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PHOTO of septic tank sludge being broken up for tank cleaning Actually Pumping out the Septic Tank
Step by step procedure

How to pump out or clean a septic tank: details.

This septic tank pumpout article series provides a step by step, photo-illustrated guide to opening, pumping, and inspecting septic tanks, how a conventional septic tank is located, opened, pumped out, cleaned, and inspected.

This guideline is intended for septic pumping tank truck operators and as general information for homeowners or septic service companies concerned with septic system care.

The steps in servicing a septic tank are listed below, accompanied by photographs that show each of the critical steps in pumping, cleaning, and inspecting a septic tank.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

Pumping Out the Septic Tank - how the solids & waste are removed from a septic tank

PHOTO of the septic tank muck raking tool used to break up scum
and sludge layers during pumping.

In thi sarticle series we discuss all of the steps in proper septic tank maintenance:

The operator may use a muck-rake (shown here), an instrument resembling a long hoe, to stir sludge on the tank bottom during pumping to aid in sludge removal. The operator uses the muck raking tool to break up both the floating scum layer and settled sludge layer in the septic tank.

PHOTO of the septic tank muck raking tool used to break up scum
and sludge layers during pumping.

A few minutes are spent with this tool before pumping begins. During pumping the operator continues to use this tool to break up and pump out the floating scum layer in the septic tank.

Also see SEPTIC TANK PUMPING FREQUENCY GUIDE for a table explaining when to schedule a septic cleanout.


PHOTO of septic tank sludge being broken up for tank cleaning PHOTO of septic tank sludge being broken up for tank cleaning

With the vacuum lines all connected, the pumper truck's vacuum pump operating, and the muck rake inserted into the septic tank, tank cleanout can begin.

The operator moves both the vacuum line and the muck rake continuously during the pumping operation, to break up scum and sludge, to mix these materials with effluent in the tank, and thus to remove them with the vacuum hose.

The breakup of sludge and scum and the mixing of them with tank effluent permits easy removal with the vacuum hose.

After removal of the scum layer and the first several inches of effluent, an astute septic pumper operator may pause the pumping operation and even shut off the pumper truck for a moment to listen.

If one hears septic effluent spilling back into the septic tank from the tank outlet line the operator has learned that the drain field is saturated, in failure, and is going to need replacement. This is valuable information which may otherwise be tough to obtain.

If the septic tank is plastic or fiberglass it may have a bottom or side plug.

The operator should be alert for possible accidental removal and loss of the tank plug during pumping as without the plug the tank will drain improperly into surrounding soil. Lost plugs will need replacement.

PHOTO of septic pillow of scum from the septic tank baffle area

The photo shows a rectangle of floating scum layer material that has fallen from the septic tank inlet baffle area as the effluent level in the tank drops.

Septic service operators call this the "pillow" and its appearance is important. If this material is left in the tank baffles the system may become clogged.

Pumping continues to remove effluent and settled sludge.

Septic effluent is mixed with sludge on the tank bottom to aid in its removal.

 




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Reader Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above

Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.

Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2020-07-29 by Dawn R

Horrors—our septic system backed up into two bathrooms last month. Apparently, the circuit breaker had tripped and the sump pump wasn’t working. Since it had been 5 years, called a local pumper to empty tank. To my surprise, they only opened the overflow tank and pumped that. I have never seen that before. We have always had the septic tank itself opened and pumped. I questioned the pumper and they said it was normal to pump the auxiliary/overflow tank. Is this true? Or did we get taken?

On 2020-06-03 - by (mod) -

Mark

Septic tank pumping/cleaning companies vary in how thorough and extensive a job they perform.

It's a better job if the tank inlet AND outlet baffle condition is inspected, and giving that second access point may make cleaning sludge and crud at that end easier to access.

On 2020-06-03 by Mark

Judging from from my neighbors' homes and the hand sketch left by the previous owner of my home, my septic tank has two "manholes" into it. I've dug and exposed one at the inlet end of the tank at a depth of about 13 inches. Is that sufficient to provide access for the service company to pump it, or do I need to locate and uncover other(s)? Thanks for any advice you can share!

On 2020-02-13 - by (mod) -

Craig,

Thanks for asking; the answer is ... it depends, on the specific pumper truck's pumping equipment, and both horizontal and vertical lift distances involved.

Please see https://inspectapedia.com/septic/Septic_Pumper_Truck_Vacuum_Pumps.php PUMPER TRUCK VACUUM PUMPS where we explain the limits of both horizontal distance and vertical lift for septic tank pumper trucks

There you'll find specific examples that answer your question

On 2020-02-13 by Craig Huff

How close does the truck need to get to the septic tank to pump it out?

