Septic System Maintenance Checklist: Free PDF Download

In this post, we share a free septic system maintenance checklist for service technicians to use during septic inspections and maintenance visits. It prompts techs to follow essential best practices, such as:

• Verify customer information

• Interview customer about septic history

• Request septic system records

• Perform a site evaluation

• Assess current condition of the septic system

• Inspect the drain field

• Take liquid samples (if required)

• Inspect additional systems

We’ll provide a link below to download the checklist and begin using it in your septic business.  

However, keep in mind that while this checklist provides some benefits, such as fostering consistency and accountability during septic inspections, PDF templates have some key limitations. Specifically:

• It’s difficult to be absolutely sure they’re used for each and every job.

• PDFs don’t integrate with the other apps and software tools you use to run your business, so you need to manually record results into your CRM (or whatever system you use to keep track of customer data and maintenance records).

• The details of any issues discovered during maintenance inspections can’t be easily shared between field and office staff, potentially causing delays for corrective actions (e.g. ordering replacement parts or equipment).

So, in addition to sharing the free maintenance checklist below, we’ll also walk through how our septic business software, ServiceTitan, solves these challenges and more.

Below, we cover:

• How to download and use our septic system maintenance checklist

• How ServiceTitan custom forms streamline septic maintenance inspections

• Other ways ServiceTitan helps septic businesses improve efficiency and profitability

How to Download and Use Our Septic Tank Maintenance Checklist

It’s a fillable PDF that you can complete digitally, saving it as a new file for each new report. Alternatively, you could print copies of these for technicians to keep in their trucks.

At the top of the system inspection form, you’ll find fields to record the basic information about the service visit, including:

• Date of inspection

• Technician or system inspector name

• Customer name (i.e. property owner, homeowner, or business owner)

• Address 

• Contact information

• Service order number 

Below that, the rest of page one provides a checklist to help ensure technicians are thorough in their inspection procedures. It consists of the following sections:

Pre-Inspection Protocol

• Verify customer information and reason for inspection

• Check if any prior septic records are available (e.g. tank size and type, last inspection date, last pump- out date, etc.) 

• Interview customer for history of septic issues (e.g. clogs, backups, etc.)

• Explain the process and safety measures to the customer

• Set up safety barriers, if necessary

Site Evaluation

• Check for easy access to the septic tank and drain field

• Observe ground condition around the septic system

• Note any visible signs of system failure 

• Measure and record the distance from the house to septic tank and drain field (i.e. leach field)

• Verify local building codes and regulations for compliance

Initial System Assessment

• Inspect condition of cover (e.g., cracks, corrosion, damage to tank lid or riser)

• Check liquid levels / water levels

  • Above inlet pipe: Yes / No

  • Above outlet pipe: Yes / No

• Inspect inlet baffle and outlet baffle or tees

• Measure scum and sludge layers

  • Scum layer: _______ inches

  • Sludge layer: _______ inches

• Examine tank walls and bottom for cracks or leaks

• Inspect effluent filter (if applicable)

• Clean / Replace as necessary

• Check for unusual objects or substances (e.g., grease, foreign objects, or solid waste that were flushed down the toilet or garbage disposal)

Drain Field Inspection

• Conduct a visual inspection of the drain field area

• Probe soil for signs of saturation or failure

• Check condition of inspection ports, if present

• Verify effluent flow in the distribution box (if applicable)

Additional System Components

• Inspect any pumps, pump tanks, siphons, or other mechanical components

• Evaluate alarms and control panels

• Check float switches and electrical connections

• Examine any aerobic treatment units, if applicable

Sampling (If Required)

• Take wastewater samples for laboratory analysis

• Document sample details and time of collection

Summary and Repair Recommendations

On page two, there is space for technicians to summarize their findings during the inspection and make recommendations for any repairs or replacements, in addition to lines for customer and inspector signatures.

As we mentioned above, using this type of PDF inspection report template has some limitations. So, in the next section, we’ll look at how ServiceTitan’s custom forms improve inspection workflows for septic businesses.

How ServiceTitan Custom Forms Streamline Septic Inspections

ServiceTitan’s septic business software allows contractors to create versatile, customized forms including septic tank inspection and maintenance checklists.

Users can create checklists and easily add them to specific jobs, customers, locations, or equipment. And all forms can be accessed on our mobile app (compatible with Android and iOS devices), as well as to office staff via our desktop app. 

With this functionality at their fingertips, there’s no longer any need to keep stacks of paper checklists stocked in your trucks, or transfer job and customer data to a computer system; so business owners and staff save time and eliminate errors. 

Since ServiceTitan stores every piece of information entered into the platform in the cloud, it’s fast and easy to find and access forms and customer info.  

Forms can be built from scratch. But our users also enjoy the ability to create pre-built templates. These, too, can be customized to the specific needs or preferences of a given septic shop.  

Ensure Checklists Are Used Every Time

In form settings, business owners can select the option to require techs to fill out certain forms for certain jobs. 

For example, if a tech is on a maintenance visit, they can be required to complete your septic inspection checklist before they’re able to mark the job as complete. Or, if they’re installing a new septic system, they can be required to complete a septic installation checklist and warranty form before closing out the job. 

