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Septic Tank Pumping Near Me:
23 Things You Didn't Know

Finding the best septic tank pumping near me is highly important to the overall health of your septic system. There are several ways to maintain your system, like only to flush things that are septic-friendly, or not to drive your car over the leach field area.

Pumping a septic tank is the process of removing the solid waste from the bottom of the tank. This can only be done by a septic tank pumper and before the sludge rises too much and starts to leak into the drainage field.

Read on to discover more about how to choose a good septic tank pumping near me. We have answers to all the questions that might occupy your mind.

Septic tank pumping near me

1. How to Pump a Septic Tank?

How to pump a septic tank is not a complicated job. You schedule an appointment with a septic tank cleaner to come and pump it out. He/she comes with a tanker truck and vacuum equipment or suction gear.

The septic tank cleaner will then open the cover of the manhole and insert a large hose into the septic tank. After that is done, the suction gear will start to suck out the content of the tank while the septic cleaner stirs the sludge layer (solids that have settled to the bottom of the tank) with a rake to break it up.

2. When to Pump a Septic Tank?

 

It is recommended that an average septic system be pumped once every three to five years by a septic tank inspector. That being said, the best time to do a septic tank pumping is in the summer, the spring, or the warmer months. That is because in winter the soil around the drain line might be frozen and hard, so it is not easy to dig into the septic tank cover. To avoid any issues, call a septic tank pumping near me service when wastewater is backing up into your house, toilets are not flushing, or water is going slowly through drains.

3. Can You Clean a Septic Tank Yourself? 

It is always best to hire an excellent septic tank specialist to pump out your tank. A septic cleaner has received training and is experienced to perform the job. He/she has the suction gear that you don’t have and the tanker truck to take the waste away and dispose of it.

Of course, you can clean the septic tank yourself but it is a hard job and you might end up doing damage to your septic tank or killing the bacteria that break down the waste.

4. How Do I Prepare My Septic Tank for Cleaning?​

It is recommended that you arrange for a septic tank pump once every three years. However, this is not a concrete rule. It depends on the amount of waste your house generates, the size of the septic tank and how old your septic system is.

It is important to choose a septic tank pumping near me service who knows it is due time to pump out the tank. You don’t want to waste your money when the waste layer is less than one-third of the septic tank capacity.

You can prepare for your septic tank pumping by:

  • Having the maintenance record in handy;
  • Cleaning the area around the tank;
  • Having the septic permit ready

The septic permit has a drawing of the septic system of the property. This will provide you with a detailed description of the septic system components (e.g., the size of the septic tank or drain field) and how many bedrooms was the septic system designed for – the design capacity.

5. What to Do After Septic Tank is Pumped?​

What to do after a septic tank is pumped is completely your responsibility. Here is a list of what to do after a septic tank is pumped:

  • Arrange for a septic tank inspection once every three years;
  • Arrange for a septic tank pumping every three to five years;
  • Keep maintenance records;
  • Keep track of the scum and sludge levels (According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency EPA, you need to pump out the septic tank if the bottom of the scum layer is within six inches of the bottom of the outlet, or if the top of the sludge layer is within 12 inches of the outlet);
  • Only flush things that are septic-friendly;
  • Never flush down coffee grounds, diapers, cooking oil, cigarettes, feminine products, cat litter, or chemicals. They could clog the septic system;
  • Stay in constant contact with a professional septic tank pumping near me service for any queries.
  • Avoid using additives. They kill the bacteria that break down the wastewater;
  • Use low-water consuming toilets and showerheads. That is because too much water flushes out the tank quickly;
  • Don’t overload your septic tank (expanding the house and overwhelming the septic system);
  • Don’t park or drive over the drain line. This can damage the pipes;
  • Grow plants or trees far from the leach field. Their roots can do damage;
  • Hire a septic inspector to come to your house and check for any problems or defects that need correction.

6. Do They Pump Both Sides of a Septic Tank?

Septic tanks installed in the last 30 to 40 years usually have two compartments with two manholes. Only hire a septic tank pumping near me that pumps the septic tank through the two main lids to remove everything from the two chambers.

7. How Long Does It Take to Empty out a Septic Tank?

It depends on the size of the septic tank and the pump capacity. It can take as little as 20-30 minutes for a tank size 1000-1250 gallons. Or one hour or more for a septic tank size 1500-2000 gallons.

8. Should a Septic Tank be Pumped Before Inspection?

During our septic inspection, we will learn whether or not your septic tank needs to be pumped. However, pumping a tank before a septic inspection means that the drain field cannot be tested. This action may hide any issues the septic system may have.

9. Who Does Septic Tank Pumping Near Me?

At Septic Works LLC, we are your reliable and honest septic tank pumping near me anywhere in the US. We have been serving residential, municipal and commercial clients for 20 years with professionalism and loyalty.

10. Just Had Septic Tank Pumped and Full Again?

It sometimes happens that you just had a septic tank pumped and it is full again in a week. For example, let us suppose you have a 1250-gallon tank. When your tank is pumped or cleaned, it is empty again and has a capacity of 1250 gallons. But it fills up so fast.

If you just had your septic tank pumped and full again, it could be for one of these reasons:

Pipes are clogged
A clogged pipe inside or outside the house can cause overflowing and backup. Household pipes can be clogged because of stuck food while outside pipes usually get clogged because of tree roots. That is why it is recommended to plant trees and plants away from the leach field.

