Pumping
Solids pumped out before they reach the outlet and wash into the drain field.
What a pump-out includesValdosta, GA · Pumping, cleaning & inspections
Septic Tank Service & Pumping
in Valdosta, GA
If your home isn't on City sewer, everything that goes down a drain ends up in a tank buried in the yard, then in the drain field beyond it. Nearly every costly septic failure starts as something routine septic tank service in Valdosta would have caught, like a tank left too long between pump-outs, a broken baffle, a clogged effluent filter. Call Plumber Valdosta Fix any hour, tell us when the tank was last pumped, and talk the job and its price through before the truck rolls. Sewage coming up in the tub? Stop running water and call.
Call now, tell us when the tank was last pumped and get a price.
- 24/7Backups and full tanks, any hour
- $0To call. You only pay for work you approve
- 10+Years helping homeowners get repairs done
10+Years helping homeowners get it fixed
- Pumped through the main lidSo the sludge on the bottom comes out, not just the liquid.
- Levels written downSludge, scum and baffle condition, noted for next time.
- Ask for certificationGeorgia certifies septic pumpers. Ask for the number.
- Price up frontRoutine pump-outs are often priced on the call, with any extras explained first.
Off City sewer
What Septic Tank Service in Valdosta, GA Covers
A septic system is a tank that separates solids from water, and a drain field that soaks the water into the ground. Service keeps both doing their jobs.
Filters and baffles
The parts inside the tank that hold solids back, checked and cleaned.
Keeping it workingInspections
For a home sale, a loan or peace of mind, with the tank opened and pumped.
For home salesBackups and smells
Slow drains, odors and soggy ground traced to the tank, the line or the field.
Warning signsMany homes on septic also draw from a private well, and well pump repair in Valdosta is a call to the same number.
The pump-out
Septic Tank Pumping
A septic tank is always full of liquid; that's how it works. “Full” means full of solids, and pumping is how they come out before they reach the drain field.
Find and open the lids
The lids are dug up, often a foot or more down unless the tank has risers. A two-compartment tank has a lid over each side.
Pump through the main lid
The hose goes in through the large access lid, not a small inspection pipe, so the sludge on the bottom can be broken up and pulled out.
Look inside
With the tank open, the pumper checks the inlet and outlet baffles, the walls, and any roots or cracks.
Rinse the filter
If there's an effluent filter at the outlet, it's pulled and hosed off back into the tank.
Watch for backflow
Water running back into the empty tank from the outlet side can mean the drain field is saturated.
The tank fills back to its working level within days of normal use. If drains act up again soon after a pump-out, the trouble is somewhere else, and the warning signs below help narrow it down.
Between pump-outs
Septic Tank Cleaning & Maintenance
What goes down the drains matters more than any schedule. A few habits keep solids, grease and extra water out of the tank.
Do
- Spread laundry across the week instead of five loads in one day
- Fix a running toilet or dripping faucet quickly; the extra water floods the tank and field
- Rinse the effluent filter between pump-outs, if your tank has one
- Keep cars, sheds and new trees off the tank and drain field
- Add risers so the lids can be opened without digging
- Keep pump-out receipts and the tank size in one place
Don't
- Flush anything but human waste and toilet paper, “flushable” wipes included
- Pour grease or cooking oil down the kitchen sink
- Lean on the garbage disposal; it means pumping more often
- Pour paint, solvents or harsh drain chemicals down a drain
- Count on additives in place of pumping
About additives. Georgia's Department of Public Health puts it plainly on its septic page. “Buying additives/chemicals for your tank? Think again.” The EPA's rule of thumb is to flush nothing but human waste and toilet paper.
Buying or selling
Septic Inspections for Home Sales
A standard home inspection runs the faucets and flushes the toilets. It doesn't open the tank or test the drain field, and that's where the expensive problems hide.
Be there for it, and ask questions while the tank is open. Septic systems are designed around the number of bedrooms, so if the house has gained a bedroom since it was built, ask whether the system still fits.
House been empty? Run water through the system for several days before the inspection, so the drain field is actually being tested.
- 01
Find the system
Tank, distribution box and drain field located, using any permit drawing on file.
- 02
Open and pump the tank
A tank full of solids hides its baffles and walls. Pumping lets the inspector see them.
- 03
Check the parts
Baffles, inlet and outlet pipes, the filter, the tank walls and any roots.
- 04
Test the field
Backflow into the pumped tank, wet or smelly spots over the field, and the distribution box.
- 05
Write it up
A written report with photos you can hand to your agent or lender.
Pumping schedule
How Often Should You Pump a Septic Tank?
There's a typical range, and there's a better test. Use the range to plan and the test to decide.
3 to 5 years
How often household tanks are typically pumped, according to the EPA.
Every 3 years
How often the EPA says a household system should be inspected by a septic professional.
What moves your number
- How many people live in the house
- How much water the household uses
- How much solid waste goes in, garbage disposal included
- The size of the tank
The better test
The EPA says to pump when any one of these is true.
