What Can A Septic Service Do For You?

Septic systems require a bit more care and maintenance than standard sewer-based plumbing does. If you've recently moved into a home with a septic tank, you may have heard that you need both septic pumping and septic cleaning. But what's the difference between these two things, anyway?

Septic Pumping

Septic pumping is a service where, as the name implies, your septic tank is drained of its fluids. This process is usually performed every few years to empty out most of the septic tank and to get it back in working order if it's been near capacity.

Septic pumping tackles the top layers of what's in your septic tank. When you use a septic tank, what goes into the tank tends to separate. A small layer of sludge forms on the top of the tank, with fluid underneath that, and then a larger layer of sludge on the bottom. Think of the sludge as any sort of waste that goes down a drain or toilet. Septic pumping removes the top layer of sludge and all of the fluid in the tank.

Septic Cleaning

Septic cleaning, on the other hand, removes everything in the tank. You won't need this service as often as septic pumping, but it will need to be performed on a regular basis.

Your septic tank isn't just a closed-off box underground that holds everything. If it were, you'd need septic pumping a lot more often than every few years. Instead, septic systems have a series of pipes that are designed to drain away excess fluid from the septic tank. However, if the sludge layer on the bottom of the tank rises high enough to start draining out through these pipes, it can clog and permanently damage them, requiring you to have them replaced in order for the tank to work properly. If this happens without your knowledge, it can also lead to a septic tank overflow, which is also a nightmare to clean up.

Septic Pumping as Maintenance

The best way to figure out if your tank needs a septic cleaning is to ask your septic serviceman when they come out to pump the tank. Since pumping needs to be performed more often anyway, simply ask if your tank has enough sludge in it to warrant a cleaning yet. If the answer is yes, inquire about having that service performed, too. If not, then ask how soon they think that your tank will need to be completely cleaned out.

Now you know the difference between these two important services. As long as you maintain a regular schedule and don't forget to have your tank completely cleaned out every once in a while and conduct septic pumping, your septic system should run like a dream.