At Home With Lisa- Buying A Home With A Well

Well inspections are critical when buying a home with a well as the primary water source.  With homes drawing on municipal sources, there is an assumption that the water in the home will be readily available and meet the safety standards of the municipality.

But with well water, you cannot make any assumptions about its purity. Beyond water quality, other problems can arise with wells that you should be aware of, and check for, before you agree to purchase a home.

So, if you are purchasing a home that is serviced by a well and not by public water you better make darn sure that you have it tested as part of your contingency of sale!

Do Your Research About Water in The Area

Groundwater is a shared resource across broad areas, so problems that affect one home will often affect many, many more. You can research known water issues in an area through the EPA, and you can ask your Realtor of any known water problems in the area. Once you know of common problems, you can be on the lookout for them.

What to Know About Well Inspections

Check the well quality!

However, researching the area is no substitute for thorough water testing by a reputable laboratory. Standard water testing typically check such things as PH, hardness, alkalinity and turbidity.  Standard mineral testing will often include things like iron, calcium, manganese, copper, fluoride, chloride and others.  Coliform bacteria is also typically checked in most well tests.  Be aware that testing for radon, a dangerous element, is not always included by default, so ask the lab to check for it when you make your order.  Another concern is arsenic.  Research conducted by the Maryland Geological Survey (MGS) confirmed the presence of detectable arsenic in drinking water wells located in Anne Arundel, Calvert, Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, St. Mary’s, Talbot and Worcester counties. After being in the real estate business for almost 20 years now, I have come to realize that many people have no idea that radon or arsenic can be found in your drinking water.  So, if you are buying a home with a well, have the lab test for radon and/or arsenic.

Check the well quantity!

In most locations, it is required that the well produces 3-5 gallons per minute. Generally, a 3-gallon minimum is required for older homes and new homes 5 gallons per minute. You can also have the flow rate and the yield of the well tested by professionals with the right equipment.

A professional well inspection will do just that. Just because a well has clean, safe drinking water does not mean that it contains enough water to meet the needs of your household.

Final Thoughts on Well Inspections

Taking the time to test both the quality and quantity of the well water is important when buying a home. There are more homeowners who find out the hard way after purchasing a home having skipped these crucial home inspection tests.

Don’t make the same mistakes many other buyers have made. Get the well water tested as part of your inspection due diligence! Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of how critical well inspections are when purchasing a home.

I'm Lisa Longest with Realty Navigator. I am a full time Realtor® and PSA® in Anne Arundel and Queen Anne Counties. I am here for all your real estate needs. If you are looking to buy, sell or question me about the market in your area, feel free to contact me. My email is LisaLongest.RE@Gmail.com and cell is 443-786-4200.