Septic changes where a drain can run
If your house is on a septic system, the tank and the field lines take up a good part of the yard, and their location is not always obvious. A French drain, a buried downspout pipe or a sump discharge must stay clear of the drain field. Extra water there stops the field from working, and a trench through it can break a line.
Tennessee 811 does not help with this. Utility owners mark only what they own, and a septic system is yours. Find your septic layout before anyone digs. The county's Building and Codes office points owners to the state environmental office, at 615-687-7000, for septic permits and records.
Who to call about what
For a Woodlawn address outside the Clarksville city limits:
- Building permits and floodplain questions: Montgomery County Building and Codes, 350 Pageant Lane, Suite 309, Clarksville, 931-648-5718.
- A wire to a new pump or dehumidifier: electrical permits in the county are issued through the state, and the company or its electrician should arrange one.
- A blocked culvert or ditch along a county road: the Montgomery County Highway Department maintains county roads.
- Someone dumping into a ditch, stream or sinkhole: the county takes those reports at 931-648-5718.
Under a country house
Rural crawl spaces often have more openings than a subdivision house: wide vents, a loose-fitting door, gaps where a well pipe or a propane pipe comes through. Each one lets in humid air in summer and, in a hard rain, water. Ask the company to count the openings with you and say how each will be closed.
A well pressure tank or water softener under the floor also sweats and can leak. Have it looked at during the inspection so its drips are not mistaken for ground water.