Septic Tank Maintenance

Right time for septic cleaning and septic tank maintenance

Our experts recommend that you should check the septic tank levels once a year or get our technicians to come on-site and check them for you. Besides the level, you should also keep an eye on the drain field areas for odors, wet spots, or surfacing sewage. It is also advised to check the State

and County regulations to comply with the guidelines and ensure regular inspections.

Once a year, inspect the tank yourself or have a septic tank technician check the levels. If the bottom of the scum is within 3″ of the bottom of the outlet device or the top of the sludge layer is within 12″

of the bottom of the outlet, then it is time for the septic tank pumping. Also, periodically inspect the drain field areas for odors, wet spots, or surfacing sewage.

How to check septic tank levels

If the bottom of the scum is within 3″ of the bottom of the outlet device, to check for the accumulation of scum, attach a 6′ pole to a 3″ square block and poke this block through the scum layer. Move the pole up and down carefully to notice the resistance as the block is moving against the bottom of the scum layer. Mark the ground level accurately on the pole. Next, mark the level for

the bottom of the outlet pipe on the pole by moving around the block a little more. If you find that these two marks are less than 3″ apart, then contact our team immediately for septic tank pumping.

If the top of the sludge layer is within 12″ of the bottom of the outlet, check for the accumulation of sludge, take a 6′ pole and wrap a rag around its bottom 3 feet carefully with the help of a tape. Next, push down this towel to the bottom of the tank and give it a twirl. Mark the ground level accurately on the pole. Let it stay for a few minutes and then pull it out. Measure the gap between the top of the sludge layer (the top of the black material that is visible on the towel) and the bottom of the outlet pipe (marked earlier while checking the sludge level). If you find this gap less than 12″, then your tank needs to be pumped.