How Often Should Best Emergency Plumber in Oxford Pump Your Septic Tank?

The most frequently asked question Best Emergency Plumber in Oxford receive is, “How often should I pump my septic tank?” Often, new homeowners who are unfamiliar with septic systems must learn how to maintain their septic systems in order to avoid costly problems. A septic system is a safe, natural, and environmentally friendly way to manage household drain waste, but it is not the same as a sewer system and requires special care and maintenance.

Septic tank pumping should be performed at the appropriate intervals for your home.
While there are some general guidelines stating that a septic system should be pumped every 2-5 years, the truth is that you should pump your system as frequently as your system requires. The amount of sludge and scum in the tank is the most important factor in determining how frequently a septic tank should be pumped. You can call Best Emergency Plumber and heating engineer Oxford for professional help.

The natural power of gravity is used by your septic system to separate household wastewater into three parts:

1. solids (sludge) at the tank’s bottom
2. grease (scum) at the tank’s top
3. watery mix (effluent) in the middle

During normal operation, the sludge and scum stay in the septic tank, while the watery mixture drains into the drain field. However, in order to keep things running smoothly, the septic tank’s sludge and scum must be cleaned on a regular basis.

If the sludge level rises to dangerous levels and/or the scum level thickens, the sludge or scum will be forced out of the drain field along with the watery effluent. Forced solids and grease through the drain field can clog the underground network of perforated pipes, resulting in slow drains and even wastewater backups into your home. This can result in dangerous bacteria in your home and a costly repair.

Most homeowners who pump more frequently than necessary are overspending!
Essentially, by pumping too frequently, there isn’t enough sludge and scum buildup in the tank to get the best return on investment in septic tank pumping costs. Paying for the service more frequently than necessary, like any other routine maintenance, is a waste of money with no additional benefits.

The truth is that your septic system requires a certain level of good bacteria to function properly. The septic tank, like the human digestive system, uses anaerobic digestion to naturally break down waste for the next level of filtration.

While pumping at the proper intervals is essential, it does reduce biomat levels, and it can take up to 1-3 weeks for your septic system to return to healthy bacteria levels. The bacteria that enters your tank each time you flush the toilet with organic waste material and breaks it down into sludge and effluent. If your septic tank is pumped too frequently, the bacteria will have nowhere to go but out into the drain field, causing clogs and failures.

So, unless your septic tank’s sludge and scum levels exceed certain thresholds, leaving the septic tank alone is actually beneficial. This maintains the proper bacterial balance to keep your system running smoothly.