Septic Pump Out

[NoBozo]

We have our septic tank pumped every three to five years wether it needs it or not. We are an elderly couple who don't have a dishwasher. We wash our dishes by hand.

SO: It's time to pump the tank out again..it's cheap insurance.

I dig out the old receipts for our past 3 pump outs (which have always been satisfactory) and find the latest website for this business is now only IN Spanish... Not speaking spanish I go to a more local place which has a pretty impressive fleet of trucks out front.

SO: Today I visit this NEW place first hand. The price to pump 1200 gallons will be $256. (It took well over a minute on a 1960s "adding machine" ...with the paper tape... to come up with this figure. OK: I am Still COOL.

I make the appointment for Friday. THEN.. the nice lady tells me there "May Be" an EXTRA fee to uncover (digging) the manhole cover to the tank. I inform her that I know Precisely where the manhole cover is. ...No searching required. I ask what that fee may be and she tells me that the "Technician" who comes out to the house MAY assess a fee of $75 to uncover the manhole cover.

I inform her that I have Never been charged to "Uncover" the manhole cover. She said she will get back to me on Wednesday.

I LOVE Free Enterprise....BUT I think I will be going elsewhere. NB

[Belmont Resident]

Originally Posted by NoBozo

We have our septic tank pumped every three to five years wether it needs it or not. We are an elderly couple who don't have a dishwasher. We wash our dishes by hand.

SO: It's time to pump the tank out again..it's cheap insurance.

I dig out the old receipts for our past 3 pump outs (which have always been satisfactory) and find the latest website for this business is now only IN Spanish... Not speaking spanish I go to a more local place which has a pretty impressive fleet of trucks out front.

SO: Today I visit this NEW place first hand. They have very nice equipment parked outside. The price to pump 1200 gallons will be $256. (It took well over a minute on a 1960s "adding machine" ...with the paper tape... to come up with this figure. OK: I am Still COOL.

I make the appointment for Friday. THEN.. the nice lady tells me there "May Be" an EXTRA fee to uncover (digging) the manhole cover to the tank. I inform her that I know Precisely where the manhole cover is. ...No searching required. I ask what that fee may be and she tells me that the "Technician" who comes out to the house MAY assess a fee of $75 to uncover the manhole cover.

I inform her that I have Never been charged to "Uncover" the manhole cover. She said she will get back to me on Wednesday.

I LOVE Free Enterprise....BUT I think I will be going elsewhere. NB

Have you thought to ask just how much solids they are taking out? My wife and I, no children, washer, dishwasher, and have had ours pumped out once in about 10 years. This wasn't done because we needed it but because it had been 10 years.
Our camp in Maine has never been pumped out in over 10 years but I have had to open it and remove roots that blocked first in input then the output lines. I added root killer and while in there took a long stick and ran it around the bottom of the tank, there was no solids at all that I could detect.

[NoBozo]

Originally Posted by Belmont Resident

Have you thought to ask just how much solids they are taking out? My wife and I, no children, washer, dishwasher, and have had ours pumped out once in about 10 years. This wasn't done because we needed it but because it had been 10 years.
Our camp in Maine has never been pumped out in over 10 years but I have had to open it and remove roots that blocked first in input then the output lines. I added root killer and while in there took a long stick and ran it around the bottom of the tank, there was no solids at all that I could detect.

OK: This is a full time residence..not a camp..BUT I hear you BR. The first time we pumped out was I think 12 years AFTER we moved in. A few years ago, a friend across street had to REPLACE the entire septic AND Leach field. It cost well over $20K. NB

PS: We have been living here since 1978.

[Belmont Resident]

Originally Posted by NoBozo

OK: This is a full time residence..not a camp..BUT I hear you BR. The first time we pumped out was I think 12 years AFTER we moved in. A few years ago, a friend across street had to REPLACE the entire septic AND Leach field. It cost well over $20K. NB

PS: We have been living here since 1978.

I totally understand and my home is lived in full time as well, and things do happen and septic systems do go bad for one reason or another. Our house was built in 1790, not sure how old the septic is but it does work.
The only point that I was attempting to make was have you had one of the service companies inspect your tank and tell you weather they are pumping out solids or just a bunch of water.
That is all, good luck.
Why did your friend have to replace? Because he didn't pump it out or because of other reasons?

[codeman671]

A charge to dig up/uncover is common and has been for as long as I remember from past pumpings.

Cheer up, on the islands the going rate for pumping is $1.00 per gallon....We do ours once every 5 years but could go longer I am sure. We do a fair amount of laundry and use the dishwasher a lot, as well as have a lot of company. It is still a seasonal property though.

[Argie's Wife]

Why not just dig it up (or have someone do it for you for less $$) and get a riser & lid? It makes it much simpler to maintenance

http://www.septicsolutions.net/store/risers_lids.htm

You can also decorate them!

