Health & Fitness
Selling a Vacant Home: How to Pass the Well Water Test the First Time
Why is failing a well water test a more common problem for vacant homes? It's simple: water that has been sitting for a long time, sometimes months, is more likely to fail for metals.
With more foreclosures on the market, selling vacant homes is becoming a more common challenge that New Jersey real estate agents face. One issue that you may not expect is an increased chance of failing the required well water test, known as the NJDEP-PWTA test.
Why is this a more common problem for vacant homes? It’s simple: water that has been sitting for a long time, sometimes months, is more likely to fail for metals.
This issue can may buyers wary of committing to the purchase of a home when a failed well water test arises. They may fear the time or cost of repairs or even have worries about their family’s health that may be totally unfounded.
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The Good News: You Can Help Prevent Failing Well Water Tests
Here are a few tips to make it more likely for a passing well water test:
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- Ensure the water is well-flushed before the test. NJDEP certified testing labs are required to follow specific guidelines when running water for the test, usually only allowing them to do so for 20 to 30 minutes. For an occupied home, this isn’t a problem, but for vacant homes, it may not be enough time to flush out problems caused by standing water.
- Sanitize the well. You can do so yourself, or you can have it done by a professional well driller.
Taking these extra steps can save a lot of headaches down the road. Remember, the results from a passing well test are good for 6 months for the bacteria-only tests and a full year for the other tests. There’s no reason to wait to get it done.
Bio
Allen Thomas is the owner of New Jersey Analytical Labs , an independent environmental testing laboratory whose mission is to provide complete analytical laboratory services to meet the needs of its customers. In addition to serving the residential and commercial communities with dependable, high quality testing services, NJAL is certified by NJDEP and provides quality Water Testing services using a secure online process and our professional staff to answer your questions.
Learn more about our residential water testing here , or order a home water test online or by calling 609-737-3477.
