Guide · Home care

Septic Tank Pumping

A plain, friendly guide to what happens inside a septic tank, who takes care of pumping, how often it usually happens, and how everyone in the home can help.

Start the checklist

Where to start

Sewage backing up into the home?
That is an emergency. Stop using water and call the owner's emergency line. See signs to report.
Pumping day coming up?
Keep children and pets inside and give the crew room. See how everyone can help.
Owner of a home with septic?
Start with how often a tank needs pumping and the checklist.

The short version

A septic tank is a little like a closet. Every day, a bit more goes in, and most of it stays put. Regular pumping is how a septic system stays ahead of the day there is no more room.

Water and waste settle into three layers. Grease and light solids float to the top as scum. Heavy solids sink to the bottom as sludge. The clearer water in the middle flows out to the drainfield.

Bacteria break down some of the solids, but not all of them. If the top and bottom layers get too thick, solids can wash out of the tank and clog the drainfield, which can be very costly to repair or replace.

Checking and pumping a septic tank is always a job for the owner and a licensed septic professional, never a resident.

Who does what

Every home and lease is a little different, so these are examples. When you are not sure, ask first.

Residents can often

Telling the owner if more people are moving in
Using the garbage disposal lightly, and putting grease in the trash
Keeping wipes, paper towels and hygiene products out of the toilet
Reporting slow drains, gurgling, smells or soggy ground right away

Leave to the owner or a pro

Measuring the layers and pumping the tank
Checking the baffles, filters and lids
Setting the inspection and pumping schedule
Opening any tank lid, riser or inspection port

How everyone in the home can help

Let the owner know if more people are moving in, since a bigger household fills the tank faster.
Use the garbage disposal lightly, or not at all, and put grease in the trash.
Keep wipes, paper towels and hygiene products out of the toilet.
On pumping day, keep children and pets inside and give the crew room to work.
Report slow drains, gurgling, sewage smells or soggy ground right away.

How often a tank needs pumping

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggests having a household septic system inspected at least every three years, with pumping usually every three to five years.
Systems with a pump or float switch need a check more often, usually once a year.
The right schedule depends on the size of the tank, how many people live in the home, how much water the household uses, and whether the kitchen has a garbage disposal.
Your septic pro measures the sludge and scum layers and tells you when it is time to pump.
Some counties set their own inspection or pumping rules, so owners should check the rules where the home is.

Try it

Your septic pumping checklist

From the guide’s own checklist. Tick each one as you go. These are examples; your home may need others.

0 of 6

Know the date of the last inspection and pumping
Tank inspected on a regular schedule by a licensed septic pro
Tank pumped before the layers get too thick
Tank lids secured, and never opened by residents
Household changes shared with the owner
Slow drains, smells and backups reported right away

Signs to watch for and report

Here are some common examples. This is not a complete list.

Toilets that flush slowly or drains that gurgle.
Sewage smells inside the home or near the tank.
Soggy ground or very green grass over the tank or drainfield.
Water backing up into the lowest drain in the home.

Sewage backing up into the home is an emergency. Stop using water, keep everyone away from the backup and call the owner's emergency line. Septic tanks may hold dangerous gases, so only trained septic pros should open or work on one. Keep children and pets well away from any open tank.

An everyday example

Before a new family moved in, an owner looked through the home's septic records and saw the last pumping was almost five years earlier. The owner called a septic company, who measured the layers and found the tank close to needing service. They pumped it, checked the baffles and wrote the measurements on the receipt. The family never noticed a thing, which is exactly how it should be.

Test yourself

How much do you remember?

4 quick questions from this guide, with a one line why for each. Totally optional, no sign in, and your answers are never saved.

From The Perfect Series

Go deeper with The Perfect Country Rental

A septic system is one of several things that make a country home different from a home in town. The Perfect Country Rental walks through wells, septic systems, fuel deliveries, power outages, winter roads and the distance to help, with worksheets for who does what.

See The Perfect Series

Keep this guide handy

Save this page, come back to your checklist any time, and share it with anyone in your home who could use it.

See all guides

From the Bunklow shop

Take it with you

Bunklow Home Guide 105: Septic Tank Sludge Measuring, Inspection Ports, and Pumping IntervalsA printable guide to septic tank sludge measuring, inspection ports, and pumping intervals, in plain steps.
See it in the shop
Bunklow Home Guide 102: Residential Gravity Septic Tank Three-Layer Settling FundamentalsA printable Bunklow guide to residential gravity septic tank three-layer settling fundamentals: plain steps, how often to check, and when to call a pro.
See it in the shop

Sold on Payhip.

This guide shares general educational information to help you, and is not legal advice or a substitute for a licensed professional. Bunklow does not inspect, repair or service septic systems. Septic rules differ from state to state and county to county, so please check the rules where your home is, follow the guidance of your local health department, and get local help from a licensed septic professional for any work on the system.