SepticBossPro Blog — Inspections

Tank Size, Lid Depth, and Drain Field Notes: The Property Record Every Septic Inspector Needs

Ask any experienced septic inspector what saves the most time on a job and the answer is usually the same: knowing where the tank is and how deep the lid sits before you get out of the truck. The property record is where that knowledge lives. When it is accurate, inspections go faster, estimates are better, and the next technician has a head start. Here is what belongs in it and how to keep it current.

Tank Size in Gallons

Tank size affects pumping time, pricing, and how you interpret what you see during an inspection. Old paperwork is not always right, and homeowners often guess. Record what you can verify, and update the record when an inspection or pump-out confirms it. SepticBossPro stores tank size in gallons on the property record.

This is a natural companion to the recurring program in Routine Septic Inspections: Building a Recurring Inspection Program: the more often you visit, the more accurate the record becomes.

When the size is uncertain, say so in the notes rather than entering a confident number. "Paperwork shows 1,000 gal, not yet verified" is honest and tells the next technician exactly what to confirm.

Lid Depth in Inches

Lid depth decides how much digging the job involves. A lid at grade is a quick open; a lid buried two feet down is a shovel workout and maybe a recommendation for a riser. Recording depth in inches lets the office price jobs accurately and lets the inspector bring the right tools.

When you install a riser, update the depth so the next visit reflects reality.

Record each lid separately when a tank has more than one. An inlet lid at twelve inches and an outlet lid at thirty inches is a very different job from two lids at twelve, and the difference matters both for pricing and for how long the inspector should plan to be on site.

Drain Field Size

The drain field is often the most expensive part of a system to repair and the hardest to evaluate. Knowing its size helps when interpreting findings and when building repair estimates. SepticBossPro has a drain field size field on the property, so this information is available whenever someone opens the record.

If you do not know the size, note what you observed and leave it for the next visit to confirm rather than guessing.

Tank Location Notes

Location notes are the most practical part of the record. "Ten feet off the back left corner of the house, in line with the kitchen window" saves far more time than a vague "backyard." Mention landmarks that are unlikely to move, and note anything covering the lid, like a deck, a patio, or landscaping.

Photos with context, described in our photo documentation article, make these notes even more useful.

If you install markers, note what kind and where. A buried marker or a flush lid locator only helps if the next person knows to look for it.

Make Updating the Record Part of Every Job

Records go stale when updating them is optional. Make it part of closing out every inspection: confirm or update tank size, lid depth, drain field size, and location notes. Inspectors can add notes and photos from the crew app; the office can update the structured fields when reviewing the job.

A five-minute habit on every job builds a property database that saves hours across a year.

The office can help by reviewing completed jobs for missing fields. If an inspection closes without lid depth recorded, a quick question to the inspector the same day fills the gap while the memory is fresh.

The Record Is a Business Asset

Records also help you plan. When you know the tank sizes across your customer base, you can estimate pumping time and truck loads more accurately. When you know lid depths, you can identify which customers would benefit from risers and offer that work proactively.

Accurate property records make your company faster than competitors who start every job from scratch. They also make your business more valuable, because the knowledge belongs to the company rather than to one veteran inspector.

See how property records fit with scheduling, photos, and estimates on SepticBossPro septic inspection software.

If your current records are thin, do not try to fix them all at once. Start with the properties you visit most often and the ones with upcoming work. Within a season, the customers who matter most will have complete records, and the rest will fill in naturally as you return to them.