This fosters accountability through automation, reducing stress on owners and managers, while ensuring SOPs are followed in the field for every job. 

While having a flexible digital forms tool is an important asset for solving the challenges of paper or manual forms, the true value of software solutions like ServiceTitan lies in the combination of features that help to streamline workflows at the broader operations level.

Other Ways ServiceTitan Helps Septic Businesses Improve Efficiency and Profitability

Empower Septic Installers and Technicians with a User-Friendly Mobile App

ServiceTitan’s mobile app, compatible with both Android and iOS operating systems, offers an intuitive user experience that techs love, beginning with the home screen dashboard where they can quickly and easily see the jobs they have scheduled for that day.

Each job card can be tapped to pull up a dedicated page with further details about that job:

Techs can also access the essential tools they need throughout the lifecycle of a job. Via the left sidebar, they can view and utilize:

• Customer history: Useful for businesses that have maintenance agreements, for example, this feature shows techs previous estimates, recurring services, previous invoices, photos and videos from previous service visits, and more.

• Job forms: Installers and techs can access job forms that require customer signatures as well as forms that foster accountability and better customer service (such as service and installation checklists, or pre-appointment customer experience checklists).

• Estimates and Proposals: Technicians can create professional-quality proposals — strategically designed to maximize profitability — and then present them to customers via their tablet. 

• Invoices: Techs can easily generate invoices and send them to customers in a variety of ways.

• Closeout: Once they complete a job, techs can accept payments on the spot from customers via check or credit card. (You also have an option to offer customer financing.)

Cut Down On Drive Time and Fuel Costs with Smart Dispatching

With pump trucks hauling a lot of weight and operating in spread out, rural areas, sending technicians to jobs on an optimal route can save money on fuel costs. 

ServiceTitan dispatching can help with this, as well as help you navigate daily changes due to weather or other circumstances. 

The dispatch board is straightforward and easy to navigate. Tab options include:

• Alerts

• Unassigned jobs

• Scheduled jobs

• Unconfirmed jobs

• Dispatched jobs

• And jobs that are Working, Paused, Done, Canceled, or On Hold.

Dispatchers can clearly see which septic jobs are assigned to a service technician and which aren’t. They can quickly assign jobs to techs or make schedule adjustments on the fly with our simple drag-and-drop functionality.  

There is no need to move job details into a new appointment one-by-one for rescheduled jobs. Office staff can simply drag and drop the entire job, with or without the previously assigned technician, into a new timeframe in a single move. The duration of a job can also be extended or reduced when a job takes more or less time than originally expected.

As technicians go about their day, dispatchers are kept up-to-date through the activity feed (also visible right within the dispatch board screen). This feed provides updates on when techs are en route to a job, when they arrive, and when they’ve completed jobs and are moving to the next one. It also provides real-time GPS tracking to see where techs are as they drive between appointments. 

In addition, dispatchers can message techs within the dispatch board, providing streamlined communication with techs in the field. They can also send out group messages to the entire service team, when needed.

Finally, our dispatching feature set includes the ability to send out automatic customer notifications for a range of job-status updates. These include:

• Appointment reminders and job confirmation requests.

• Changes to appointment times.

• Notifications that their tech is due to arrive soon.

• And more…

Whenever a customer confirms their appointment, or a job is canceled, or anything else changes in a job, the customer can be notified. Dispatchers also receive an alert in their activity feed. This feed is visible at the bottom of their dispatch board and helps dispatchers get an overview of where the day’s jobs stand and which appointments need to be rescheduled, extended, or otherwise altered.

Track and Manage Your Service Agreements Effortlessly

ServiceTitan's service agreements give septic businesses the ability to effectively and efficiently document, manage, and track recurring services associated with maintenance agreements.

Membership tracking is seamlessly integrated with the software tools that our users rely on to do things such as schedule jobs, build proposals, send invoices, and collect payment.

Once recurring service events are set up, they are automatically added to your schedule based on the defined dates and frequency. This saves office staff significant time from having to manually track and add these jobs to the schedule, while reducing the chances of missing maintenance visits.

Office staff can view upcoming recurring service events by date range, and initiate individual jobs by contacting the customer to coordinate a time and book the job. At that point, the job will be assigned to a technician, and be automatically viewable on their schedule and through the dispatch board.

You can also create follow-up notifications for cases where you’re unable to contact a customer, they aren’t ready to book a job, or they no longer want the service. These features offer septic businesses peace of mind and help to ensure that office staff doesn’t forget to follow up in these instances. 

Get a ServiceTitan Demo to See How We Can Help You Optimize & Grow Your Septic Business 

Using a best-in-class septic business software such as ServiceTitan empowers contractors to improve efficiency and grow their revenue.

In addition to the features we’ve discussed throughout this post, our software offers additional features to facilitate other core business functions as well, including:

• Call booking

• Scheduling

• Marketing

• Timesheets

• Online booking

• And more

Want to see for yourself how ServiceTitan’s septic business software can streamline operations and grow your business? Schedule a call for a free product tour.