Septic Pump Out

[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

[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.

[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