Septic Tank Cleaning Cost?

[09CTSV]

We had ours pumped for the first time since the house was built in 76. It cost us $150 and the tank looked good. Only thing we saw was grease in the drain line from the house. Two years later our neighbors sand filter had the line running thru our yard, unknown to us, and their system failed dumping raw sewage in our yard.
Three months later the city installed the sewers and we hooked in, the county drug their feet to enforce the neighbors to tie in until the state had a little talk with them. The choices were, tie in or cap off and pump each week.
The line running thru our yard is somehow plugged with concrete. So is the other neighbors sump pump line which was dumping in our yard. Amazing what people do.

[Hardluck]

Originally Posted by Egnalf

Average human ( not flex) produces about 325 pounds of pooh per year. One gallon of pooh is roughly 8 pounds depending upon moisture content. Some of that goes away as moisture. So, assume 275 pounds per human per year if your stool is really, really dense. Fill it halfway, or 625 gallons, that is 5000 pounds. How many humans in that house to fill it that much in three years?

3years x 275=825. Even if you have six, hard pooping mofos, that tank isn't full.

It damn sure would be if Raazor lived there!

[JRD77VET]

gave a clue and name to my original response

[04 commemorative]

Originally Posted by 69camfrk

If a septic system is operating properly, it doesn't need to be pumped.

I never had a septic system but this is what I have always heard also

[Mr.Bigg]

Originally Posted by 04 commemorative

I never had a septic system but this is what I have always heard also

Then you are both wrong. Many times by the time it is not working properly it is to late.

[6spdC6]

Originally Posted by Mr.Bigg

Then you are both wrong. Many times by the time it is not working properly it is to late.

When it stars overflowing into your basement or crawl space you got a problem. Same if it starts oozing out of the ground. Lots of money will be spent.


We have people up here in this rural area that do not allow anything but poop and wiz to go into their systems (No TP). They keep a can in the bathroom and all guests are instructed to use that for all other items. They have a dry-well for washer discharge also.

[Stevedore]

I hear stories about people never pumping them & (maybe) never having a problem.

A friend's house was hooked up to their new municipal sewer system a few years ago. He was complaining about the cost, & I reminded hm that he won't have pumping costs anymore. He said he had never had it pumped in ~30 years.

Another friend's parents had a plumbing backup after living in their house for something like 30 years, so called the Roto-Rooter guy.

Roto-Rooter guy: "When's the last time you had your septic pumped out?"
Friend's parents: "We don't have a septic system."
Roto-Rooter guy:"Yes you do."

Cost them a lot of $$.

I'm definitely getting ours pumped out, & hoping for an assessment of how often we need to have it done in the future. Although the septic pumping guy may not be the best source for that information!


EDIT: And for the "if-it's-working-properly" crowd, how do you know, until & unless it backs up?

[Mr.Bigg]

Originally Posted by Stevedore

I hear stories about people never pumping them & (maybe) never having a problem.

A friend's house was hooked up to their new municipal sewer system a few years ago. He was complaining about the cost, & I reminded hm that he won't have pumping costs anymore. He said he had never had it pumped in ~30 years.

Another friend's parents had a plumbing backup after living in their house for something like 30 years, so called the Roto-Rooter guy.

Roto-Rooter guy: "When's the last time you had your septic pumped out?"
Friend's parents: "We don't have a septic system."
Roto-Rooter guy:"Yes you do."

Cost them a lot of $$.

I'm definitely getting ours pumped out, & hoping for an assessment of how often we need to have it done in the future. Although the septic pumping guy may not be the best source for that information!


EDIT: And for the "if-it's-working-properly" crowd, how do you know, until & unless it backs up?

Best to educate yourself go get a stick and poke around. It is common sense not rocket science. If it is a third full of heavy sludge time to pump.

While your in there get a pack or two 50 cent yeast and follow the directions then pour it in.

[04 commemorative]

Originally Posted by Mr.Bigg

Then you are both wrong. Many times by the time it is not working properly it is to late.

Been wrong before,and probably will be again......soon

[mrvette]

My folks had a house in Maryland, north of DC, maybe a mile or so off the Potomac river.....and a well/septic system.....the well ran with acidic water so eventually ate up the copper pipes, the main entrance plumbing went first of course....flooding the basement floor and needing new assfault tile.....

then the tank backed up, finally had it pumped after 30 years, the leech field was on a good downhill drainage slope in the back yard....into a creek running to the river.....be interesting to see what has happened in the last 30 years since the house was sold......but it was interesting in that between the shit and the shingles, and shingles outlasted the shit.....

[Lakota]

Years ago one of my workmate's had a cottage in Crystal Beach, Ontario Canada.

He told me he had his septic tank pumped and the next morning was stunned. His metal septic tank rose out of the ground like a submarine that surfaced.

The company came over and told him the operator pumped too much water out. The area had sandy soil and a high water table. They brought a excavator over and re-buried the tank.