If your home is equipped with a septic system, one of the most important maintenance tasks that must be performed is pumping. Over time, your septic tank fills up with solid waste while the liquid waste is passed through the pipes and into the drain field. The solids must be emptied out of the tank periodically in order for the system to do its job properly. Generally, pumping needs to be performed every three to five years, but there are certain factors that require this task to be needed more frequently. Keep reading to learn what some of these factors are.

Size of Your Household

One of the primary factors that can determine the frequency of your septic system pumping is the number of people who live in your home. Essentially, the more people who live in the house, the more waste will be produced. As a result, larger households are going to require a more frequent pumping schedule.

Water Usage

The septic system pumping frequency will also be impacted by how much water is used in the home. This is because there will be more wastewater being transferred to the tank with more water usage. While the number of people in the home will have a direct impact on the amount of water used, there are other factors as well. For instance, if you try to conserve water, the tank will need to be pumped less often. If you have several appliances in the home that use a significant amount of water like washing machines and dishwashers, then you may find that the tank needs more frequent pumping.

Size of the Tank

Another thing that plays a role in how often you need to have your septic tank pumped is how small or large your septic tank is. If you have a smaller tank, it is going to fill up faster, which means that it will need to be pumped more often. As a general rule, the size of your septic tank will be determined by your home and household size. However, if you recently added onto your home and/or had someone move in with you, your original tank may no longer meet the requirements of your current living situation.

There are many other factors that can determine how often you need to have your tank pumped, including the age of the system, rainfall, and garbage disposal use. If you are unsure as to how often you need to have your septic tank pumped, contact a professional.

Reach out to a septic pumping service today to learn more.