Why Does Your Septic Tank Need to be Pumped?

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Unless your home is connected to a public sewer system and maintained by your municipality, your home septic system does need your attention on occasion to keep it functioning properly. Since all of the water flowing out of your house (albeit sink, shower, toilet or laundry) enters directly into the septic tank, it stands to reason that this must occasionally be pumped out.

The septic tank is a large container made of concrete, steel or plastic that is buried beneath your property, usually in the back or side yards, at some distance from the house. As all the water from your house enters the tank, it effectively separates the liquids from the solids; solid waste then settles to the bottom of the tank, while liquid waste is pumped out of the tank into a drainage field. Over time, a lot of the solid waste also gets broken down by natural bacteria in the tank. However, what solid waste remains will eventually build up and need to be pumped out by your local septic system service company.

Periodic septic tank pumping is necessary to avoid the risk backup and overflow; meaning, what should be going into the tank could be coming back into your home. Furthermore, an overflow of your tank could damage the drainage field, possibly contaminating ground water, or cause other expensive damage to the septic system or your home; all of which could have been easily prevented by having the tank pumped. Have your system inspected yearly. Once you’ve established a pattern of how well your system functions in degrading and retaining waste, you’ll know just when pumping is needed.

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