Do I Need a Plumber or a Septic Service Provider?

When plumbing fixtures around the house start to back up, your first instinct should be to pick up the phone and call a professional for help. After all, you don’t want nasty water or even raw sewage flowing onto your floors. But which professional should you call in that sticky situation?

If you have city water, the answer is easy—you call a plumber. Those with residential septic tank systems in Erie County, NY, on the other hand, have a tough decision to make. Should you call a plumber, or a septic service provider? Keep reading to find out the answer and learn a little bit more about caring for your septic tank.

Call a plumber if…

As mentioned above, you obviously just need to call a plumber if you’re connected to the city sewer system and don’t have a septic tank. A septic service provider might be able to help out your plumbing situation, but you’d be much better off if you have a true plumber there.

If, on the other hand, you have a septic tank, count the number of backups you have before picking up the phone. If only one fixture is backed up, a plumber should be able to handle the situation, as the problem most likely lies with the pipes for that one fixture.

Call a septic service provider if…

Are there multiple fixtures backed up at once? If the answer is yes, the problem is probably due to your septic system. Be sure to call a septic service provider in this situation. Unless your plumber is well versed in caring for septic tanks, he likely won’t be much help in this scenario.

Another easy way to tell whether you need a septic provider or a plumber is where the backups are located. Backups on the ground floor or in the basement (the areas nearest to the tank) are almost always caused by a septic tank issue.

What can I do to prevent issues with my septic system?

The good news for those with residential septic tank systems in Erie County, NY is that you can avoid a lot of septic issues with some preventative maintenance. Call a professional to inspect your system once a year or so. A pro will identify anything that looks off and fix it before it becomes a bigger issue. You’ll also need to have your tank pumped and cleaned every few years. Your septic service professional will let you know when your tank needs to be pumped.

Additionally, watch what you flush down the toilet and pour down the drain. Nothing other than toilet paper and human waste should ever go in the toilet. Flushing anything other than those two things is a surefire way to clog up your septic tank, which can be a pricy repair job.

The next time you need a septic service provider for help or to clean your tank, look no further than Macken Services. Our team has over 50 years of experience in repairing, maintaining and cleaning residential septic tank systems in Erie County, NY. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment or learn more about all of our services!

Categorised in: Septic Systems

This post was written by Writer