Who To Call for an Emergency Septic Service in Selkirk, MN

Like many Manitoba homeowners, you likely prefer to keep waste out of sight, out of mind. Unfortunately, if you have a septic system and haven’t thought about it in a while, you’ll only be able to keep that sewage out of sight for so long.

Has maintenance slipped by the wayside lately? If you find yourself in desperate need of an emergency septic service, King’s Services has top-notch septic tank services in Manitoba. Read on to learn our technicians’ recommendations for how to handle septic emergencies. 

How to Identify a Septic Emergency

Your septic system serves as an essential exit point for household waste. When you use the toilet, you flush the wastewater down your drainage system. If your property isn’t connected to municipal sewer lines, it likely uses a septic tank system to process this waste safely.

Although the water joins the groundwater, the solid waste materials will collect inside the tank. Eventually, you will need a septic technician to empty the contents if you’re going to prevent catastrophes—disgusting ones. 

If you don’t empty the tank in time or schedule regular maintenance, you’ll soon have a sizable septic emergency and the following issues:

Blackwater Overflow

Most properties bury septic tanks underground. As the tank becomes fuller, the contents will gradually move back up into the homes via the pipeline. You might notice raw sewage, also called blackwater, overflowing into your toilets, sinks, or tubs, particularly at your home’s lowest level.

Sometimes, the blackwater spills into your yard or first-story floors. If it does, use caution when cleaning the mess—it’s unsanitary. Wear a pair of gloves and a face mask to avoid contact with dangerous contaminants, including bacteria and viruses. 

Flooded Drainfield

Does your yard seem swampy and damp lately? When you walk across the lawn, do you notice vibrantly green patches of grass?

Septic contents release high levels of nitrogen, which nourishes the surrounding grass and plants. A flooded drainfield might make your lawn thrive, but it also exposes everybody nearby to bacteria-infested waste. It’s a clear warning: you need to call for emergency service for your septic system!

Drain Clogs

Drains connected to a healthy septic system clear quickly: around one gallon per 30 seconds. So, when things drain slowly, it means one of two things: 

• You have a typical drain clog or
• Your septic system needs a septic service before it empties into your home. 

You’ll know the difference because, try as you might, you can never fully eradicate the elusive “clog.” It always returns, and it might smell. Of course, this isn’t a drain clog in the traditional sense—it’s just an overfilled tank that’s forcing the waste contents back upward. 

More About Septic Emergencies

An emergency septic service is mandatory if you’ve noticed any of the above-listed problems. Don’t wait; septic problems can threaten cleanliness and health. Since your septic tank treats and processes human and food waste, you’ll want to take any sewage or drainage issues seriously. 

Why Septic Issues Are Dangerous

If you leave it long enough, an overfull septic tank’s excess waste will slosh out of toilets, sinks, and bathtubs to splash onto floors, walls, and belongings. If children and animals in the yard put the waste near their mouths (or touch it and then eat something), they will also risk exposure to infections and worse. Cuts and skin irritation are especially vulnerable to the microbes. 

Contaminants also get airborne, splash into the eyes, or make themselves comfortable on soft furnishings. Rather, get timely septic tank pumping and prevent an overfilled tank. 

Who To Call for Emergency Septic Service

What’s the first thing to do upon discovering a septic emergency? Call a trusted local expert like King’s Services. 

A technician can help with the fallout, day or night. They’ll arrive with the tools necessary to mitigate the mess and keep your family safe.

What To Do If You’re Facing a Septic Emergency

After calling a septic company for emergency services, can you minimize the mess and damage? The steps listed below could protect your home:

Keep Occupants Away From the Area

Typical septic emergencies occur in one of the following areas:

• Kitchens
• Bathrooms
• Yards

These areas are directly connected to your septic system through plumbing fixtures or pipes. Identify all the contaminated locations and then instruct family members to avoid them. If you have kids or pets, ask another responsible adult to keep an eye on them. 

Cut the Water Supply

Next, turn off the water supply to your house. Continuous water usage will exacerbate the situation, adding even more wastewater to an overflowing tank. If you don’t know your main water valve’s location, ensure that nobody uses any water—the septic technician can find and turn off the main water valve when they arrive. 

Throw Away Contaminated Belongings

With any septic overflow, the time will come to assess your belongings. Unfortunately, you might need to dispose of items soaked in blackwater or greywater. 

Towels, clothes, and other things made with cloth might soak up an excess amount of water. You might not thoroughly disinfect these textile fibers, even if you’re diligent about it. Keeping them around only opens the door to illnesses and future contamination. 

Disinfect Your Home

Once you’ve discarded waste-soaked belongings, thoroughly disinfect your home with the following tools:

• Rubber gloves
• Face masks
• Goggles
• Rubber boots
• Quality disinfectants (like those used in public bathrooms)

It might be worth hiring professional cleaners after large overflows. Cleansing every inch of the contaminated surface is important. 

Be Proactive About Maintenance

Septic overflows are nasty experiences you’ll never forget. If you’d like to avoid them (you do!), schedule tank pumps every three to five years, depending on your septic tank’s size. 

You might also want to install a septic pump alarm. It could forewarn you about overflow risks.

Let King’s Services Put Your Mind at Ease

At King’s Services, our technicians have experience with different kinds of septic tanks. We also provide emergency septic service for Manitoba residents, so call 431-813-5843 for 24-hour assistance! We’d love to tell you about our septic alarms, too.