipe: Yes / No
Above outlet pipe: Yes / No
Inspect inlet baffle and outlet baffle or tees.
Measure scum and sludge layers.
Scum layer: _______ inches
Sludge layer: _______ inches
Examine tank walls and bottom for cracks or leaks.
Inspect effluent filter (if applicable).
Clean / replace as necessary.
Check for unusual objects or substances (e.g., grease, foreign objects, or solid waste that were flushed down the toilet or garbage disposal).
Drain Field Inspection
Conduct a visual inspection of the drain field area.
Probe soil for signs of saturation or failure.
Check the condition of inspection ports, if present.
Verify effluent flow in the distribution box (if applicable).
Additional System Components
Inspect any pumps, pump tanks, siphons, or other mechanical components.
Evaluate alarms and control panels.
Check float switches and electrical connections.
Examine any aerobic treatment units, if applicable.
Sampling (If Required)
Take wastewater samples for laboratory analysis.
Document sample details and time of collection.
Summary and Repair Recommendations
On page two, there is space for technicians to summarize their findings during the inspection and make recommendations for any repairs or replacements, in addition to lines for customer and inspector signatures.
As we mentioned above, using this type of PDF inspection report template has some limitations. So, in the next section, we’ll look at how ServiceTitan’s custom forms improve inspection workflows for septic businesses.
How ServiceTitan Custom Forms Streamline Septic Inspections
ServiceTitan’s septic business software allows contractors to create versatile, customized forms including septic tank maintenance checklists.
Users can create checklists and easily add them to specific jobs, customers, locations, or equipment. All forms can be accessed onsite via our mobile app (compatible with Android and iOS mobile devices), as well as by office staff via our desktop app.
With this functionality at their fingertips, techs no longer need to keep stacks of paper checklists in their trucks, or transfer job and customer data to a computer system. Likewise, office staff no longer need to worry about printing these forms and ensuring techs have them.
Since ServiceTitan stores all information entered into the platform in the cloud, it’s fast and easy to find and access forms and customer info.
Forms can be built from scratch. But our users also enjoy the ability to create pre-built templates. These, too, can be customized to a given septic shop's specific needs or preferences.
Ensure Checklists Are Used Every Time
In form settings, business owners can select the option to require techs to fill out certain forms for certain jobs.
For example, if a tech is on a maintenance visit, they can be required to complete your septic inspection checklist before they’re able to mark the job as complete. Or, if they’re installing a new septic system, they can be required to complete a septic installation checklist and warranty form before closing out the job.
This fosters accountability through automation, reducing stress on owners and managers, while ensuring SOPs are followed in the field for every job.
While having a flexible digital forms tool is an important asset for solving the challenges of paper or manual forms, the true value of software solutions like ServiceTitan lies in the combination of features that help to streamline workflows across business operations.
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Other Ways ServiceTitan Helps Septic Businesses Improve Efficiency and Profitability
Empower Septic Technicians with a User-Friendly Mobile App
ServiceTitan’s mobile app, compatible with both Android and iOS operating systems, offers an intuitive user experience that techs love, beginning with the home screen dashboard where they can quickly and easily see the jobs they have scheduled for that day.
Each job card can be tapped to pull up a dedicated page with further details about that job:
Techs can also access the essential tools they need throughout the lifecycle of a job. Via the left sidebar, they can view and utilize:
Customer history: Useful for businesses that have maintenance agreements, for example, this feature shows technicians’ previous estimates, recurring services, previous invoices, photos and videos from previous service visits, and more.
Job forms: Installers and techs can access job forms that require customer signatures as well as forms that foster accountability and better customer service (such as service and installation checklists, or pre-appointment customer experience checklists).
Estimates and Proposals: Technicians can create professional-quality proposals — strategically designed to maximize profitability — and then present them to customers via their tablet.
Invoices: Techs can easily generate invoices and send them to customers in a variety of ways.
Closeout: Once they complete a job, techs can accept payments on the spot from customers via check or credit card. (You also have an option to offer customer financing.)
Cut Down on Drive Time and Fuel Costs with Smart Dispatching
With pump trucks hauling a lot of weight and operating in spread-out, rural areas, sending technicians to jobs on an optimal route can save money on fuel costs.
ServiceTitan dispatching can help with this, as well as help you navigate daily changes due to weather or other circumstances.
The dispatch board is straightforward to navigate. Tab options include the following:
Alerts
Unassigned jobs
Scheduled jobs
Unconfirmed jobs
Dispatched jobs
And jobs that are Working, Paused, Done, Canceled, or On Hold
Dispatchers can see which septic jobs are assigned to a service technician and which aren’t. They can quickly assign jobs to techs or make schedule adjustments on the fly with our simple drag-and-drop functionality.
For rescheduled jobs, manually transferring job details into a new appointment one by one is unnecessary. Office staff can effortlessly drag and drop the entire job — whether or not it includes the previously assigned technician — into a new timeframe in a single action. Additionally, the job's duration can be adjusted, extended, or reduced to accommodate any changes in the expected completion time.
As technicians go about their day, dispatchers are kept up-to-date through the activity feed (also visible right within the dispatch board screen). This feed provides updates on when techs are en route to a job, when they arrive, and when they’ve completed jobs and are moving to the next one. It also provides real-time GPS tracking to see where techs are as they drive between appointments.
In addition, dispatchers can message techs within the dispatch board, providing streamlined communication with techs in the field. They can also send out group messages to the entire service team when needed.
Finally, our dispatching feature includes the ability to send out automatic customer notifications for a range of job status updates. These include:
Appointment reminders and job confirmation requests.
Changes to appointment times.
Notifications that their tech is due to arrive soon.
And more…
Whenever a customer confirms their appointment or a job is canceled or changed, customers can be promptly notified. Dispatchers are also alerted through their activity feed, which is conveniently located at the bottom of their dispatch board. This feed provides dispatchers with a comprehensive overview of the day's jobs, highlighting which appointments require rescheduling, extension, or other adjustments.
Track and Manage Your Service Agreements Effortlessly
ServiceTitan's service agreements give septic businesses the ability to effectively and efficiently document, manage, and track recurring services associated with maintenance agreements.
Membership tracking is seamlessly integrated with the software tools that our users rely on to do things such as schedule jobs, build proposals, send invoices, and collect payments.
Once recurring service events are set up, they are automatically added to your schedule based on the defined dates and frequency. This saves office staff significant time from having to manually track and add these jobs to the schedule while reducing the chances of missing maintenance visits.
Office staff can view upcoming recurring service events by date range, and initiate individual jobs by contacting the customer to coordinate a time and book the job. At that point, the job will be assigned to a technician and automatically viewable on their schedule and through the dispatch board.
You can also create follow-up notifications for cases where you’re unable to contact a customer, they aren’t ready to book a job, or they no longer want the service. These features offer septic businesses peace of mind and help to ensure that office staff doesn’t forget to follow up in these instances.
Get a ServiceTitan Demo to See How We Can Help You Optimize & Grow Your Septic Business
Using best-in-class septic business software such as ServiceTitan empowers contractors to improve efficiency and grow their revenue.
In addition to the features we’ve discussed throughout this post, our software offers additional features to facilitate other core business functions as well, including:
Want to see for yourself how ServiceTitan’s septic business software can streamline operations and grow your business? Schedule a call for a free product tour.
