Most people run for the hills when it comes to maintaining a septic tank. Well, it’s not as hard and mostly you need to hire septic companies to perform the tasks like septic maintenance and pumping. If you want to know more about septic pumping, here are the frequently asked questions about it.
Septic Tank Pumping Questions People Ask
How is septic tank pumping done?
If you want to know about septic tank pumping, then you might want to familiarize yourself with the process first. It is generally a very simple process. See, pumping of the septic tank involves pumping or sucking out the waste from the tank and that’s all.
Why do you need to pump out the waste? Well, the main reason is because the waste can solidify into the tank, which leads to blockages and then removing it is a nightmare. So, you should agitate the tank every once in a while, and schedule septic tank pumping.
How is this done? A septic company’s truck arrives at your house that has a tank mounted on it. Then, a pump attached to the truck’s tank is drawn and inserted into the septic tank that sucks all of the waste out. Once that is done, the septic tank is inspected for issues and then closed.
Can I pump the septic tank myself?
This is another question that a lot of people ask. If you are going to pump your septic tank, it is always better to hire a professional. If you are confident in your DIY skills and you have the right tools and know where to dispose of the pumped waste, then you can, but even then, you’re dealing with toxic waste which should be only handled by a professional.
So, if you can, try and contact a professional because they will get the job done quickly, and you won’t even have to move a muscle, which is amazing.
How often should I pump the septic tank?
This is another very important question that people with septic tanks ask. How often do you need to pump it? Do you have to do it every few months? Once a year?
Well, you will be happy to know that septic tanks aren’t as demanding when it comes to pumping, so pumping your septic tank once every 2 to 3 years will be enough and you will be able to have a tank that will store and process waste effectively.
How do I know my septic tank requires pumping?
Well, there are a lot of signs that can tell you that it’s time to empty your septic tank. First of all, you will see an obstruction in how water runs down the drain. It will be slow and there might even be water backing into the drain.
Then, there is also greenery. If your house isn’t naturally full of shrubs, then finding greenery near the septic tank should be alarming. That is the sign that your septic tank has overflown and it is causing the water and waste to spill out and get absorbed in the ground above, hence the greenery. So, schedule septic tank pumping or cleaning.
How to find the right septic tank pumping company?
If want to hire a good professional septic tank pumping service, well that may be a bit difficult, especially if you don’t know where to look. This is where you want to put your research skills to the test.
You want to find a septic pumping Jefferson County company that is registered and licensed first of all because if anything goes wrong, you can hold them accountable on legal grounds. Secondly, you want to go for a company that has experienced professionals. This is not the time to experiment with amateurs and you certainly don’t want to hand over your septic tank maintenance to people who are new to this. So, whatever you do, choose wisely.
How long does septic tank pumping take?
If all goes well, septic tank pumping will take no longer than 45 minutes to an hour and that is for a large tank. If you have a smaller tank, then you’ll be done in less time. This is amazing because most people think and dread that septic tank pumping will take them all day. Well, that’s not entirely the case.
If you have risers in the septic tank, then things will be made even easier, since the access to and from the tank will be more convenient and quicker.
Do I need to pump my tank if it’s working fine?
Some people will have a very interesting thing to say about septic tank pumping. They believe that they don’t need to pump a tank as long as it is working just fine. Well, you can skip it for a couple of days when the pumping is due, but even if the tank is working just fine, you want to ensure that you’re getting it pumped within a certain time frame.
This will ensure that you don’t fall into any more problems as time goes on. This is important and doing it will only save you from trouble in the future.
My septic tank isn’t draining – do I need to pump it?
This is the most obvious sign that your septic tank needs pumping. If the tank isn’t draining, then you need to pump the waste out and empty it so you can see what is the obstruction that is preventing the water from flowing down.
This is important and you need to get to the bottom of the problem before things take a turn for the worse.
Are risers a must?
Risers are contraptions that make entry and exit in the tank very easy. It is because of them that the pumping process takes less than an hour from start to finish. So, if you don’t have risers in your tank, then it’s highly recommended that you get them installed.
It will only serve as a convenient addition and you will love the practicality of this installation. They are pretty easy to install and you don’t even need to do anything major to the tank. However, hiring a professional for anything related to septic tanks is a helpful and safer way to do things.
Do smaller septic tanks need pumping less frequently?
This is a common misconception that small tanks need less pumping than bigger tanks. While size does play an important role in determining whether a tank needs more maintenance or not, pumping frequency pretty much stays the same. It needs to be pumped every 2 to 4 years.
You need to pump your tank because it is the only way it will work properly, otherwise, the drainage disaster that could follow will be hard to handle. So, if you think that you don’t need to pump your smaller septic tank for 5-10 years, well, think again.
Conclusion
Septic tank pumping is a crucial maintenance task as it gets rid of accumulated waste, reduces the risk of blockages and drain backups, and ensure that your septic system keeps working smoothly for years to come. You can also choose septic tank cleaning Frederick County, in which, the tank is cleaned from the inside after pumping.
