How much do you know about your septic system? Each piece of the system plays an important role that is needed in order for the system to work as it should. One of the key elements to your septic system is the septic tank. Once waste from your home enters the tank, it is separated into three layers. Heavier substances settle at the bottom to create a layer of sludge, and lighter oils and grease move towards the top, creating a layer of scum. This allows the remaining liquid, or effluent, to move on through the pipes into the drain field. The sludge layer builds up over time and eventually needs to be removed. This is why every septic system needs regular septic pumping. The question is, how often should you seek septic pumping?
To determine how often your system needs to be pumped, the amount of use should be considered. The more people in your home or commercial building, the more waste you’ll have entering your system. For a home with only one or two people, you can likely go three or four years between each pumping. For a larger family, two years may be recommended. If you are running a commercial business and have many people using your system each day, pumping each year is in your best interest.
Along with pumping every few years, there are a few other occasions to seek septic pumping:
- Continued problems with backup: Cleaning out your septic tank may help to solve or identify the issue.
- Real estate transactions: If you are buying or selling property with a septic system, this is a good time to have the septic tank pumped and get the remainder of your system inspected.
For dependable septic pumping, call us at Tampa Bay Septic.