Blockages

Sadly, septic tank blockages are a common occurrence. While some can be quite easy to unblock and get the system running again, others can be quite troublesome. The main reason for blockages is due to the tank not be serviced regularly. A septic tank needs to be cleaned out once every two years to help make sure the system will keep running properly. When we clean out a septic tank, it is not to clean out the water in the tank, but to remove the solid material in the tank. It is this solid material that causes most of the problems homeowners encounter. While there are newer technologies out there today that pump out the entire tank, then dump the water back into the tank, we recommend that you get the entire tank emptied, including the water. This will not only make sure that you shouldn't have any problems between pumpings, it also gives your septic field a grace period from absorbing so much water.

We recommend that you CALL US FIRST BEFORE A PLUMBER! Too many people automatically call a plumber in and find that it is a problem in the septic tank. This ends up costing you a lot of money because an average plumber will charge you a minimum of 3 hours, even if they end up not doing anything. This can be very costly to pay for 3 hours for a plumber, when you just needed a pumping (that costs less in most cases). Call us first (calling for information is free), and we can suggest what the possible problem is and if you really need a plumber.

Blockages occur in 3 main areas:

Blockage between house and septic system

If your toilet will not flush anymore, but the sinks still drain properly, then it is very likely you have a blockage right at the toilet. This can be cleared by using a good plunger or a pipe snake (pipe snakes can either be rented at a local hardware or rental store). If these two options do not work, then you will need to call a plumber to unblock the toilet for you.

If both your toilets and sinks no longer work, then you might be blocked in the pipe between the house and the septic tank. The best option here is to call the septic company to come by to first empty the septic tank to make sure the problem is not in the tank. Once the tank is emptied, we can then run a pipe snake from the septic tank up into the house to unblock the system. If this does not work, then we will recommend calling a plumber to go inside your house to try and unblock the system from there.

Blockage in the septic tank between the entrance pipe and baffle wall

This is the most common blockage we come across. It is a buildup of solid material which stops any more waste from going into the tank. Many times it will look as if a large roll of toilet paper is jammed in there. Unblocking this is actually very easy most of the time. The homeowner only has to open the septic tank cover and use a shovel to push the blockage out of the way of the pipe. The house should then flush out into the tank, making the system usable again. Please be careful when working around the septic tank and if you are unsure of yourself in any way, please call us for service.

We suggest that if this does happen, to then call and schedule a cleaning of the septic tank as it will help clear out the solid material which caused the blockage in the first place.

Blockage between the exit pipe and septic field

This type of blockage is mainly caused by septic tanks with filters installed on the exit pipe. While these do help in filtering some solids from seeping into the septic field they do cause a lot of problems when they get blocked up. Sadly most installers of septic systems are quick to try and sell a filter for the septic tank, but do not inform you that THIS FILTER MUST BE CLEANED AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR. You must open the septic tank, pull out the filter and rinse it out with a hose, then reinstall it in the tank. Another thing that they don't inform you about is that these filters are very very easy to break when you pull them out for cleaning. Most of these filters break in half (or in many pieces) the first time you pull them out to clean. We inform all of our clients that the filter might break before we pull it out while cleaning their tanks.

The most common sign that you have a blockage between the septic tank and field is that the tank is either full to the roof or the tank has completely overflowed. If you have a filter in place, simply open the cover to the tank that is farthest from the house and with a long pair of gloves, reach into the tank and pull out the filter. Once the filter is out, the tank will drain down into the field and return to its regular level just under the exit/entrance pipes.

Please be careful when working around the septic tank and if you are unsure of yourself in any way, please call us for service.