How Often to Clean a Septic Tank

Septic tanks require routine cleanings to prevent the buildup of nasty wastewater, scum layers, and contaminants. When the time finally comes, you need to hire a trusted local professional to properly clean out your tank. Cleaning your tank ensures it’s in the best possible condition.

In this guide, we’ll go over how often to clean a septic tank based on several key factors.

King’s Services offers expert septic tank cleaning in Winnipeg and the nearby areas. After learning about septic cleaning frequency, contact our trusted team for a service appointment.

The General Recommendation for Septic Tank Cleanings

If you understand how your septic system works, you’ll know that cleanings from time to time are essential. The average recommendation for how often to clean your septic tank is around every three to five years. However, you should consider that this doesn’t work for everyone.

Larger properties with more people living in the home require cleanings more often than a small, two-person house. How often a property’s occupants are home can also affect cleaning needs.

Keeping Up with Septic Tank Maintenance

You don’t need to pay for more septic system cleanings than necessary if you give it the proper care it needs from time to time. Only flush waste and toilet paper in your toilet, and avoid using harsh chemicals that could damage the system over time. 

If you switch to a more energy-efficient toilet, you could end up using less water on a daily basis and help your system. This also holds true for showerheads and faucets. You can waste less water by being mindful of the loads of laundry you clean and spreading out cleaning times.

Factors that Affect the Frequency of Septic Tank Cleanings

Several factors contribute to how often you should clean a septic tank. Each household’s circumstances will vary and can change the general recommended cleaning habits. 

How much maintenance you put into your system, how much strain you place on it, the size of the tank, household size, property size, and more may mean you need to clean your tank more or less often. If you’re not sure, it never hurts to have your local service technician examine your tank.

Consider the following factors, then determine whether it’s time to book your septic cleaning appointment. If you’ve recently moved into a new property or it’s been five years or longer since your last cleaning, it’s definitely necessary to get your septic tank pumped.

Size of Your Septic Tank

The size of your tank directly impacts how often you should clean it.

It stands to reason that a smaller tank holds less liquids and waste, meaning you shouldn’t let the system fill up too much before booking a cleaning. When your home’s occupants take long showers and use your water supply frequently, your septic will take in more wastewater.

While you can wait a bit longer if your tank has a large capacity, it’s vital not to forget these essential services. Book your service appointment ahead of time to stay on top of things, or set a reminder as the time gets closer. You don’t want to experience a sewer problem from neglect.

Where You Live

If you’re wondering how often to clean a septic tank, consider where you live. Some areas, like townships, have specific requirements for how often residents need to clean their tanks. You could receive a reminder notice in the mail or some other type of alert letting you know.

When moving to a new area, check if such rules are in place. You must follow the guidance of your location and properly maintain your septic system. It’s also a good idea to start fresh when you move to a new place by cleaning and inspecting your property’s septic.

Even if you have no strict requirements, it’s still wise to book septic tank inspections and cleanings every three to five years. Your technician will offer advice on maintaining your system and suggest if you need to book any additional work.

Your Household Size

Think about how many people are currently living in your household. Do you have a large family, or are you only living with one or two other people? It makes sense that larger households will use more water and put more wear and tear on their septic systems.

You’ll need more frequent cleanings as you add more individuals to your household. Having more multiple bathrooms also increases the need for septic tank cleaning. You certainly don’t want an unexpected wastewater backup to disrupt your day and get into your home!

Your Property Size

During septic tank installation, technicians use the size of a home as a reference to determine the appropriate tank size. The number of bedrooms can indicate how big the tank is, starting at a minimum of 1,000 gallons and getting larger from there.

It’s essential that your home has an appropriately sized system to handle your household’s septic needs. If you live in an older property, your septic system may benefit from an upgrade if it’s smaller than normal and requires frequent cleanings. An inspection appointment will tell you whether or not it’s time for a cleaning and how well your system is currently functioning. 

Our Septic Cleaning Services

You can count on the professionals at King’s Services to get your septic tank clean. Since it’s not a job the average homeowner can tackle, choosing the right business for the job is vital. 

King’s Services has provided expertise to our service areas since 1985 and supplies the services you need to protect your septic tank system. Contact our team today!

Contact King’s Services to Professional Clean Your Septic Tank

Now that you know how often to clean a septic tank, it’s time to schedule your next cleaning appointment with our reliable business. Our business is also prepared to help with emptying your septic tank, installation services, inspections, and more.



Call King’s Services today at (431) 813-5843 to book a service appointment in Headingley, Kingston, or any of the neighboring areas.