Full pump-out, not a skim. Baffles and filter checked, and a written service record you will need when you sell the house.
Septic tank pumping removes the accumulated solids and scum that a tank cannot break down. The EPA and Clemson Extension recommend most households pump every three to five years. We pump the full tank rather than skimming the liquid, check the baffles and outlet filter while the lid is up, and leave you a written record with the date and volume.
Some of these mean call us this week. Some mean call us today. If it is the last one on this list, call now.
The most common reason, and the cheapest time to do it. Pumping on schedule costs a fraction of what a failed drainfield costs.
One slow drain is a clog. Every drain slow at once usually points at the tank or the line to it.
Air being displaced where it should not be. Usually the tank is at capacity.
A healthy system should not announce itself. Odor outdoors means something is escaping.
Effluent surfacing over the drainfield. Grass loves it. Your wallet will not.
Stop running water and call. This is the point where a $400 job turns into a much bigger one if it is ignored.
A pump-out takes under an hour on most residential tanks once we can get to the lid. Here is what actually happens.
If the lid is buried we find it. You do not need to dig it up beforehand, though if you know where it is and it is exposed, that saves time and money.
We check the depth of both layers before pumping. That tells us whether your interval is right or whether you are pumping too often or not often enough.
The full tank, both compartments, not just the liquid off the top. Skimming the liquid looks the same on the invoice and does almost nothing for the system.
Baffles, outlet filter, tank walls, signs of root intrusion or cracking. The lid is only off every few years, so this is when problems get caught cheaply.
Date, volume and condition, in writing. Georgia sellers are asked for the date of last professional service on the disclosure form, and this is that document.
What moves the number: tank size, how long since the last pump, whether the lid is exposed or has to be located and dug, access for the truck, and whether the tank has one compartment or two. Commercial tanks and grease traps are priced separately.
See the full cost breakdown →Not a skim. If a price looks too good in this category, that is usually the reason.
A written record with date and volume. Worth real money at resale.
Baffle and filter check included, because catching a failed baffle now is far cheaper than a drainfield later.
Routine pumping does not need to wait three weeks.
Based on measured sludge depth, not a guess. Some households need four years, some need two.
Waste goes where it is legally supposed to go, and we can show you where.
Two job photos captioned with the town and system type, plus two reviews specific to this service. Waiting on the 62-image library and the review backfill.
We work both sides of the Savannah. Licensed in South Carolina and certified in Georgia, which is rarer in this market than it sounds.