How Often Should You Have Your Septic Tank Pumped?
If you’ve noticed slow drains, you may think your septic system is the cause. However, slow drains indicate that your septic tank needs to be pumped.
Get your septic tank on a pump-out schedule to avoid costly repairs and foul odors. Talk with neighbors with similar-sized households to help determine how often to pump your septic tank. Contact Septic Tank Pump Out Perth now!
The amount of wastewater produced in a home is the biggest factor in how often a septic tank needs to be pumped. If the family minimally produces waste, it can go five years or more between pump-outs. However, if the number of people living in the household is high or water-saving appliances are not being used, the tank may need to be pumped more frequently.
If you’re unsure, it is best to contact us, and we will be happy to give you an estimate. We typically recommend getting your septic tank pumped when the sludge and scum are a foot deep or higher.
Another sign that it is time to pump your septic tank is when you notice that toilets take longer to flush or overflow. If this is happening, you should call a professional right away to avoid sewage backup.
Occasionally, you may also notice a foul smell in the house or around the septic tank area. This is because as the septic tank fills, there is less and less space for the odor-causing gases to escape. As a result, the odors will seep into drains and toilets in your home as well as into and around the drain field.
Another sign that your septic tank needs to be pumped is water pooling in the yard. Whether near the septic tank or around your home, this is a clear sign that it’s time to have the system inspected and pumped.
While some products on the market claim to prolong the time between septic tank pumping, we strongly recommend against using them. These products can throw the delicate microbial ecosystem of your tank out of balance. This can cause a lot of damage and, at the very least, delay breaking down waste.
One more thing to note is that when the septic tank is pumped, all animals, children, and adults must be kept out of the area. This is because the septic tank contains organic material that produces methane gas as it decomposes. This can be dangerous and even fatal to anyone exposed to it.
Whether you’re a current or potential homebuyer, getting your septic system inspected before closing is a good idea. This will help ensure you have an accurate picture of the condition and age of the septic system, which can be important information when purchasing a new house. Additionally, it can help prevent expensive repairs or even sewage backups.
An experienced professional should conduct a thorough septic inspection. During the inspection, the inspector will determine how old the septic tank is and when it was last pumped. They will also inspect the drain field and distribution box to look for any signs of wear or damage. Finally, the inspector will examine the septic system’s water use by flushing the toilets and running the sinks. The inspector will check for proper water pressure and look for any green or black standing water in the yard, which could indicate a cesspool.
While adding septic tank additives that prolong the time between pumping may be tempting, these products can do more harm than good. They can throw the primordial ecosystem of the septic tank out of whack and disrupt its natural enzymes that break down the waste that goes into it. They can also add extra strain on the septic system by overworking it.
To conduct a proper septic inspection, the inspector will first need to locate the septic tank and carefully remove the lid. This can be dangerous and should never be done by an untrained person. Once they have a clear view of the tank, the inspector will measure the level of sludge and scum to see if it’s getting too high.
The inspector will also look for cracks in the septic tank, but they should never enter it. The interior of the septic tank is extremely dirty and contains dangerous bacteria, so it should only be accessed by a qualified professional. They will also check the drain field for signs of a cesspool, like soggy areas or odors. The drain field should be far from wells and streams to avoid contamination.
A septic pumping involves a truck coming to your house containing a giant tank and an attached suction hose. The hose literally sucks the raw sewage into the car, where it’s taken away to be processed and disposed of in accordance with local laws. You can help prevent a clogged septic system by regularly pumping your tanks.
The best time to schedule a septic tank pumping is in the spring when the ground has thawed, and you can easily find your septic tank. We recommend scheduling your pumping during this season so that it can be completed before the warmer weather arrives when more people will be using the septic system for showers, toilet flushes, washing machines, and dishwashers.
When you’re ready to have your septic tank pumped, clear out the work area so that workers have plenty of room to move around and operate the machinery. Then, ensure that you keep animals, both household pets and farm livestock, away from the area. The last thing that you want is for a horse, cow, or sheep to fall into the septic tank!
While you wait for a septic tank pumping professional to arrive, it’s a good idea to prepare the site by marking the location of the tank and its lid. You can use a GPS device or draw a diagram of your yard to show the tank’s location or place an easily movable object like a birdbath over the tank lid so it’s easy to locate. Also, please look at the drainfield area and ensure it’s free of vegetation. If water from the septic tank or household plumbing seeps into this area, it can kill its roots and cause the system to fail.
Once your septic tank is pumped, you’ll likely notice that the scum layer has floated to the top of the tank and that the sludge layer has settled at the bottom. The septic tank professionals will note the levels of sludge and scum in the tank’s outlet and will record these levels in your septic system service report.
Septic tanks function as onsite sewage facilities, treating and disposing of waste. As wastewater passes through septic tanks, heavier solids sink to the bottom of the tank and undergo bacterial digestion. This allows the septic system to work effectively, but eventually, the tank will fill up with sludge and semi-solids that must be pumped out. Having your septic tank pumped regularly will prevent waste from overflowing into your home or, worse, into a nearby waterbody like a river or stream.
A septic pumping service will arrive with a truck with a huge tank attached. Once the technician removes your septic tank cover, they will insert a hose into your open maintenance hole leading to your septic tank and begin suctioning up sewage and sludge inside. This process takes a while, but it is efficient and thorough. This allows the septic tank to be cleaned more thoroughly than if you tried to do it on your own, and it also lets you know whether your septic system needs repairs.
During the pump out, the technician will take a look at the scum trap at the top of your septic tank and the sludge level at the bottom of the tank to see how much of each is present. In general, you want to have the septic tank pumped when the scum layer is six inches thick or higher. The sludge level should be at least two feet below the overflow pipe.
The septic tank has several components that can break down and must be repaired or replaced. These may include the tank itself, pipes that carry wastewater from the house to the septic tank, or pipes that carry sewage from the septic tank to the drain field. These pipes can break down when wayward tree roots get into them or simply because they are getting old and worn out.
There are some products available on the market that claim to extend the period between septic tank pumping. However, these products often contain additives that can throw the primordial ecosystem of bacteria in your septic system out of balance, causing them to overwork and not break down the waste as efficiently as they would otherwise.