We offer certified soil testing which is needed to determine what type of septic system can be installed for your home or business. The soil test tells us the type of septic system, the size needed, and location of the septic system. Equipment such as a backhoe or mini excavator is used to dig soil pits or create borings into the ground. Soil testing is a science for which various characteristics of the soil are determined such as structure, type of soil, and high ground water features.
Do you need a certified soil test for your home or business?
GIVE US A CALL
Pro Tip
Before purchasing a vacant property or parcel/lot you should have a certified soil test completed to determine what type of septic system can be installed. A soil test and sanitary permit must be on file with the county before a building permit can be issued.
The soil tester performs a “Soil and Site Evaluation” to analyze the consistence, the type of boundary between the horizons and the size and quantity of the roots in the soil. The soil tester will document the horizons or different layers of the soil that are present on the property. A site map is also made during the soil test. The map shows where the pits or borings are on the property, the location of the current structures or proposed structures, the well, the slope of the tested area and the legal description of the lot. All this information is needed to determine the type and location of your system.
What Are Soil Horizons?
When you dig down deep into any soil, and you’ll see that it is made of layers, or horizons (O, A, E, B, C, R). Most soils have three major horizons (A: topsoil), (B: subsoil), (C: parent material) and some have an organic horizon (O: humus or organic)
What Causes Soil Mottling?
Soil mottling is a contrasting or u0022blotchyu0022 color pattern within the dominant soil horizon color. It is formed when the seasonal high-water table rises into aerobic soils, changing the condition of the soil from aerobic (oxygen rich) to anoxic (without oxygen). Different bacteria live in each of these soil conditions. Bacteria living under aerobic conditions die when the water table rises, because the oxygen in the soil is replaced by water. Anoxic bacteria begin to thrive because they can use certain oxides (oxygen bonded to iron and manganese) in the soil to survive. When the bacteria use the oxygen bonded to the iron and manganese, these minerals change color and dissolve into the water around them. When the water level begins to drop, these dissolved minerals stick to the surface of soil particles as yellow, red, orange, brown, blue, or black coatings, or a combination of these colors. Areas from which all of these minerals were removed because of long saturation periods become gray in color (also called soil gleying).