Any kind of sewer system issue is undoubtedly unpleasant, but when you have water and waste seeping up through all the drains in your house, it’s unsanitary as well. It’s during this type of sewer system emergency that a lot of people find themselves wondering when they last had septic pumping done and if it will help. There are two main reasons why septic systems backup and drain cleaning or septic pumping could be the answer.

Ideally, septic pumping should be done on a regular schedule. Depending on how much use the tank gets and its size, it could require cleaning once a year. In order to understand what happens with a full system failure, you have to understand how the system functions.

• Water and waste are brought to the tank through a pipe.

• The materials separate, with heavy waste sinking to the bottom of the tank and lighter materials rising to the top.

• The liquid remains in the center and flows out of the tank into some form of water absorption system, where it is treated by Mother Nature.

If the tank isn’t cleaned, the bottom layer rises and plugs the pipes that distribute the water and lets it out of the tank. The material then flows back into the building and up through the drains. Septic pumping will fix the problem, though additional cleaning and repairs may need to be done to restore functionality of the system.

The pipes within the system can be clogged when people flush things that they shouldn’t or when they use excess amounts of toilet paper. Sometimes, this collects in the drains, though it often gets stuck right at the entryway into the tank. Professionals who handle drain cleaning with septic tanks often use high-pressure water systems to clear the drains in a safe, effective manner.

Backed up drains can cause a lot of damage and create very unsanitary conditions. There are a lot of reasons why a system might backup, so it’s always best to call in a pro and have the system thoroughly checked out.