How Often Should a Septic System Be Serviced?

Septic tanks require routine cleanings to prevent the buildup of wastewater, scum layers, and contaminants. Since your septic system stays out of sight, it stays out of mind. Any property owner could be forgiven for forgetting about their septic system's vital role in keeping their home sanitary. However, this may lead to your septic tank overflowing with wastewater and sewage.

You'll end up with a stressful, damaging, and dangerous mess on your hands if your system goes without services for too long. 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.

How Septic Systems Work

Your septic system acts as your personal wastewater management plant. It consists of several integral parts, including:

• 
  Septic source: The bathrooms and sinks in your house typically serve as the source for the waste. The wastewater flows from your home to the tank.
• Tank: Once the waste empties into the tank, it separates into three levels: scum on top, water in the middle, and sludge at the bottom. Once the tank fills with enough water, the water empties into the drainfield. The sludge and scum remain in the tank.
• Drainfield: When the water flows into the drainfield, it filters through soil and minerals. These particles eliminate any remaining contaminants. Then, the water becomes groundwater.
• Pipe networks: A series of sturdy pipes lead from your home to the tank and the drainfield.

The septic tank is the primary reason you must regularly service your septic system. While it releases water, it still fills with sludge and scum. Eventually, these contents run out of room inside the tank. Septic services prevent the contents from overflowing into your home. A septic overflow exposes your household to dangerous contaminants that may threaten your health. The liquid sewage can also cause extensive damage to your belongings and building structures.

The General Recommendation for Septic Tank Cleanings

The average recommendation for how often to clean your septic tank is around every three to five years. However, 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.

Like all household networks and appliances, your septic system requires regular maintenance to ensure it functions as expected. Inspections and pumping services protect your health and property from harmful overflow disasters or seepage.

System Inspections

A septic technician should inspect your system every three years. These inspections ensure that:

• 
  Your system's components work harmoniously
• Your tank has an adequate ecosystem of bacteria to break down solids
• Your property is not at risk of a tank overflow

If the inspector finds any concerns, they will communicate the problem to you, helping you find a solution that fits within your budget and the recommended timeframe for repairs.

Factors That Affect Septic Tank Cleaning Frequency

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.

Your Household Size

The more people who live in your home, the faster your septic tank fills up. Generally, contractors plan and install a system based on the number of bathrooms in your home. However, you may have a wide range of people living in a house with, for example, two bathrooms. You'll need more frequent cleanings as you add more individuals to your household. Having multiple bathrooms also increases the need for septic tank cleaning.

The Size of Your Septic Tank

The size of your tank directly impacts how often you should clean it. A smaller tank holds less liquids and waste, meaning you shouldn't let the system fill up too much before booking a cleaning. While you can wait a bit longer if your tank has a large capacity, it's vital not to forget these essential services.

An oversized septic tank may have other problems over time. Speak with a contractor about getting a tank that meets your needs.

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. It's also a good idea to start fresh when you move to a new place by cleaning and inspecting your property's septic.

Wastewater Generation

The water used in your property enters your septic tank, including the water from your washer machine or dishwasher. Depending upon the amount of water you use in your home, it could end up straining the septic system.

Number of Solids in Your Wastewater

The number of solids you wash away with wastewater may increase the need to empty your septic tank. Solids include more than human waste. If you rinse food waste down your garbage disposal, it ends up in your septic tank as well.

Tank Pumping Frequency by Household Size

Pump frequencies largely depend upon the size of your system and how much waste your family flushes into it. A good rule of thumb is to schedule pump-outs every three years. Here are some examples of how tank sizes vs. the number of household members affects pump frequency:

• 
  One person: If one person uses a small, 500-gallon tank, they must schedule services every five to six years. A tank between 750 and 900 gallons only needs emptying every nine to 10 years.
• Two people: A couple using a 750-gallon tank should empty their system every two and a half years. Tanks that hold 750 to 900 gallons need to be serviced every four to five years.
• Three people: A small family of three should service a 750-gallon tank every year and a half. If they use a 750 to 900-gallon tank, they should plan an emptying service every two and a half to three years.
• Four people: Families of four should have tanks that can hold a minimum of 1000 gallons. They should empty this tank size every two and a half years. They can wait three and a half to four years with a tank that holds 1250 to 1500 gallons.
• Five people: A household of five needs a tank that holds a minimum of 1250 gallons. They'll service the tank every two and a half years.

Larger tanks allow you to wait longer to schedule services. If you have a large family using a small septic system, you must pump the tank as often as every six months.