# Septic pumping



## baldwinbucks (Oct 8, 2009)

I've never had to deal with a septic before as I always lived in town with sewer. Now in a house on a lake just out of town and it looks like I need a pumping because all snow has melted off of septic tank and it's mushy. Just wondering what the price usually is for getting it pumped in west michigan? Just tryin to get an idea before I call around tomorrow. Thanks in advance


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

$250.00 - $300.00


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## CaseBones (Jan 28, 2010)

You sure you're needing a pump?? Are you backing up indoors, or is the snow just melting due to the warmth of water coming in the tank plus the specific heat of water acting as a natural snow melter? Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's pretty common for snow to melt over a buried tank?


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## homebrew87 (Oct 19, 2014)

Until this snow started falling again there were two perfect rectangles of grass showing in my yard. Happens every winter. Its the heat of the warm water running into the tanks that melts the ground above. Nothing to worry about.


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## baldwinbucks (Oct 8, 2009)

It's pretty wet were the bare spot is so I'm guessing it's full... Don't know a lot about it but that's what I see


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## stickman1978 (Sep 15, 2011)

Depends on how big the tank is and how many people live in the house. If you don't know the last time it was pumped might get her done. Expect to pay about $300.


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## Hawgleg (Jan 3, 2009)

Pump it to get you thru winter then watch it this summer, you will know if field is not working this summer.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

If it is mushy above the first tank out from the house, that is the septic tank which is sealed and should not leak. The snow always melts off of my septic tank because of the heat of the water going into it. 

The second spot out is either a dry well tank with holes to let the water leach into the ground that comes out of the septic tank. Or you have a leach field that is runs of perforated pipe with stone over them to allow the water to leach into the ground around it. These are what plug up and cause a back up into the house. 

Where I come from in Oceana county the tanks are usually covered with enough dirt that this does not happen. In Montcalm county I see the covers of the tanks at grade which scares me as a kid can take off the cover and fall in. 

I can still see a friend that fell through a rotten wood cover of a septic tank below Old Channel trail in Montague standing in the yard with him stripped to his birthday suit with his grandma hosing him off.


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## bucko12pt (Dec 9, 2004)

I doubt if you have an issue as others have said. It's not necessarily money wasted if it hasn't been pumped lately, but likely no problem present either. 

My tank/s do the same thing also. Some have more cover than others and may not thaw like yours and mine. Exposed ground over tanks is a normal thing, what water you're seeing us likely just moisture from above, not the tanks.


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## bobberbill (Apr 5, 2011)

Pretty normal to have snow melt around the system..Unless you're having backup problems or overflow problems, don't worry about it. If you're not sure, there should be an inspection lid (2x2') that you could remove and take a look. I wouldn't be too concerned..


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## baldwinbucks (Oct 8, 2009)

Thanks for the info... I'll uncover the lid tomorrow and see what it looks like.. Thanks again


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## tuckersdad (Oct 30, 2010)

Even if your septic tank is "full" it should not leak out the top unless the field is frozen or plugged in some manner...the outlet is lower than the inlet...perhaps it's snow melt but as noted a quick peek will tell all...You can go to the MDEQ website and identify a "legal" septic hauler in your area...good luck.


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

baldwinbucks said:


> Thanks for the info... I'll uncover the lid tomorrow and see what it looks like.. Thanks again


Why ? You never said that your plumbing was backing up . The snow melts over the tank because of the water running into the tank from your house which is about 55-60 degrees and the heat produced in the tank by the decomposing solids.

Before today's snow, the ground above my tank was also bare. This happens a couple of times every winter....except last winter. Too much snow and too cold last winter for the tank heat to melt the snow.

L & O


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

If you do not know when it was pumped last you should have it done for your own peace of mind .Full tanks of solids can lead to faster drainfield failure that is really expensive ! The company that pumps it should be able to tell you roughly how often to have it pumped based on its use .


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

If you are going to dig it up and pull the lid. Take a shovel and feel down into the tank to see how far down the solids level is. Then shove it down until you hit the bottom of the tank. That will tell you if you really need to have it pumped.


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## baldwinbucks (Oct 8, 2009)

Thanks for the info everyone.... It's not backing up at all so I will wait and see what happens... I will dig up the lid next... Again thank u


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## Craig M (May 17, 2000)

Before you dig and pop the lid and probe the tank, does it smell funny when you stand over the area that's melted and mushy? If it does, you have a leak and if it doesn't, it's most likely just heat dissipating from the house discharge. If you do pop the top, better get yourself some rubber gloves, raw sewage is nasty stuff.


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## PerchOnly (Oct 24, 2007)




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## tmanmi (Sep 20, 2005)

multibeard said:


> If you are going to dig it up and pull the lid. Take a shovel and feel down into the tank to see how far down the solids level is. Then shove it down until you hit the bottom of the tank. That will tell you if you really need to have it pumped.


Exactly. A tank is always going to look "full" when you pull the cover and look in unless it was just put in. The solids are what you need to worry about.

My system has 2 tanks, that's the way the health dept sized it because plans said 5 bedrooms. I have only ever pumped the first one, system has been in for almost 15 years.


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## Craig M (May 17, 2000)

Once a month, I flush a package of yeast to help keep the good bacteria doing it's thing and its way cheaper than using dedicated septic stuff. This helpful hint was told to me by the septic tank pumping guy about 4 or 5 years ago when I had to get my tank pumped. The guy said he does that and he has 3 ladies in his house (wife and 2 daughters) so you can imagine the TP usage. So far so good since my last clean out.


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