As a home or property owner, you probably know the importance of septic tank pumping. Regular maintenance, including pumping, prevents the deterioration of your septic system, therefore ensuring that it not only works as it should, but is more prolonged too.
How Septic Systems Work
When wastewater gets into the septic tank, it remains in the tank for a while. Here, the separation happens, with solids sinking to the bottom, liquids in the middle, and lighter substances at the top.
The lighter substances- usually grease- are digested by bacteria, while the middle liquids pushed out of the tank into a drain field.
Now that you know how a system functions, there are severe consequences to neglecting your septic tank. The first being the creation of an unsanitary environment. If there are too many solids in the tank, incoming wastewater won’t have enough time to adequately separate.
Cost of Pumping
Septic tank pumping involves removing the solids from the bottom of the tank. This makes the system more efficient. Usually, this process’s cost ranges from between $200 and $500 and could increase depending on the factors such as the tank’s size and the area you live in.
Undoubtedly, the cost of regularly pumping the tank isn’t cheap. When you compare it to replacing it with a new system – which costs anything between $3,000 to $10,000 – your yearly scheduled pumping pales in comparison.
Lastly, how often you should carry out septic tank pumping depends on the tank’s size, how often you use the washroom and the number of people living under your roof.