Septic tank need cleaning? Hire a pro

Sun., April 9, 2006

Samantha Mazzotta King Features Syndicate

Q: I was recently contacted by a septic tank cleaning company and told that it was time to schedule “another cleaning.” I’m not sure I scheduled any cleaning before — the house is relatively new. Do you think this is a scam? — Dolores in Arkansas

A: I don’t think it’s a scam so much as a marketing ploy, although it’s always best to check out any offers thoroughly before accepting them.

Septic tanks should be pumped out every three to five years — or more often, depending on the size of the tank and the number of people in the house. Sometimes local laws mandate a more frequent cleaning to prevent stress on the ecosystem. But you don’t have to depend on a septic tank cleaning company you’ve never heard of to find out if it’s time to hire a professional.

First, contact your local government, or bring up its Web page online, to find out what guidelines it has regarding septic tanks. Next, measure the level of sludge in the tank yourself to see if it needs to be pumped out.

This is fairly easy (if somewhat stinky — though not as bad as you think) to do. Take a long, flat, light-colored wood stick that is as deep as the tank plus a couple feet longer. Mark feet and inches on it. Open the septic tank lid and put the stick straight down, all the way to the bottom. Hold it there for a minute, then slowly draw it straight up and out.

What you are measuring is the level of sludge at the bottom of the tank. After its dip, the stick should have two types of stain marks on it: a sludge stain on the bottom part, and a water stain the rest of the way up. If the sludge stain is bigger than the water stain (or approaching that level), a professional cleaning is definitely in order.

If you don’t want to do the inspection yourself, or the local government requires you to have an inspection and cleaning no matter what, go ahead and schedule one with that company (or another company, if you’re uncomfortable with the first). Be present when the truck arrives and hang around during the inspection, so that you can see the results and ask questions about the procedure.

HOME TIP: A septic cleaning professional will inspect the tank, drain it if necessary, observe the septic drain field, and may ask questions about the performance of your plumbing.

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