Excessive Wastewater
Old toilets normally consume a lot of water as well as showerheads. Energy Saver recommends selecting a shower head with a flow rate of less than 2.5 gallons per minute. Sometimes kids open water faucets and don’t turn them off well so water keeps getting wasted.

The drain lines
A common cause for septic tanks filling so fast could be a problem in the leach field. It might be saturation caused by too heavy rain.

If it is none of these causes or you have any doubts, talk to a professional septic tank pumping near me service to discover the cause of the system failure.

11. Septic Tank Full of Water and not Draining?

All the water and waste that exist your house end up in the septic tank. How fast your tank fills depends on how much water your house generates and how many bedrooms there are or how many people live there.

If your septic tank is full of water, it could be that the outlet baffle leading to the drain field is clogged and the effluent is not exiting into the leach field. This causes the water to back up through the inlet baffle into the house.

12. Have a Septic Tank Filling with Groundwater?

Most of the septic system rain-related issues involve the drainage field. Heavy rain can saturate the soil around the septic tank and the drain field causing the tank to flood.

That is because the effluent water from the septic tank cannot go through to the leach field because of the saturated soil. Thus, it backs up into the septic tank and floods out.

When the septic tank fills with rainwater, it is not a good option to arrange for a septic tank pumping. The best course of action would be to reduce water consumption at home to give the soil around the drain field some time to dry.

To avoid such problems, arrange for regular checks and stay in contact with an expert septic tank pumping near me. Watch out for what you flush down the drain at home to avoid killing the bacteria that separate the water from the waste.

13. Septic Tank Water Pooling in Yard?

If it rains heavily, your septic tank water will be pooling in the yard. The job of a drain field is to further clean the effluent that it receives from the septic tank. Heavy rain can cause septic backup and saturate the soil around the leach field.

The drain field cannot receive the clean wastewater from the septic tank. That causes the septic tank water to flood and pool in the yard. It can also back up into your house toilets and drains.

14. Water Coming out of Septic Tank Lid?

Water could be coming out of the septic tank lid because there is too much solid waste (sludge), or there is a clog somewhere in the pipes. That can also take place when water does not leave the tank into the drain field because the soil around the leach field is saturated.

15. Will a Flooded Septic Tank Fix Itself?

A flooded septic tank cannot fix itself. It takes at least one week for the water around the absorption area to dry. Once that happens, arrange for a septic tank pumping near me service.

16. How Often to Clean a Septic Tank?

How often to pump a septic tank depends on the size of the septic tank or the number of people living in a certain house. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, average household septic systems should be inspected at least once every three years by a professional septic inspector. However, septic tanks are typically pumped every three to five years.

17. What Happens if You Never Pump Your Septic Tank?

What happens if you never pump your septic tank is that the solid waste or sludge keeps building up until it starts to exit the outlet baffle into the drain field. Or the water leaves the septic tank lid.

18. How Much Does It Cost to Pump a Septic Tank?

Septic tank pumping near me services have varying costs. Generally, the cost of septic tank pumping ranges from USD350-650 depending on the size of your septic tank and the location of the landfill. A landfill just outside town costs less than driving to one that is 50 miles away.

19. Are Long Showers Bad for Septic Systems?

That depends on the capacity of the septic tank. If you are a family of three and each one takes a half-an-hour shower every day, that might be fine. A 3-bedroom house may require a design capacity of 450 gallons per day.

But the septic tank starts to struggle, let us say when you have visitors and more people are taking long showers every day. And that adds up to a laundry that is consuming too much water.

20. How to Break Down Solids in a Septic Tank?

The solid waste in your septic tank should be more than 18 inches from the tank outlet, otherwise, you should schedule a septic tank pumping. There are several ways on how to break down solids in a septic container:

  • Increase the number of bacteria inside the septic tank. Rotten tomatoes are rich in enzymes and bacteria;
  • Add septic tank chemicals and additives that are helpful and safe. For example, the yeast eats away at the solid waste;
  • Use septic tank sludge dissolver;
  • Schedule a septic tank pumping near me service.

21. How Often Does a 1000-Gallon Septic Tank Need to be Emptied?

It boils down to the number of people occupying the house. If you have a 1000-gallon septic tank, you would need to pump the tank:

  • Once every three years if it is a family of two persons;
  • Once every year if it is eight people;
  • Once every two years if it is a family of five.

22. What Are the Signs That Your Septic Tank is Full?

There are many signs that your septic tank is full including:

  • Slow draining or flushing problems;
  • Unpleasant odors;
  • Greener and wetter lawn over the septic system;
  • Pools of water around your yard;
  • Sewage backing up into your home;
  • Pipes producing gurgling sounds

23. Can Septic Tank Explode?

That is very rare but it can be because of toxic gases like methane. Decomposing solid waste produces methane. But methane gas must come in contact with a heat source and enough air for your septic tank to explode. But that is extremely unusual because septic tanks are air-tight.

Regular septic system maintenance is the easy way to keep your septic tank healthy. It costs a bit of money but saves you loads in the long run.

septic tank pumping near me

Hire the Best Septic Tank Pumping Near Me Service

At Septic Works LLC, we specialize in all things that are septic. We have been serving clients across the United States for 20 years. We are fully licensed and insured.

Our prices are competitive and our septic inspectors provide an easy and frictionless experience. Our customer service agents are available anytime you need any help. If you have any questions about septic tank pumping near me or how do septic tanks work, call us today at 912-666-2210