[LIforrelaxin]

Ok let me say this, while some people may routinely pay for septic covers to be dug up. This should be included with the cost of cleaning the septic system... We have ours done every two years at the camp, just to insure that we don't have a problem... As said previously it is cheap insurance...

I have never, ever had digging up the septic system cover be an additional charge... Now what my experience with this... Ok let see I have had septic tanks Pumped, in Vermont, Massachusetts, Washington State, New Hampshire, and even in Maine... never once, has there been a surcharge for digging up the cover.....

Now could that be that in all my cases the location of the cover, is known, so it is not a dig and explore arrangement... well yes that could be... but even so... to tell you that the "technician may add a 75$ fee" is just wrong... And makes me very skeptical of the companies business practices...

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Argie's Wife

Why not just dig it up (or have someone do it for you for less $$) and get a riser & lid? It makes it much simpler to maintenance

http://www.septicsolutions.net/store/risers_lids.htm

You can also decorate them!

If the pretty girl holding the fake rock is part of the septic tank cover package, then I'll take one.

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[camp guy]

I think I have spoken about this in earlier posts, but I can't let this go by without comment at this time.

The question of a pump out schedule is discussed frequently, and, like a lot of things, everyone has an opinion, but I would agree with LIforrelaxin that pump outs are cheap insurance. If there is one system for your home that you DO NOT want to fail it is your spetic system. Also, of all the trades you deal with for your home, it is very important to keep on a friendly and frequent relationship wih your pump out service. If you are ever misfortunate and have a problem, you want to be able to call the pump out service and have them remember who you are and where you live. It happened to me and it paid off that I had a good relationship with the pump out service.

I am not saying pump outs are inexpensive, I am saying it is money well-spent. Trust me.

[Belmont Resident]

Originally Posted by Rusty

If the pretty girl holding the fake rock is part of the septic tank cover package, then I'll take one.

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Ya, you read my mind
Hope my wife doesn't read this post

[Belmont Resident]

Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin

Ok let me say this, while some people may routinely pay for septic covers to be dug up. This should be included with the cost of cleaning the septic system... We have ours done every two years at the camp, just to insure that we don't have a problem... As said previously it is cheap insurance...

I have never, ever had digging up the septic system cover be an additional charge... Now what my experience with this... Ok let see I have had septic tanks Pumped, in Vermont, Massachusetts, Washington State, New Hampshire, and even in Maine... never once, has there been a surcharge for digging up the cover.....

Now could that be that in all my cases the location of the cover, is known, so it is not a dig and explore arrangement... well yes that could be... but even so... to tell you that the "technician may add a 75$ fee" is just wrong... And makes me very skeptical of the companies business practices...

My wife scheduled our pump-out. She located and dug up the cover

[secondcurve]

Originally Posted by Belmont Resident

My wife scheduled our pump-out. She located and dug up the cover

Don't let her get away! She is definitely a keeper.

[NoBozo]

This morning I went up to my newly picked Septic Pumpout place and Cancelled my appointment to pump out this Friday. I have a REAL problem when someone Reaches for my "Wollet". In addition, BR reinforces my thoughts over the years.....IF the system is working..It should be a self sustaining biological system....leave it alone. NB

BTW: When I came home yesterday, I actually "Dug Out" the manhole cover. It took me 10 minutes..enough time for me to get ticked off.

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by NoBozo

This morning I went up to my newly picked Septic Pumpout place and Cancelled my appointment to pump out this Friday. I have a REAL problem when someone Reaches for my "Wollet". In addition, BR reinforces my thoughts over the years.....IF the system is working..It should be a self sustaining biological system....leave it alone. NB

BTW: When I came home yesterday, I actually "Dug Out" the manhole cover. It took me 10 minutes..enough time for me to get ticked off.

I think you will sleep better if you get it pumped out. You have dug out the tank cover so there won't be an extra charge for that.

You need to give the leach field all the protection that you can and pumping out the tank might help do that.

If you think the $256 is a lot of money then just think what a whole new system would cost.

You have had good luck all these years so why not stay with the pumping routine.

[secondcurve]

Originally Posted by NoBozo

This morning I went up to my newly picked Septic Pumpout place and Cancelled my appointment to pump out this Friday. I have a REAL problem when someone Reaches for my "Wollet". In addition, BR reinforces my thoughts over the years.....IF the system is working..It should be a self sustaining biological system....leave it alone. NB

BTW: When I came home yesterday, I actually "Dug Out" the manhole cover. It took me 10 minutes..enough time for me to get ticked off.

My guess is the charge is in place because of all the times the septic service has been called to pump out tanks and the cover turned out to be difficult/impossible to find.

