Septic pump outs are one of the best services for keeping your septic system running for years to come. Over time, the methods that septic technicians use to perform pump outs have developed in an effort to make your septic tank pump out efficient, eco-friendly, and keep costs to a minimum.
Septic tanks may remain out of sight, but they accomplish essential services for homes and businesses. Septic tank pump outs, which a professional septic company should perform once every 3-5 years, have improved alongside the development of higher-tech, more efficient, and more environmentally friendly septic tanks. So, what methods and equipment are used in a modern-day septic tank pump out? Let’s take a look at this question today.
Vacuum Trucks
Vacuum trucks, or pump trucks, are commercial vehicles with high-capacity tanks and large hoses attached. During a septic pump out, the hose is lowered into the opening of your septic tank to remove all of the solid and liquid waste from the interior.
Though the earliest septic vacuum trucks were introduced in the 1920s, they’ve come a long way since then. Modern vacuum trucks use advanced vacuuming technology to remove septic waste in a healthier, safer, and more environmentally friendly way. Vacuum trucks also enable septic companies to easily transport septic waste to facilities that further treat wastewater and make it suitable for reuse.
High-Pressure Water Jets
High-pressure water jets, or hydro jets, use high levels of water pressure to remove sludge, grease, and other buildup from the interior of your septic tank. Hydro jets are also highly efficient at breaking up blockages in the pipes and smaller hard to access spaces in septic tanks.
Before hydro jets, septic tank cleaning involved more manual labor and relied on using tools such as brushes, drain rods, plumbing snakes, and augers to remove difficult buildup and blockages. The introduction of hydro jets has made a huge difference for septic tank companies, allowing them to clean tanks with fewer safety risks, minimal odors, and greater efficiency.
Inspection Cameras
Inspection cameras allow septic technicians to view the condition of your septic tank’s interior without climbing into the tank. Cameras are used for pre-pump-out inspections to assess sludge levels, signs of damage, and blockages that may exist in your septic tank’s inlet and outlet pipes.
Inspection cameras are able to identify problems such as tree root infiltration and buildup that may be causing backups in your home’s plumbing system. During the pump-out, cameras allow technicians to monitor the removal of sludge and waste as they are removed in real-time.
Following the septic pump out, cameras allow septic technicians to conduct a final assessment of the conditions of your septic tank, check for any residual waste, and determine whether or not further repairs may be necessary.
Automated Monitoring Systems
Many modern septic systems are equipped with automated monitoring and alarm systems. These systems inform homeowners about the condition of their septic tank without ever having to open them up to look inside. An aerobic treatment unit, or ATU, is a modern-style septic system that is often equipped with monitoring and alarm systems that keep track of factors such as water levels, temperature, and flow rate. 
Automated systems are also helpful for homeowners when they leave their homes for extended periods. Next time you’re on vacation and heavy rains hit, an automated monitoring system is able to alert you via mobile app or text message – before you arrive home to find a flooded basement.
If homeowners do receive an alert while they are away, they are able to take proactive measures by contacting a trusted friend or neighbor or by contacting a professional septic service to inspect the issue ASAP. Even if the alert is not due to an emergency, being aware of any problems when they happen can help homeowners avoid more extensive problems before they occur.
Monitoring systems also aid in the septic pump out process, as they can indicate if you are in need of an emergency septic pump out. With the help of an automated monitor, you don’t need to wait until you see pooling water in your yard or notice sewage odors floating around your yard – you’ll know if there’s a problem taking place in your septic system long before a swampy mess appears.
On the subject of automated monitoring, Acme also offers automated appointment reminders that customers may receive via text message or email.
Contact Acme For Your Septic Pump Out
Let us help ensure that great septic care isn’t just a trend. Keep up on regular pump outs, inspections, and repairs with Acme!