Nobody wants their septic tank to overload or break. The smell is awful, and repairs can be costly. But, just how often do you need to empty your septic tank? A lot of homeowners ask this question, and it’ a good question to ask. However, the question is a bit more complicated than a single answer.
Why Empty a Septic Tank?
Neglecting your septic tank maintenance can lead to some serious household issues. If your septic tank gets too full, it can lead to clogging of lateral field pipes and absorption into the surrounding soil first, and later will mean the sewage is reaching the surface. It’s not a pleasant smell for you, or your neighbors is hazardous to both yourself and the environment around your house and will need to be repaired. Even if you’ve never experienced an overload, this isn’t something to take chances with.
General Rule:
As a general rule, you should call one of your local septic tank pumping companies about once every three to five years. This timeline may be larger or smaller depending on a lot of factors, though.
Septic tank Size:
Your septic tank size will play a large role in how often you must hire septic tank pumping companies. A smaller septic tank will hold less sewage before being filled, so it will need to be emptied much more frequently than a large septic tank. For example, an average household size with a small septic tank may need to pump out the tank every one to two years instead, whereas as much larger septic tank will perhaps only need to be emptied every six to seven years.
Household Size:
Household size is also important to consider. A larger amount of people using the septic tank means that it will need to be emptied more frequently than a smaller amount of people. For example, if you are a single person using a moderately sized tank, you might go as long as a decade before needing to have it pumped out. However, a large family using the same tank might need to call septic tank pumping companies about every two years or less.
Volume of Solids in Wastewater:
The amount of solids that are in the wastewater will also impact how often you must call septic tank pumping companies. The more solids, the more room is taken up in your septic tank, and the more often it will need to be emptied out. Be sure to consider this when deciding how often your septic tank needs to be emptied.
Total Wastewater Generated:
Depending on your toilet’s efficiency, any leaks, and the amount of flushes per day, you may have to have your septic tank emptied. If you have an efficient and good quality toilet, you’ll likely make fewer calls to the septic tank pumping companies. However, if your kids flush the toilet five times per hour, you might be emptying your septic tank much more often.
Overall, there are a lot of factors determining how often you need to pump out your septic tank, including septic tank size, household size, solid volumes, and water generation, however, as a general rule of thumb, it’s good to hire a septic tank pumping company about every three to five years.