Emergency Septic Service in Huntsville, AL
Sewage coming up a drain, the tank alarm going off or the yard over the tank turning soft? Call us any hour, any day. A real person picks up, tells you what it will cost and gets a pump truck headed your way.
- Nights, weekends, holidays
- Price on the phone before we roll
- Tank pumped down on the spot
- We tell you what caused it
What to do while you wait for the truck
Most septic emergencies get worse for one reason: water keeps going down the drains. These steps keep the damage small until we get there.
- Stop using waterNo laundry, dishwasher, showers or flushing. Every gallon you send down has to go somewhere, and right now that’s back into the house.
- Turn off the washer and anything on a timerIrrigation tied to the house, water softener regeneration, ice makers on a drain. A single wash cycle can push out 20 to 40 gallons.
- Keep people and pets away from sewageWastewater carries bacteria. Keep kids and dogs off wet spots in the yard and out of the room with the backup.
- Don’t open the tank yourselfSeptic gases can knock a person out in seconds and old lids can give way. Leave the lids closed and the area clear.
- Find where the tank is if you canA sketch from your closing papers, a rise in the lawn, a pipe cap near the house. Anything that helps us start pumping sooner.
Tell us what your alarm is doing
Systems with a pump tank have a high-water alarm, usually a small box with a red light on the side of the house, the garage or a post near the tank. Pick what you see.
We’ll tell you what it usually means and what to do next.
General guidance. Every system is wired a little differently; when in doubt, stop using water and call.
What usually causes a septic emergency
Knowing the cause decides whether a pump-out fixes it or just buys time. We always tell you which one it is.
A tank nobody pumped
Years of sludge and scum fill the tank until there’s no room left. The most common call we get, and the one a pump-out fixes outright.
Fixed by pumpingA blocked inlet
Wipes, grease or a buildup of solids plug the pipe where it enters the tank. Water backs up into the house even when the tank isn’t full.
We clear it at the tankA clogged outlet or filter
The outlet baffle or effluent filter gets matted shut, so the tank fills to the top. Common on tanks that haven’t been opened in years.
Pumped and rinsedA pump that quit
On systems with a pump tank, a dead pump or tripped breaker lets water rise until the alarm sounds. We pump the tank down so you can use the house.
We show you what we foundA drain field that can’t keep up
After days of rain, or when a field is near the end of its life, water has nowhere to go. Pumping gives relief; the field decides what comes next.
We tell you straightA full house
Holidays and guests can double the water a household uses in a few days. An already-full tank can’t absorb it.
Fixed by pumpingWhat happens after you call
- We ask a few questionsWhere the water is coming up, whether you have an alarm, when the tank was last pumped. It tells us what to bring.
- You get the price on the phoneIncluding any after-hours charge, before anyone gets in the truck.
- We find the lids and pump the tank downThe pressure comes off the house as soon as the level drops.
- We check the inlet, outlet and alarm floatThat’s where the cause usually shows itself.
- We tell you what happenedWhat we found, whether it’s fixed, and what to watch for over the next few days.
An emergency pump-out uses the same ranges as our scheduled work. Nights, weekends and holidays can carry an after-hours charge. You hear the full number on the phone before we head out, never on the invoice.
Emergency septic calls across Madison County
Backups don’t keep business hours, and neither do we. We take night and weekend calls in Huntsville and the towns around it, including the outlying areas where homes sit far from city sewer and the tank is the whole system.
A lot of ground around Huntsville is slow-draining clay. When it’s been raining for days, a drain field that was getting by can stop taking water all at once, and the first sign is often a toilet that won’t go down on a Sunday night. If that’s you, stop the water and call.
- Huntsville
- Madison
- Harvest
- Meridianville
- Hazel Green
- New Market
- Owens Cross Roads
- Gurley
- Toney
Emergency septic questions
Is a sewage backup an emergency?
Yes. Sewage in the house is a health risk and the damage spreads every time water goes down a drain. Stop using water and call right away, day or night.
Do you really answer at night and on weekends?
Yes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, holidays included. Call (256) 824-9023 and you’ll talk to someone who can schedule a truck.
How much does an emergency septic pump-out cost?
Most home tanks run $300 to $550, the same range as a scheduled pump-out. Nights, weekends and holidays can add an after-hours charge. We give you the full price on the phone before we head out.
My septic alarm is going off. What should I do?
Press the silence or test button to stop the buzzer; the red light will stay on. Stop using water, check the breaker that feeds the septic pump, and call us. If the light stays on after a few hours with no water use, the tank needs to be pumped down.
Can I keep using the toilet until you get here?
Try not to. Every flush adds water the tank can’t take. If you must, use the toilet on the highest floor and don’t run anything else.
Sewage backing up right now?
Stop using water and call. We answer 24/7.