F A Q's
-
Septic tank emptying regulations:-
The requirements for septic tank emptying increased considerably in January 2020, following the launch of the 2020 Environment Agency Septic Tank General Binding Rules. Under these Rules, septic tanks can no longer be emptied into any type of waterway, including rivers, canals, surface water drains and streams to name a few. This meant all tanks that were emptied in this way had to switch to using septic tank emptying services. If you have not already made this switch you will be unable to sell your house until you do so and may face fines. Further Government advice on these regulations can be found here. Waste disposal companies must also have a waste disposal licence.
Copyright Checkatrade. Using this information in an article or blog? Please add a link back to https://www.checkatrade.com/blog/cost-guides/septic-tank-emptying-cost/
-
How often should I have my Septic Tank/Cesspool or Treatment plant emptied?
The general advice from the Environment Agency is that Septic Tanks should be emptied or de-sludged once per year by an operator licenced for the carriage of waste by the Environment Agency. However, this can vary depending on your household type, for instance a family household with a dishwasher, washing machine and multiple bathrooms where showers and baths are a daily occurrence, may require emptying more frequently. Or, if your tank is not working as efficiently as it should or the water table is high. We can advise you on a schedule of emptying. Please follow link to the environment agency website for guidance.
-
How can I tell if I need a septic tank empty?
This is one of our most frequently asked questions. Often, the first sign that an empty is past its recommended emptying timeframe, is a slight odour coming from the tank or soakaway, followed by slow drainage from within the property. A gurgling noise from your toilet or sink is often a sign of a blockage.
-
How much will my empty cost?
No two jobs are the same.
We offer a personalised service and treat each job as such.
Call us on 01209 697480 for a free personalised quote today.
-
How long will my appointment take?
Up to an hour for a typical empty. However, if your tank has a blockage, hasn't been emptied in a while or requires a lot of pipe set up this can all increase the time required.
-
Can I use wipes with my Septic Tank?
No. Even if they say "Flushable" they should not be used with your septic tank. The only things that should be going into your tank, should be toilet paper and human waste. Wipes, sanitary products, nappies, coffee grounds, fat, cat litter and cigarette butts should not be put in your toilet or drains.
-
Can I use bleach?
We suggest reading the label of the product you wish to use.. Bleach and other harsh detergents and chemicals can have an effect on the natural balance of the bacteria in your tank. The Bacteria that thrives there is essential to the process of breaking down the contents of your tank, so its vital to keep the levels just right.
-
What is involved with Septic Tank Emptying?
Our driver will give you a call, on the day of your appointment, during the 2 hour time slot scheduled with you. This will be to let you know that we are on the way, and to check any directions that they may need.
While you are booking your empty in, we will have made sure that our tanker will have suitable access to your property. We will need to get as close to the lid as possible. Hoses will then be connected together and run from the back of the tanker to your tank lid.
We will then empty the contents of your tank with our vacuum tanker. At this point we do recommend you keep windows and doors closed.
Where a tank has not been emptied on a regular basis it can take longer for the driver and vacuum tanker to break down the sludge adequately to get onboard the tanker. This can cause blockages in the hoses and the empty will take longer than normal. This will have an effect on the cost.
We do not jet clean your tank at the end as this is not required. Instead we will check your system all the way through to ensure it is clear and ready to go. If needed we will rod through. We may use our stainless Steel buckets or ask you to run taps in the property to ensure the pipes are clear. This way, a good amount of bacteria is left to restart the breaking down process for the tank going forward.
Once the empty is complete, our driver will rinse through and clean the hoses and pack away. The driver will then complete the paperwork. We will make notes on the system you have, the vehicle access and anything that will help another driver going forward. We will make you aware of anything we have noted. Provide you with your waste transfer note and finally the invoice. The driver will have a card machine with him for all types of card. However cash is still perfectly acceptable too.
Your waste transfer note, is a legal document that we sign and you sign to say that you legally sign your waste over to us and that we agree to dispose of the waste in accordance with our environment license. In our case, we take waste to licensed site, where it is injected in to the land for agricultural benefit instead of being taken to a water treatment site.
-
Will you be able to access my property/tank.
When you call or email the office we will take a moment to establish the information we need to carry out your empty efficiently. This includes asking information about where your tank is located and where the vehicle will be able to park and if there are any narrow lanes approaching the property, so we can assess the vehicle size required. It can save any issues we might find on our arrival such as, gateposts we can't fit though or if we will require coils (extra long pipe) for tanks located away from the road or any difficulty we may have reaching the property.