Septic tanks are still widely used in areas in the United States where there is no access to the city sewer. Hence, it is highly important for the residents to keep their septic tank in good condition as a part of tank maintenance to avoid the hassles associated with damaged septic tanks or even replacing it. But then, many people fail to do this simply because of the lack of knowledge on proper maintenance or they are afraid of the septic tank pumping cost. But here’s the thing – they end up with more headaches and costs because they chose to delay the things that need to be done.
Septic Tank Maintenance- Why is it Important?
In essence, septic tank maintenance is very essential because with the septic tank sludge, there can be accumulation of grease, dirt and other solid substances that can actually clog the system. With this, overflows and backups can occur which can cause damage to the home and the environment as well.
If tank cleaning is not performed, it will lead to further damage that may require homeowners to pay for costly repairs or at worst, replacement of the entire system. Thus, proper tank cleaning and maintenance should be employed at regular intervals to ensure that their septic tank system is working at its best.
Two Areas of Septic Tank Maintenance
Basically, there are two things that are involved in septic maintenance and these are septic pumping or cleaning and knowing what should get into the tank. The next question that household owners may have in mind is how often they should clean their septic tank and do they always have to deal with theseptic tank pumping cost?
Generally, the frequency of cleaning depends on some factors like the following:
• The size of the septic tank
• Number of people in the household
• How the septic tank is used
• Presence of appliances like washing machines in the house
As recommended, it is required to clean the tank every three to five years if one or two people are using it and three to four times when more than two people are in the household. For large families, it is advised to have the septic tank cleaned every two years.
The other aspect of maintenance is keeping track of what to put into it. In essence, septic tanks are meant for water and sewage so other items like sanitary napkins and tissue papers should not be flushed in the tank or these may complicate the problem and let you face higher septic tank pumping cost.
Also, it is advisable to avoid using too much system cleaners and other chemical agents because these kill the bacteria that can break down the sludge into smaller particles.
The Septic Tank Pumping Cost
Septic tank maintenance is very important to households but what is the cost involved? In general, septic tank pumping can be priced at $125 to $300 at most. They may often wonder how come it is priced this way but the answer is very simple.
Basically, septic tank pumping may vary in price due to these factors:
• Size
• Accessibility
• Location
In actuality, pumping smaller tanks will cost $100 to $200 while cleaning larger tanks can be priced at $200 up to $350. Moreover, the absence of septic riser can make the tank less accessible. With this, the professional guys will have to bore a hole on the tank lid making the process more difficult and at the same time increasing the cost.
Also, some homeowners are not even aware of the location of their septic tank. This can make the process longer as some time will have to be spent on searching for the tank location. Luckily, specially designed tools are now available to trace the location of septic tanks.
How to Save On the Cost?
With all these, it must be clear that the faster it is to locate and access the septic tank then the lower the septic tank pumping cost will be. Hence, it will be best to be aware of the septic tank location and as much as possible invest more money in installing a septic riser since it will be of great benefit in the long run. Most importantly, have the tank cleaned regularly to avoid the unnecessary damages.