You may imagine your septic tank takes a long time to fill up after you've had it pumped out, and once it's full, it's time to pump it out again. If so, you may be surprised to know it only takes a few days for the tank to become full again. The key is what's inside the tank. If it's mostly water, your tank is okay. If there is only a small amount of water squeezed between a thick layer of sludge on the bottom and a layer of oil on the top, your septic tank needs to be pumped soon. Here's more information on how this works.

The Drain Is In The Middle

A septic tank is designed with the outlet to the drain field in the middle area of the tank. That keeps the sludge on the bottom from leaking out and harming the field. Water sits on top of the sludge since the sludge is heavy and falls to the bottom. There is a lighter layer of oil, fat, and scum that floats on top of the water. With the drain in the middle, the scum can't escape either. When your tank is pumped out and empty, water starts filling back up every time you flush or use a faucet that sends water down the drain. Depending on how much water your household uses daily, the tank could be full of water in just a few days. That's no problem though, because the water just flows on through to the drain field. When determining when to pump the tank, the contractor considers the depth of the sludge layer and foamy later in relation to the location of the drain. The tank should be pumped before they reach the drain or solids will pass through and cause clogs and damage to the drain field.

Pumping Cleans Out Sludge

To get the best results from pumping out the septic tank, your contractor removes as much sludge as possible. If the vacuum hose is just placed in the tank, mostly water will be removed and sludge may stay behind. In addition to using the hose, the contractor stirs the contents of the tank with a rake or mechanical device that brings the sludge up from the bottom so it can be taken out. That's why your contractor needs to find the lid to the septic tank rather than pass the hose through the riser. With the lid off, the contractor has room to stir the sludge.

The Dangers Of Not Pumping On Time

If you allow too much sludge to build up before you have the tank pumped out, it can cause a lot of problems for you. The sewage can back right up into your house and leave a toxic mess that is expensive to clean up. The sludge could also pass into the drain field and cause it to fail. Putting in a new field costs a lot of money. Plus, you'll have to put up with the odor of sewage around your home. If your septic tank is showing signs of being full such as having slow drains or giving off a bad odor, you should call a contractor like Clogbusters right away. If you don't want to pay for an emergency call, then conserve water and use a camping toilet so you don't send more waste down the system until it has been examined and cleaned.