What happens during a septic pumping visit
Finding and uncovering the tank, pumping through the right opening, checking baffles and the effluent filter: how a septic pumping visit goes and how to prepare for it.
A routine pumping is a short visit, but a careful technician does more than empty the tank. Here is what to expect.
Before the visit
- Find the tank. Look for the site plan from the permit (often available from the county health department), the last pumping record, or a riser lid in the yard. Tell the company how many compartments the tank has, if you know.
- Clear the access. The truck needs to park reasonably close: mention long driveways, soft lawns, gates or low branches when you book.
- Ask about risers. If the lids are buried, the crew has to dig. Risers that bring the lids up to ground level make every future visit faster.
During the visit
- Uncovering the lids. The technician opens the tank through the main manhole, not only through the small inspection ports, so the whole tank can be emptied.
- Checking the levels. Before pumping, many technicians note the scum and sludge layers and whether the liquid level is normal. A level above the outlet can point to a drain field or outlet problem.
- Pumping. The contents are removed with a vacuum truck and taken to an approved treatment or disposal site.
- Inspecting the inside. With the tank empty, the technician can look at the inlet and outlet baffles (or tees), the walls and the joints, and spot cracks or roots.
- Cleaning the effluent filter, if your tank has one. A clogged filter is a common cause of slow drains.
After the visit
Ask for a written record: date, volume pumped, condition of the baffles and lids, and recommendations. Keep it with your house papers. A tank does not need to be "seeded" with bacteria after pumping: normal household use restores the biology.
Questions to ask when you request quotes
- Is the company licensed or registered with the state or county, where required?
- Does the visit include locating and digging up the lids, and cleaning the filter?
- Will they provide a written report, and can they file it with the county if required?
Describe your tank and access in the form and licensed local pumpers get back to you with a written quote.