Rural Home CompassThe homeowner’s field library
A little knowledge.
A more settled home.
Get to know your well, your septic system, and the next sensible step. Practical guides for the place you call home.
New to a well & septic home? Start here.
Your first 30 days in a rural home
Find the parts. Gather the records. Turn a house full of unknowns into a plan you can follow.
Read the first-month guideWater quality · 7 guides
Know your water.
Testing, changing colors, unfamiliar smells. Start with evidence.
The essentials
Annual well water testing: a practical checklist
What private-well owners should test every year, when to add tests, and how to use a certified laboratory.
Read guideWell water after flooding: what to do first
Water odorWell water smells like rotten eggs: test before treating
Water testing decisionHome water test kit vs. certified lab: which answer do you need?
Urgent chemical concernWell water smells like gasoline: stop using it and escalate
Water stainingOrange stains from well water: test before choosing treatment
Water appearanceCloudy well water: separate air, sediment, and testing questions
Well & pressure · 3 guides
Understand the pressure.
Safe first checks for the system that brings water to your tap.
The essentials
No water from a private well: a safe first-check sequence
An ordered decision path for a private-well home with no water, from outage scope to the right professional handoff.
Read guideLow water pressure from a well: find the pattern before the part
A homeowner-safe way to compare fixtures, treatment restrictions, pressure behavior, demand, and possible low well yield.
Well equipmentWell pump keeps cycling: what the pattern can tell you
Why rapid starts and stops deserve attention, what to record, and where homeowner troubleshooting should end.
Septic care · 7 guides
Care for what’s underground.
Maintenance, warning signs, and when to call for an assessment.
The essentials
How often should a septic tank be pumped?
A practical pumping range, the factors that move it, and why inspection matters more than a calendar alone.
Read guideSeptic backing up: stop water use and protect people first
Septic troubleshootingSlow drains with septic: one fixture or the whole house?
Septic weatherSeptic trouble after heavy rain: reduce flow before guessing
Septic troubleshootingSeptic smell inside the house: plumbing branch or system warning?
Septic troubleshootingSeptic smell outside: vent condition or drainfield warning?
Urgent septic problemWet or unusually green septic drainfield: treat it as a warning
Buying & ownership · 3 guides
Make the place yours.
Know what you are buying. Keep the records your future self will need.
The essentials
Buying a house with well and septic: the evidence checklist
Records, testing, inspection, and questions to handle before taking ownership of a private well and septic system.
Read guideYour first 30 days in a rural home
A practical first-month plan for private-well and septic records, testing, locations, and maintenance.
Home buyingSeptic inspection for home buyers: evidence to get before closing
Records, components, field observations, and inspection questions for a home purchase with an onsite septic system.