How often should I have my septic system pumped?

Image of a septic system being pumped.How often should I have my septic system pumped out it the topic of this article. There are many answers to this question and we will try to address what conditions would require a pump out. It was an unbelievably colorful and vivid dream. Oceans of waste water filled your home. The yard was like a swamp and everything was overwhelmed with the disgusting smell of septic odors. Eyes widened and gasping, you woke up and went straight to your bathroom. After a cold shower, you went downstairs to have breakfast with your loyal Labrador. That was one of the most unforgettable bad dreams that you have ever had in your entire life. You heaved a sigh of relief as reality set in. It was probably just part of being in your new home for the first time. From renting an apartment to having to take care of every single detail in a house that you will be having under your name for the rest of your life was definitely a drastic change.

The septic expert was supposed to arrive that morning to brief you with the important details about your newly installed septic system. Even if it is the conventional septic system, it was quite different if you had your own to look after. All your life, you didn’t really care about having a septic system. Your grandmother used to tell you that it was a good dragon that ate up all the bad things that came from the house. Back then, you often thought that that dragon must’ve been a very strong one to have lived that long and to take in all the dirt and wastes from your home.

When the septic expert arrived, he said that you had to maintain and care for your septic system the best way you could and this could only be achieved by regular pump out sessions and proper usage of the system. You asked the inevitable question… How often should I have my septic system pumped? The expert seemed to be ready for your question so he explained it carefully.

The pump out sessions for your septic system, depends on the number of people that make up your household. A home that has two people living in it should be pumped out every 3 years. If you have up to 5 people in your home, you should have the system pumped out every 2 years. An annual pump out should be performed on the system of a household that has 6 or more members. You should carefully discuss the living conditions in your home with your septic expert. If you are thinking of having a larger household, then you should include your septic system with your plans because the system that was installed in your property was only meant to accommodate the number of household members that was originally stated.

A pump out should be done properly by a credible septic expert. There are pumpers that only “pump out and go”. This means that they just place the hose in the tank, suck out the sludge and leave when you hand their payment without saying anything for you to take note of. Before the actual pump out, the septic expert should carefully and thoroughly inspect the system first. The drain field should be checked for any trace s of heavy vehicle tracks and footprints. These may have already caused soil compaction and damage to the components in that area of the septic system. The pipe lines should also be checked for leaks or damages. The contents of the tank itself should be inspected for any amount of harsh chemicals that may have already started killing off the resident bacteria that are supposed to break down the solid wastes in the waste water.

When you asked about the amount, you should just set aside a budget of 75-300 USD depending on the services that are to be included with the pump out of the system. Your septic expert told you to prepare 150 USD every three years because your septic system was only meant for a household of 2 people. It wasn’t a heavy amount at all. It was way cheaper than having to prepare 30,000 USD for a septic system replacement or extensive repair.
You felt renewed and reassured when the septic expert left. At least you knew that the terrible nightmare will not happen at all in the near future. We hope we have addressed your concerns as to when and how often should I have my septic system pumped out.

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