When Should You Pump Out Your Septic Tank?

Your septic tank allows for safe wastewater disposal, so keeping it properly serviced is important for you and your tank’s health and safety.

There are many signs that indicate it is time to pump out your septic tank; below we’ve highlighted the most common!

Flooded drain fields

Out of sight, out of mind: when you cannot see the wastewater, your septic system is working fine.

That means, then, that pooling water in the lawn around your drain field indicates that it’s time to pump your septic tank. Standing water occurs when solid waste clogs your drain field pipes and allows wastewater to rise to your drain field.

Look out for significant pools of water around your septic system and pump your tank as soon as possible!

Sluggish drains

man pumping a septic tankYour home’s drains may empty slowly due to clogs.

If you try using safe unclogging techniques such as septic-safe drain cleaners, but still experience a problem, it may be time to pump your septic tank.

Keep an eye on your sinks, showers, washing machines, and toilets for lazy drains that may show you that your septic tank is getting full.

Once pumped, your drainage system should return to a normal, more spirited speed.

Raw sewage backup

Typically, black and smelly, sewage backup is probably the most evident sign that your septic tank is at capacity. Raw sewage backup is very possible without adherence to a regular pumping schedule.

You can get sewage backup in your sinks, bathtubs, and toilets, calling for immediate professional assistance.

Pro Tip: Look for sewer backups in your lowest drains first, like your basement!

Unpleasant smells

The nose knows: trust your sense of smell to guide you for when you need to pump your septic tank.

Think of all of the water you put down the drain from activities like showering, dishwashing, laundry, and using the restroom; all of this water collects in your septic tank.

Your septic system includes both solid and liquid waste and thus emits rank odors as it fills up. Pay attention to smells around your drain field and above your septic tank.

In general, your septic tank should be pumped every three to five years, so if you can’t remember your last pumping, it probably means it’s long overdue.

When you know your septic tank needs pumped out, turn to Freedom Septic Services for sewage treatment, septic cleaning, and septic pumping in Sykesville, MD.

Give us a call at 410-795-2947 today to receive an estimate!

28 Comments

Stefan Bradley

It helped a lot when you mentioned how if your drain is getting frequently clogged then you should pump your septic tank out. I have noticed that my bathroom sink has been draining slowly even after attempting to unclog it. Perhaps I can find a professional service that will help me see if I need my septic tank pumped out.

Jay Jorgenson

My mom noticed a weird smell coming from the sewer. It really;y helped when you said the septic tank should be pumped in 3-5 years. Thank you for the information. I’ll keep this in mind and call a professional to get our septic pumped.

Randy Chorvack

Thanks for writing that slow drains are a sign that you need to pump your septic tank. In my old house, my drains all slowed down considerably before I moved. Now I know why that was the case!

Eli Richardson

It makes sense why suddenly a sewer smell started coming from my neighbor’s house. Thanks for suggesting to immediately call a professional if this happens. I will let my neighbor know so he can take action.

Jay Jorgenson

It really helped hen you mention pumping the septic tank every three to five years. My parents don’t remember getting their septic system pumped. Thank you for the information. I’ll contact a septic system service to get my parents septic pumped.

Shayla Cademis

Thanks for mentioning that pooling water in the lawn around the drain field indicates that it’s time to pump the system. My husband and I recently purchased a home that has a septic system, which neither of us is accustomed to. Hopefully we can find some great septic services who can pump the take and offer repairs if/when necessary.

Edward Grey

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Jane Burt

I appreciate how the article explains that if you are noticing unpleasant smells around your septic tank, it may be getting full so you should look into getting it pumped. My house has a septic tank and recently we have noticed that our backyard near the septic tank smells very unpleasant. We will have someone come and pump out our tank soon.

Eli Richardson

My neighbor was mentioning that he noticed a sewer smell in his house. It was explained here that it could be a clogged sewer, and it should be pumped every 3-5 years. Thanks to your post, I will recommend him to reach out to a professional so he can have served.

Vivian Black

I never took into account that the standing water around where my septic tank is from my septic. This tip made me realize that there is a lot of standing water in my yard where my septic tank is. I will be sure to hire a professional to come pump and clean my septic tank.