- The bottom of the scum layer is within 6 inches of the bottom of the outlet
- The top of the sludge is within 12 inches of the outlet
- Sludge and scum make up more than 25 percent of the liquid depth
New to the house? Pump in the first year or two and have the levels measured. That one visit tells you how fast your household fills the tank, which is worth more than any rule of thumb.
Trouble brewing
Warning Signs Your Septic Tank Is Full
These show up before sewage comes into the house. Catching them early is usually the difference between a pump-out and a drain field.
Every drain is slow
One slow sink is a clog. The whole house draining slowly points to the tank, the line or the field.
Gurgling
Toilets and drains that gurgle after water runs elsewhere in the house.
Sewage smell
An odor in the yard near the tank or field, or inside near floor drains.
Backups at the lowest drain
Sewage usually shows up first in a tub or shower, the lowest openings in the house.
Soggy or extra-green ground
Wet spots, standing water or a strip of lush grass over the tank or drain field.
An alarm going off
Systems with a pump tank have a high-water alarm. If it sounds, cut back water use and call.
Just pumped and still backing up?
Then the tank wasn't the problem, or wasn't the only one. Check for a running toilet first, then look at these.
- A clog in the line between the house and the tank
- A broken baffle or a clogged effluent filter at the outlet
- A sag or break in the pipe from the house
- A drain field that can't take water anymore
Who comes out
Who to Call, a Plumber or a Septic Company?
It depends on where the problem is, either in the house and the line to the tank, or in the tank and the field.
A septic company
- Pumping and routine service
- Effluent filters, baffles and risers
- Tank level above the outlet pipe
- Wet ground or odors over the drain field
- Septic inspections for a home sale
A plumber
- One slow sink, tub or toilet
- A clog between the house and the tank
- Leaks and broken pipes inside the house
- Running toilets that keep flooding the system
- New fixtures, water heaters and repiping
The tank-level test
Whoever comes out should check the liquid level first. Above the outlet pipe means the tank, the filter or the field. A normal level with sewage backing up in the house means a clog in the line, which is plumber work. Don't lean over or climb into an open tank; the gases in it are dangerous.
Certified pumpers
The Georgia Department of Public Health certifies septic installers and pumpers and publishes a certified pumpers list. Ask any company for its certification. For permits and records, contact Lowndes County Environmental Health.
Questions
Septic Service FAQ
How often to pump, whether additives help, how to find the tank, and who to call when the drains slow down.
Call (229) 544-0276How often do I pump a septic tank?
The EPA says household tanks are typically pumped every three to five years, with an inspection at least every three years. Your number depends on how many people live in the house, how much water you use, whether you run a garbage disposal and how big the tank is. Measuring the sludge and scum at each pump-out tells you whether to go sooner or later next time.
How much does a septic tank cost in Georgia?
A new system's price depends on the tank size and material, the soil evaluation, the type of drain field the lot needs, how hard the site is to work, and the county permit. In Lowndes County, permits go through Environmental Health. Get a written price that spells out each part. Installing a new septic tank in Valdosta
Will septic pumping fix a backup?
Only if the tank itself is overfull. If the backup comes from a clog in the line from the house, a blocked filter or a drain field that's failing, pumping buys a few days at most and the backup comes back. Ask the pumper to check for backflow from the field while the tank is empty.
Do I call a plumber or a septic company for slow drains?
If one drain is slow, call a plumber. If every drain is slow, start with the tank. A level above the outlet pipe means septic work, and a normal level with backups in the house means a clog in the line, which is plumber work. When you're not sure, call and describe it, and you'll hear who should come out.
Do septic additives work?
Georgia's Department of Public Health is skeptical; its septic page says, “Buying additives/chemicals for your tank? Think again.” Normal household waste keeps the bacteria in a tank going. Additives don't replace pumping.
Can I use a garbage disposal with a septic tank?
You can, but the EPA says a disposal means the tank will need pumping more often, and it suggests limiting or skipping it. Food scraps add solids that bacteria break down slowly. Scraping plates into the trash or a compost bin is easier on the tank.
How do I find my septic tank?
Look for where the sewer pipe leaves the house; the tank is usually 10 feet or more out along that line. Old pump-out receipts may note the location. Lowndes County Environmental Health handles septic permits, so ask them whether a permit drawing is on file for your address. A septic company can also find it with a probe.
What should happen before a septic inspection on an empty house?
Water should be run through the system for several days first, so the drain field is actually being tested. A field that hasn't had water in months can look fine on inspection day and fail once a family moves in. Tell the inspector the house has been vacant when you book.
Keep reading
More Help With Septic Systems
- Septic tank repair
Baffles, broken lids, pipes and pumps fixed.
- Drain field replacement
When the field can't take water anymore.
- Septic tank installation
New and replacement systems, permitted.
- Drain cleaning
A clog between the house and the tank.
- Sewer camera inspection
A camera down the line from the house to the tank.
- 24/7 emergency plumbing
Sewage in the house tonight.
Septic Tank Due? Call Us
Pump-outs, filters, baffles and inspections for Valdosta homes off City sewer. Mention the tank size if you know it and ask about the price.