Considerations For Using A Septic Pumping Table

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A few months ago, I realized that our home had some serious plumbing issues. It seemed like our sinks were constantly clogged, and it was really frustrating to deal with. I didn't want to have to unplug a drain every single time I wanted to take a shower, so I decided to call in a few professional plumbers to make things right. They were amazing to work with. They were able to quickly identify the cause of the problem and flush out the drains in a jiffy. After our plumbing was finally fixed, I felt like I could start focusing my attention on other home issues. Check out this blog to find out how plumbers could help you.

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Considerations For Using A Septic Pumping Table

28 July 2020
 Categories: , Blog


If you have a septic tank, then you may be constantly asking yourself how often you should have it cleaned out. Well, the truth is that there is no set answer for this, and many people will use a tool called a septic pumping table to help them figure this out. There are some things to consider when looking at the table.

Visitors In The Home

A basic table will use the size of the septic tank in gallons and the number of occupants within the home to determine approximately how often you should be having the tank pumped. The frequency of pumping is listed in years using a decimal that can be calculated to a fraction of the year. For example, a 1.3 cleaning frequency can be interpreted to mean a pumping should be scheduled once every year and four months.

While the schedule is quite specific, it does not take certain variations into account. The schedule assumes constant usage by all members of the home, but it does not account for visitors. So, if you have people visiting regularly for holidays and weekends, then you may want to schedule your pumping at least a few months early. You can also schedule it a few months later if you have children that go away to college during the year or if you have a vacation home that you visit. 

Keep in mind that if you decide to use a pumping table to assist you and you have a newer home, then think about scheduling a septic tank measurement once or twice before your pumping. This will help you to determine if your calculations are correct in relation to the table you are using. 

Garbage Disposal Usage

If you have a garbage disposal in your home, then this can throw off the pumping schedule according to your table. Simply put, the appliance can lead to a great deal of waste moving into the septic system. And, you will need to opt for a pumping sooner than the table indicates. For this reason, you should look for a pumping schedule or table that includes the use of a garbage disposal. You can also count a garbage disposal as an extra person and move up on the table by one column to determine the cleaning timeframe. 

Since the garbage disposal will often mean more wastewater use in addition to the additional solid waste, ask your septic professional to check your drainage field often to make sure it can handle the additional fluid. 

To learn more about septic system pumping, feel free to contact septic professionals for more info.