Megan Adler

I had no idea that a septic tank had to be pumped every 3-5 years. I’ve been living in my house for 7 years and I don’t remember the last time we had our septic tank pumped. I’m going to talk to my husband to see if he remembers and I’ll make sure he schedules an appointment so that they can come and inspect the tank.

rachel frampton

I never knew that we can get sewage back up in the sink, bathtubs, and toilets. The truth is our sewage is already colored black and it’s producing an awful smell and as you’ve mentioned, the septic tank must be cleaned when this occurs. I better start looking for a professional septic tank service who can help me with the matter.

Taylor Anderson

Thanks for mentioning that unpleasant smells could be a sign you need to get your septic system pumped. Something else I’ve heard is that the more people that use your system, the sooner it will have to be pumped. Thanks for pointing out the signs that a septic system needs to be pumped.

Charlotte Fleet

I wasn’t aware that a sewage backup could be a sign that your septic tank is full and needs to be pumped. My husband’s parents just moved into a new house a few months ago and have been having problems with their sewage. I think they should see if they have a septic tank and then reach out to a professional that can help them with pumping it.

Kristofer Van Wagner

Thank you so much for pointing out that our septic tank should be pumped between every 3-5 years if we’re looking to ensure that our septic system is functioning efficiently. And it is wonderful that you explained that unpleasant odors are usually a sign that it is time to call a septic serviceman to help pump the tank. Unfortunately, I cannot recall when was the last time we had our septic tank pumped, so I will schedule for maintenance this weekend.

Eli Richardson

It caught my attention when you said that there could be sewage backup in the house if the septic tank is not served regularly. My wife and I want to sell teh house, and we were told to pump teh septic system before leaving the house. I better look for a professional septic tank service in the area and get the tank cleaned up.

Rachel Frampton

My septic tank is producing an odd smell. apart from what I’ve mentioned above, I never knew that my home’s drains may empty slowly due to a possible clog in my septic tank. So far, my drains are fine, but I guess it’s better to hire a septic tank cleaning service so further damage can be avoided.

Charlotte Fleet

Thank you for explaining that if you are noticing an unpleasant smell that it could be a sign you need to have your septic tank pumped. My husband mentioned that he smelt something strange the other day. I think we should look into hiring a professional with experience in septic tank pumping services to help us figure out what is going on.

Fred Gibbons

It’s great that you elaborate on the fact that it’s important to have your septic tank pumped regularly so that it keeps working correctly. My septic tank hasn’t been serviced in a long time, so I’m thinking about hiring a professional to pump it for me. I’m going to look for a good provider of septic tank pumping services in my area to use.

Alec Burns

It’s great that you elaborate on the fact that it’s important to have your septic tank pumped regularly to keep it from developing problems. I want to make sure my septic tank keeps working normally, so I’m considering hiring someone to pump it soon. I’m going to look for a reputable business that offers septic tank pumping in my area to hire.

Zoe Campos

Thanks for reminding me that our septic tank needs to be pumped once at least every 3-5 years. I moved into this property around 2017, so I think that now is the perfect time to have it cleaned. I’ll try to look for local experts who offer septic tank cleaning services.

Levi Armstrong

It’s good to know that sluggish drains and clogs are signs that we need to have a septic system pumped because it means our tank may be full. We’ve been experiencing clogged drains and slow flushes for the past days. Maybe it’s time to contact a septic pump service. Thanks!

Thomson Smith

It’s valuable that you point out that septic tanks need to be pumped at least every 5 years in order to function properly. I want to make sure that my septic tank keeps working, so I’m thinking about having it pumped this month. I’m going to look for a reputable septic tank pumping service that i can hire.

Thomson Smith

It’s great that you mention that septic tanks need to be pumped regularly in order to keep working. I want to make sure that my home’s septic tank continues to work, so I’m thinking about having it pumped soon. I’m going to look for a good business in my area that offers septic tank pumping services.

Olivia Smart

Thank you for explaining how pooling water around our drain field is a sign that we should get our tank pumped. My friend has been trying to figure out what she should be looking for to know when to get her tank pumped. I’ll be sure to pass this on to her, although I don’t think she’ll want to wait that long before she gets it pumped.

Jesse Ford

I didn’t realize a slow-draining shower could be a sign of a full septic tank. My shower has been doing this for about the past month and upon thinking about it further, I realized that we haven’t had the tank pumped since we moved in a few years ago. I’ll be sure to make it a priority to get the tank cleared out.

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