My brother and I spent an hour and a half searching for my tank cover one hot July day about 5-years ago. We finally found it and had the tank pumped. I marked the tank cover with a cobblestone to avoid the fiasco in the future. Unfortunately, someone moved the cobblestone and now I need to start all over again this spring. I am not looking forward to the prelude to the pump and wish I could find someone to dig mine up! Based upon my prior experience, $75.00 seems like a bargain. Where do I pay?

When I find the tank this time, I plan to measure the tank off the house.....20 feet from the left hand side of the house and 10 feet out, etc.

[Rusty]

I wonder what most forum members think about NoBozo getting his septic tank pumped out:

customer survey

[Resident 2B]

To pump or not to pump, that is the question.

I would have someone from a septic service company open it up and see what you have for solids. If the solids are anywhere near the outlet to the leaching field, you need to pump.

If there are very little solids, that is the sign of a well-balanced system. If that is the case, pumping could actually upset the balance. It is all about what you put into the tank. If it is mainly waste and water, the balance should be good. If it also services the washing machine, it comes down to what is being used for detergents. Detergents can mess up the bacteria and enzymes that need to be in the tank to eat away at the solids. Tanks servicing the washing machine usually need to be pumped much mire frequently that those just handling waste with some dishwater.

Time is only one variable and a well balanced septic system will run a very long time without being pumped.

Good luck!

R2B

[Winnisquamguy]

Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin

Ok let me say this, while some people may routinely pay for septic covers to be dug up. This should be included with the cost of cleaning the septic system... We have ours done every two years at the camp, just to insure that we don't have a problem... As said previously it is cheap insurance...

I have never, ever had digging up the septic system cover be an additional charge... Now what my experience with this... Ok let see I have had septic tanks Pumped, in Vermont, Massachusetts, Washington State, New Hampshire, and even in Maine... never once, has there been a surcharge for digging up the cover.....

Now could that be that in all my cases the location of the cover, is known, so it is not a dig and explore arrangement... well yes that could be... but even so... to tell you that the "technician may add a 75$ fee" is just wrong... And makes me very skeptical of the companies business practices...

Normally it's around $25 bucks and if you don't have any idea where the pump out cover is I don't think $25 or $75 is that bad at all. It could take him an hour to find it. They need to bang around with a metal pipe. Tanks have 3 covers on them, some tanks you can reach the baffle and clean it while the pump out cover is open others require you to dig up the other cover. If you need to uncover a different one it can start to be a PIA.Some other companies just add it into the price. I know a few people in the business down south and time is money. Not sure why you would think is wrong for a guy to dig up a tank at someone else house for free. You know its a pretty shi**y job right? Because they wanted to be paid for there time it makes you very skeptical, you must be a peach to work for.

[upthesaukee]

If you have your cover uncovered, it is undoubtably fairly close to the house. With a tape measure, take a measurement from one corner or prominent feature of the house to the cover. Take another measurement from another corner to the cover. Draw a simple diagram of that side of the house including those two start points and the cover. Record the measurements. I have these measurements recorded on a sheet of paper in our mud room, behind the door. In five years, when it is time to have the tank pumped, I will simply grab my tape measure, go from one corner of the house with the one measurement and scratch an arc in the ground near where the other measurement should intersect. Then do the other measurement and scratch the arc...the intersection of the two arcs is the cover, and ten minutes of digging has the cover exposed.

[Belmont Resident]

Originally Posted by NoBozo

This morning I went up to my newly picked Septic Pumpout place and Cancelled my appointment to pump out this Friday. I have a REAL problem when someone Reaches for my "Wollet". In addition, BR reinforces my thoughts over the years.....IF the system is working..It should be a self sustaining biological system....leave it alone. NB

BTW: When I came home yesterday, I actually "Dug Out" the manhole cover. It took me 10 minutes..enough time for me to get ticked off.

If you have the cover located, pop it open get a long stick and prob the bottom of the tank to see how much solids are in it.

[BroadHopper]

That is the time I owned the lakefront property. I never touch the septic system. I thought that was what Rid-Ex is all about?

[Argie's Wife]

Originally Posted by Belmont Resident

My wife scheduled our pump-out. She located and dug up the cover

That was me until about 3 years ago when I learned about the collars and covers, like what you see in pic #1. I had it down to an art.

[fatlazyless]

Al's Laconia Septic, 524-4777, about $175 to pump out 750-gal septic tank, last summer. Al is a one man business; he shows up with a big pumper tank-truck and removes the smelly stuff plus he'll tell you to start adding root remover into the tank if he thinks it is needed.

[Belmont Resident]

http://www.soil.ncsu.edu/publication...cts/AG-439-13/
It seems that garbage disposal is not a good think to have when your on a septic system. That and grease are the two most commonly mentioned no-no's to go into your tank.

[SAMIAM]

Originally Posted by Argie's Wife

That was me until about 3 years ago when I learned about the collars and covers, like what you see in pic #1. I had it down to an art.

You are stronger than you look..........barely straining as you lift that slab of granite