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Additional Inspection Services
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Essential Water Test (VA & FHA Loan Minimum)Test includes the five water quality issues listed below: Lead Total Coliform E. coli Bacteria Nitrate Nitrite This option tests for the bare minimum water quality standards set forth by the US Government in order to qualify for a government backed loan. This option does not test for other important and more common water issues such as radon, arsenic, hardness and pH. ​Results are available 1-3 business days after your inspection.
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Advanced Water TestTest includes the eleven water quality issues listed below: Arsenic Hardness pH Total Coliform Bacteria E. coli Bacteria Nitrate Iron Chloride Manganese Sodium This option is perfect for those looking to test for some, but not all of the major water quality issues found in a home. This option does not test for important issues such as radon, copper and fluoride. ​Results are available 1-3 business days after your inspection.
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Ultimate Water Test (Most Popular)Test includes the seventeen water quality issues listed below: Radon Arsenic Lead Hardness pH Copper Fluoride Total Coliform Bacteria E. coli Bacteria Nitrate Nitrite Iron Chloride Manganese Sodium Conductivity Alkalinity This is our most popular option for homebuyers. It tests for all the major issues commonly found in the water supply of a home. If you choose to test for radon in the air, your should also be testing for radon in the water as well since this is another way radon can enter the home. ​Results are available 1-3 business days after your inspection.
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Do I need to get my water tested?Water testing is optional, but highly recommended. Your home’s water quality is at the core of your family’s health and wellbeing. It’s important to ensure the water your drink, shower with and use to wash your dishes every day is safe and free from harmful bacteria, heavy metals and toxic chemicals. 66% of people who had their water tested, found at least one water quality issue that needed correcting.
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Should I have my water tested if I have public / municipal supplied water?The simple answer is yes. Although the water in your home is being processed at a water treatment facility, it still must travel through miles of piping to get to your faucet. Those pipes may be old, corroded or contain lead and other heavy metals that the water can collect and bring into your home. Also, water treatment facilities typically use chlorine to fight bacteria growth. Though certain levels of chlorine are acceptable, too much can cause unpleasant taste and potentially other health hazards.
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Does my loan require I get a water test?If you’re using an FHA/VA/RD loan, you will be required to complete the ‘minimum’ water test specified by the loan to purchase the home. Most conventional or other loans do not require a water test and the choice to get one is totally up to you.
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Which "Primary" water testing option is right for me?The big three items most people are concerned about are Lead, Arsenic & Radon. Our "Comprehensive" test is our most popular and recommended for those looking to test for Lead, Arsenic & Radon. Also, we suggest this test if you are testing for radon in the air. The "Standard" water test includes testing for 11 popular water quality issues including Arsenic & Lead, but does not test for Radon. If you are looking to just satisfy your government backed loan, we suggest the "FHA/VA/RD Loan Minimum Water Test" which tests for only 5 water quality issues including Lead.
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How does a water test work?Your inspector will collect water samples in special bottles for each of your desired tests from a faucet inside the home. Those water samples are then brought to a state certified laboratory the same day as your inspection for processing. Results are processed within 1-3 business days and a report will be delivered to you via email.
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What happens if the test finds an issue with my water?Thankfully, most water issues can be fixed easily. Solutions vary from specialized treatments being added to your well water, or a water filtration and/or water softener could be installed in the home. Contacting a local water treatment company to remedy the issue is your best course of action. If you’re purchasing a home, most of the time these fixes can be re-negotiated after the inspection with the seller and most systems take no more than a day to have installed.
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Should I test for Uranium in my water?You should be testing for uranium in your water if: Your water is supplied from a private well AND That well has never been tested for uranium. Uranium is a radioactive metal that has no smell or taste and is naturally present in bedrock and granite in many places throughout New England. When a well that is used for drinking water is drilled into bedrock containing uranium, it can slowly leach into the water over a period of years. Testing your well water at least once is the only way to find out if your well has high uranium. The good news is if the well does not contain uranium when tested it is highly unlikely to ever contain uranium and will not need to be tested again.
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What is PFAS/PFOA? - Do I need to test for it?PFAS/PFOA (commonly known as ‘Forever Chemicals’) are widely used, long lasting chemicals which break down very slowly over time. In New Hampshire and Southern Maine, there have been documented incidences of these chemicals being dumped either into local drinking water supplies or onto the ground that eventually seeped into the drinking water supply. These chemicals are known to cause cancer and other long term negative health effects. Remediation for these chemicals in your water is available, but it requires more sophisticated equipment than other water quality issues. There are particular "hot spots" in New Hampshire where there have been recorded elevated PFAS/PFOA levels. Here is a brief list of the known areas that have recorded high levels of PFAS/PFOAs: Merrimack Litchfield Bedford Manchester Londonderry Derry Nashua Hudson Newington Rochester Madbury Dover Each state has an interactive map that lets you explore previous test results in the area around your home. Click the following links for each state to explore the maps. (Note: On the Maine map, you must zoom in quite a bit before the PFAS results start showing up). New Hampshire: https://nhdes.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=66770bef141c43a98a445c54a17720e2 Maine: https://maine.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=468a9f7ddcd54309bc1ae8ba173965c7 Testing for PFAS/PFOAs is more time consuming and can take around 10 business days or more to complete. If you are interested in getting the water tested for PFAS, please let us know as soon as possible! We will do our best try to accommodate a separate, pre-inspection visit to the home to collect a sample to allow for as much time as possible for the results to come back during your inspection period.
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What are VOCs? Do I need to test for them?Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOC) are a group of chemicals increasingly found in drinking water that can cause a range of health effects, including cancer. You encounter VOCs all the time in daily life as additives in gasoline, paints, varnishes, and cleaners. Since VOCs easily dissolve and leach into groundwater when misused or improperly disposed, private wells located within 1-2 miles of industrial or commercial areas, gas stations, landfills, railroad tracks or agriculture of any kind can be at risk of VOC contamination. Unfortunately, waterborne VOCs don't necessarily have a smell, a taste, or a color so the only way to know they are there is by testing for them on a regular basis.
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