Questions About Septic Tank Cleaning? Important Tips For Homeowners

No matter the age or design, every home will require basic care in order to maintain its condition and help it continue to provide a comfortable space for residential living. When the home utilizes an on-site septic tank and drainfield instead of being connected to a public sewer system, new homeowners must learn to handle its basic care needs, along with the home's other systems, structure and finishes. 

Special situations 

Some home purchase situations can result in a need for an immediate maintenance visit from a septic cleaning service technician. A good example of this is when the home was purchased as a foreclosure or distressed property. 

Foreclosures and some other types of selling situations often mean that the home is vacant for long periods of time. When the septic system is unused for many months, the waste in the tank can settle and solidify, making it more difficult to process normally when occupants move into the home.  Long idle periods can also result in changes to the soil around the tank and drain lines in the drain field, causing them to shift position or become damaged.

Homeowners who have just purchased a home that was vacant for a long period of time should consider having the septic tank cleaned as soon as possible after they take possession of the property. During this visit, the septic cleaning service technician can remove excess waste from the tank and examine the septic system to determine if there are signs of existing repair or maintenance issues that should be addressed. 

Determining when to pump

Seller's disclosure documents, along with the inspection phase of the home purchase process, can be a good source of information about the septic system. Data such as age, type, overall condition and installer information will be important in helping homeowners plan for future improvements or system replacement. 

In many instances, the sellers may have also provided information about the dates of past service calls and the amount of waste pumped during each visit. This information, along with knowledge of the seller's family size, can help new homeowners decide on a tentative schedule for future pumping. 

However, it is important to note that families of similar sizes can produce different levels of wastewater and solids, depending on their water usage and other factors. Discussing your concerns with a reputable septic tank cleaning service will help ensure that pumping is performed on a schedule that factors in your family's usage while protecting the integrity of the septic system. 

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