Your septic tank has a limited capacity, usually around 1,000 gallons, depending on the size of your home. While much of the solid waste going into your tank will be dissolved into effluent through the natural decomposition process, there’s always some solid waste left behind. This “sludge” eventually fills the tank, needing to be physically removed through pumping by a septic professional.
When to Schedule a Septic Tank Cleansing
The time to clean or pump is determined by the level of sludge in your tank. Pumping should be done once the sludge begins to approach the outlet pipe, where effluent leaves the tank for the drain field. Once the top of the submerged sludge is within approximately 12 inches of the outlet pipe, it’s time to have your septic tank pumped.
Most septic system tanks only need to be pumped every 2-5 years. The variance is due to how much solid waste is accumulated from the home and the size of the tank. Good septic practices, such as not using a garbage disposal and reducing fat and oils allowed down the drain, can reduce how often a tank needs to be pumped. Although there are commercially avialable chemicals which claim to extend the time between pumping, these are often ineffective.
The best way to stay on top of when your septic tank needs to be pumped is to have an annual inspection of your entire system. It’s very difficult for most homeowners to determine where the sludge level is within their tanks, so having a professional check the tank level each year can prevent expensive tank overflows.
Posted on behalf of:
A-Flo Free Septic
Lawrenceville, GA
(770) 927-7926
