How Often Should I Pump My Septic Tank?
Country life is great, but one of the downsides to living in a rural environment by yourself is lack of access to city services. While water may be accessible for some, nearly everybody that lives on any sizable piece of land will most likely need to have a septic system, which has to be pumped regularly.
But how often should you pump it? Without regular pumping, septic tanks can leak into the yard and cause backflow into the bathrooms and kitchen, so it's imperative to know what your individual schedule should be. Unfortunately, how often you pump your septic tank is completely dependent on your own individual situation, but here are a few questions to help you out.
How Many People Live Under Your Roof?
The waste requirements of a family of one is much different than the waste produced by family of seven, so the regularity of pumping will also be different. An individual living in a smaller house by themselves may only need to have their septic tank pumped every few years, while larger family may have to have it pumped every 6 to 12 months. Another factor to consider in this is whether not your home uses chemicals or produces a lot of food waste in the kitchen drain. Both of these can go into your septic tank and cause premature erosion, necessitating more frequent pumping is in the process.
How Big is Your Tank?
Septic tanks come in all shapes and sizes, all the way from a few hundred gallons to several thousand. One would think that a larger septic tank would actually be able to hold more waste, and while that is true, it also doesn't take into account the cleaning that takes place during septic tank services as well. When tanks are pumped, they're also usually scrubbed by the technician to reduce blockage in the tanks and make it run more efficiently.
How Efficient is Your Home?
Today's appliance technology is phenomenal. High-efficiency toilets and energy-saving dishwashers and washing machines can reduce water usage exponentially, which can save you hundreds of dollars every year in utility bills. Unfortunately, if your home uses older models, it also means that more water is going into your septic tank and taking up space, which will need to be pumped more frequently. Take a look at your home's appliances, and if they're not very energy efficient, increase your pumping frequency.