Question: pumper said can't pump septic tank because of hair

Dog hair drawn into water heater draft hood is unsafe (C) Daniel Friedman at InspectApedia.com

Photo: Evidence that some buildings may indeed be exposed to large amounts of hair: thick clots of dog hair were drawn into this water heater draft hood, making the heater unsafe, risking carbon monoxide poisoning.

[Click to enlarge any image]

2020/05/24 hair in septic tank said:

I had a company come out to pump my septic tank. I do this every 3 years (1000 gallon tank) .

The operator told me he cannot pump it because I have an excessive amount of hair in the system .

He told me it would take 10 years to get this much hair in the system. He said he would talk to his boss but maybe a chemical treatment and retry in 3 months.

I did not agree to this treatment as I wanted research. I am glad I did because some of these treatments can be dangerous.

I was wondering if there was a work-around for this hair (ie: chopping it up then suction or using a larger pump tube size to extract).

Any advice is appreciated

Moderator reply: Problems Caused by Hair in the Septic Tank?

Bottom line: Normal volumes of hair may clog a drain but should not prevent pumping or cleaning a septic tank.

Root clogged sewer line (C) InspectApedia.comFinding so much hair in a septic tank that the tank can’t be pumped is unusual and needs some further investigation, confirmation that it’s actually hair, and some explanation are needed.

You may need a septic pumping contractor who has a decent grinder pump.

But first we need to understand that there really is a blocking material in your septic tank and if-so, how it got there and what it is.

Do not rely on a chemical treatment to “cure” a septic tank hair issue. Don’t even assume that it’s hair.

Is it possible that roots have gotten into your septic tank? Roots can look like hair, as you'll note in our photo of a root clogged sewer line in Greece.

Details: hair may clog traps and drains, but a clogged septic tanks such that it can't be pumped would be unusual.

I'm surprised by your report that there is so much hair in your septic tank that the tank can’t be cleaned.

Hair, whether from humans or pets, does not decompose in the the drain systm nor in the septic tank.

Normal volumes of hair entering the building drain/waste piping system from typical family washing and bathing does not normally cause trouble in the septic tank but might cause a clog at a sink, shower or bathtub drain or trap.

In contrast, large volumes of hair, such as might be produced in a beauty salon, barber shop, or pet washing business, can clog building drains and if entering the septic tank such hair might clog a septic tank inlet baffle, outlet baffle, or outlet filter. Large volumes of hair can also foul a septic pump or lift pump.

But having so much hair - if it really is hair - in a septic tank that the septic tank can't be pumped out is odd.

Having a so much hair in a septic tank that the tank cannot be pumped by the septic pumping truck would be a strange event and hard to explain.

In the septic tank hair will usually float and stick to the floating scum/grease layer in the tank, OR, less often, hair may settle to the tank bottom and join the settled solids there.

Septic pumper trucks can usually handle hair as well as floating scum and settled sludge

A typical septic tank pumper truck hose is 3 inches in diameter, and septic pumper trucks use powerful pumps that can even suck up small rocks as well as removing the floating scum layer and settled sludge layer in a septic tank.

In fact in writing the septic pump vacuum pump article I cite below, we did not find the word "hair" in septic pumper truck pump specifications or descriptions.

See details at PUMPER TRUCKS & VACUUM PUMPS SOURCES / SPECS

So I’m puzzled about why your septic tank could not be cleaned. Even a thick hardened floating scum or settled sludge layer can usually be pumped by the pumper.

She uses a long hoe-like device to break up the floating or settled waste so that it is mixed with the more-liquid waste in the tank so that, in turn, the sewage can be pumped out by the truck.

On occasion a pumper might actually add water to the septic tank to help break up solids for pumping.

Watch out: about a chemical treatment to try to dissolve hair, I agree with you that you want to hesitate about caustic chemical treatments, especially if the treatment is to be left for 3 months.

In my OPINION that suggestion might indicate that whoever is making it has an incomplete understanding of how septic systems work.

When someone dumps a chemical into the septic tank (usually ineffective and not needed) as soon as someone runs ANY plumbing fixture in the building, that chemical, diluted already by the septic tank liquid volume, is pushed out into the drainfield.

1. the treatment doesn't "stay" in the septic tank

2. the treatment may kill bacteria both in the tank and in the drainfield - leading to a drainfield failure as well as inability of the septic tank to treat pathogens in the sewage

Ask for an inspection of your septic tank by an experienced septic tank cleaning technician and let us know what you’re told.

See details about septic tank treatments

at SEPTIC TREATMENTS & CHEMICALS


...

Continue reading  at INSPECT the SEPTIC TANK DURING PUMPING or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Septic Tank Pumping Articles

Suggested citation for this web page

PUMPING the SEPTIC TANK at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.


Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to SEPTIC SYSTEMS

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