Hey everyone! I just bought my first house about 18 months ago, and things have been smooth sailing until recently. My toilet started acting up by flushing a couple of times and then behaving like it was clogged — the water would rise and not go down properly. It would eventually flush again after some time, but the issue kept happening, so I assumed something might be stuck in the pipes. I tried snaking it myself but had no luck, so I called in a professional. They managed to clear a blockage of toilet paper but also mentioned that my septic tank was full and needed emptying. They highlighted that there was a thick layer of solids inside the tank causing some clogging. Before this, I had it inspected and pumped when I bought the house. My tank is 500 gallons with a pump that sends waste to the drain field. I noticed a double plug outside, and when I unplugged it and plugged it into another outlet, I heard the pump running. Could this double plug be a switch for the pump that controls when it runs? I just want to make sure I'm not damaging the pump by keeping it running all the time!
3 Answers
It sounds like you might have bypassed the float switch by unplugging the double plug. If that's the case, the pump could keep running non-stop and burn out. The float switch typically tells the pump when to turn on and off based on the tank's liquid level. I'd suggest reconnecting the double plug to avoid any problems, and definitely get a professional to check the pump and float switch to be sure everything’s working as it should. Better safe than sorry!
Every septic tank is a bit different, but generally, you should pump it every 1-3 years depending on the tank size and household usage. With a 500-gallon tank and just a couple of people, 18 months isn't crazy, but it might need more frequent pumping if you're seeing issues. As for the pump, it usually sends liquid to the drain field, not solids, so if there's a lot of solids, definitely call a service company to manually pump them out.
Good to know! I’m using biodegradable products only, but I’ll keep that in mind about the solids and usage.
Generally, a tank should be pumped at least every 2 years, especially if you have more than a couple of people living there. If you're just using the house on weekends and have a low flow overall, your timings might be okay. If the pump is working right, it should only be sending water, not solids, into the drain field. Make sure to monitor it closely after getting a professional to look at everything!
Thanks! I’ll definitely keep an eye on it, and hopefully, this gets sorted when the professionals come.
Thanks a ton for the advice! I plugged it back how it was. My neighbor and I have a septic company coming out soon, and I’ll make sure to ask them about the float switch.