Hey y'all, Kevin Kyser here with K and K Septic. Before we ever set a tank or dig a drainfield, there is one question that has to get answered first: will your soil actually do its job? That question gets answered by a perc test.

What Is A Perc Test, Really?

Perc test is short for percolation test. You might also hear it called a "perk test" or a soil test — folks say it different ways around here, but it is all the same idea. It is a test that measures how well water moves through the soil on your property.

Your drainfield needs soil that drains neither too slowly nor too quickly. A perc test finds out which kind of soil you are working with before you spend a dime on a system.

Why Alabama Requires One

This is not just a good idea, it is the law. If your property is not on city sewer, the Alabama Department of Public Health requires a soil or percolation test before they will issue a Permit to Install a septic system. No test, no permit, no system.

You will need one when building on land that has never had a septic system, buying undeveloped property, replacing a failed system, or adding onto a house in a way that increases bedroom count or water flow.

What Happens If The Soil Does Not Pass?

A failed test is not the end of the road. Alabama allows engineered alternatives when natural soil cannot handle a conventional drainfield, and a mound system is the most common fix. Tough soil usually means a different plan, not a dead end.

Questions To Ask The Person Doing Your Test

  • Are you licensed and does my county health department accept your results?
  • How many holes will you test, and do they cover the proposed drainfield?
  • What are you looking for besides how fast the water drops?
  • If the site does not pass, what are my options and how could that change cost?
  • Will you submit the results to the county health department?
  • Could the season affect the results?

What A Good Perc Test Looks Like

A solid test is not a five-minute job with one hole and a stopwatch. It is done at the depth where your drainfield will sit, with enough holes spread across the site to represent the whole area. Someone qualified is watching for color changes, layering, and restrictive layers that could cause trouble down the road.

If you are getting ready to build, buy land, or replace a system in Alabama, give K and K Septic a call before you get too far down the road. We are always happy to help.