‘Perc’ Test: What It Is and How It’s Done

Reader Contribution by Jennifer Kongs
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The Small Home, Big Decisions series follows Jennifer and her husband, Tyler, as they build a self-reliant homestead on a piece of country property in northeastern Kansas. The series will delve into questions that arise during their building process and the decisions they make along the way. The posts are a work in progress, written as their home-building adventure unfolds.

In an earlier post about getting our septic system installed, I noted that soil type will determine whether a standard “perc” (short for percolation) test or a more elaborate soil profile survey will be required. By reviewing our soil map (the image is available via the link above), we were pretty sure that our chosen house site would require the fuller soil profile description. But, in a surprising burst of good luck, our septic installer found some nice soil that was high-quality enough to only need a perc test.

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