Here at John E. Byrd, Jr. Trucking and Tractor Service LLC, we understand that most homeowners don’t think about their septic tanks very often. Septic tank cleaning is an important process for keeping your septic system operating efficiently, but if you’ve never owned a house with a septic system or had to schedule a cleaning, you probably have a lot of questions about the process.
Below, we’ll walk you through the basics of septic tank cleaning so that you know what to expect.
- Inspection– The first thing your septic tank cleaning crew will do is locate the tank and perform an inspection to ensure that everything looks okay within the tank. They’ll likely check the tank’s structural integrity, look for cracks or other signs of wear and tear, and check the sludge and effluent levels. They may also examine the drain field to look for signs of issues there.
- Pumping– Once they are confident that there are no immediate issues they need to address, your technician will start the first step of septic tank cleaning, which is pumping. This process involves inserting a hose into the tank through the access point. The hose will suction out the contents of the tank and deposit it in the holding tank of their truck, which is large enough to safely transport large amounts of septic waste.
- Additional Cleaning– Once the waste has been removed, your tank may require additional cleaning to remove debris, scum, or buildup on the tank walls. Your technician might use a high-pressure water hose, similar to pressure washing, or special brushes or agitators designed to loosen the residue.
- Final Inspection– Once the septic tank cleaning is done, the technician will do a final inspection to check for cracks, leaks, or other damage they would need to repair.
- Recommendations for Service Schedule– Before they leave, your technician will likely talk to you about the best schedule for your system based on the size of your household, how often you use certain appliances, and other details.
If you have additional questions about septic tank cleaning, please do not hesitate to contact our friendly staff, who are happy to provide further information!