Can I flush the toilet during a septic backup?

No. Every flush adds water that has nowhere to go. Hold off on all water use until a septic company has found and fixed the problem.

Will pumping the tank fix a backup?

Often it gets the house draining again, but it may not fix the cause. If the drain field or a pump has failed, the tank will refill and the problem will return, so ask for a diagnosis along with the pumping.

Should I call a plumber or a septic company?

If only one fixture is slow, a plumber may clear the clog. If several drains are slow or backing up, or there is an alarm or odor near the tank, call a septic company.

Does fixing a septic emergency need a permit?

Pumping and small repairs usually do not. Larger repairs and drain field or tank replacement often do. Check with the DeKalb County health department, or ask the septic company to handle permits for you.

Septic Backup or Alarm in Chamblee? Get Help Fast

A septic backup does not wait for a convenient time. Maybe sewage is coming up through a drain in your Chamblee home, an alarm is sounding on your pump tank, or wastewater is pooling in the yard. The first goal is to stop adding water and get a septic company on the way.

Request a call and a company that serves Chamblee and Brookhaven, Doraville, Dunwoody will call you back to find out what is happening and when a crew can get there.

Limit the damage while you wait

The fastest way to limit damage is to stop adding water. If sewage has reached a floor, keep people out of the area, open windows for air and avoid using fans that spread odors through the house. Take photos for your insurance company before cleanup starts, then call a septic company.

Why septic systems back up

Wastewater backs up when it cannot move forward. That can happen at the pipe leaving the house, inside the tank, at the outlet filter or out in the drain field. A single slow drain usually points to a clog near that fixture. Every drain slowing at once points to the tank or beyond. The technician's job is to find which part stopped flowing and fix that, not just empty the tank.

When the septic alarm sounds

A high water alarm means water in the pump tank or aerobic unit has risen above normal. Press the silence button, cut back on water and check whether the breaker for the pump has tripped. If the alarm comes back on or the breaker trips again, call for service, because the pump may have failed.

Finding the real problem

A careful technician works from the house outward: the line to the tank, the tank itself, the outlet and filter, any pump chamber, then the distribution box and drain field. A camera may be used to look inside pipes. Knowing exactly where the failure is keeps you from paying for work that does not solve the problem.

Preventing the next emergency

Most emergencies are preventable. Pump the tank on a regular schedule, have the effluent filter cleaned, and keep grease, wipes and chemicals out of the drains. Spread laundry across the week rather than doing many loads in one day. Keep vehicles and heavy equipment off the tank and drain field, and direct roof and yard drainage away from them. If you have a pump system, test the alarm now and then.

Choosing help in an emergency

Even in a hurry, a few questions are worth asking. Is the company licensed where you live and insured? Will they explain the cause before recommending major work? Do they handle repairs and replacements, or only pumping? the DeKalb County health department can confirm whether a permit is needed for repairs in Chamblee.

Common septic emergencies near Chamblee

Most urgent septic calls near Chamblee come from a full tank, a failed pump or alarm, or a blocked line between the house and the tank. Heavy rain can make any of these worse. A crew can usually tell which one it is within minutes of opening the tank.

Local conditions behind septic emergencies in Chamblee

Soil conditions vary around Chamblee, so the cause of a backup can be anything from a clogged line to a saturated drain field. A technician will check both. About 51 inches of precipitation a year means saturated ground is common, and backups often follow long stretches of rain.

Local conditions in Chamblee that affect emergency septic service

Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Chamblee, the USDA soil survey rates 43% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 57% as somewhat limited and 0% as not limited. The most common drainage class is well drained. Conditions vary from lot to lot here, so a site evaluation is the only way to know how well a particular yard will handle a drain field.

Chamblee averages about 51 inches of precipitation a year, and December is usually the wettest month. January is the coldest month at about 40°F on average, so freezing is rarely the main concern here. Heavy rain and saturated ground are the bigger factors for drain fields.

Sources: USDA NRCS Soil Survey (SSURGO), Soil Data Access; NASA POWER long-term climatology. Soil ratings describe mapped soil types near the city center and do not replace a site evaluation of your property.

What the soil around Chamblee means for emergency septic service

By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Chamblee as 84% well drained, 9% moderately well drained, 3% poorly drained, 3% somewhat poorly drained, 2% somewhat excessively drained. Backups and wet spots are most common after heavy rain, so it helps to know where your tank lid and cleanout are before you need them.

Source: USDA NRCS Soil Survey (SSURGO), Soil Data Access

Septic companies near Chamblee

These are the septic companies in our directory closest to Chamblee, with straight-line distance. Call any of them directly, or send one request and we will pass it to the best match.

Action Septic Tank Service, Alpharetta, GA, 11.4 mi
Amerisep, Stone Mountain, GA, 12.6 mi
Independent Septic & Sewer LLC, Marietta, GA, 13.8 mi
Action Septic Pro LLC, Lawrenceville, GA, 14.9 mi
Doug Clack Septic Tank Service, Lithonia, GA, 16.3 mi
Tri R Service Septic & Sewer, Snellville, GA, 16.7 mi

Emergency Septic Service in nearby towns

We also cover emergency septic service in these towns near Chamblee:

Brookhaven, 2.5 mi
Doraville, 2.6 mi
Dunwoody, 4.2 mi
Sandy Springs, 5.2 mi
Clarkston, 5.8 mi
Tucker, 6.2 mi

About Chamblee, GA

Chamblee is in DeKalb County, Georgia. About 31,841 people live there, across 7.7 square miles of land (about 4,139 per square mile).

Emergency Septic Service questions in Chamblee

Can I flush the toilet during a septic backup?: No. Every flush adds water that has nowhere to go. Hold off on all water use until a septic company has found and fixed the problem.
Will pumping the tank fix a backup?: Often it gets the house draining again, but it may not fix the cause. If the drain field or a pump has failed, the tank will refill and the problem will return, so ask for a diagnosis along with the pumping.
Should I call a plumber or a septic company?: If only one fixture is slow, a plumber may clear the clog. If several drains are slow or backing up, or there is an alarm or odor near the tank, call a septic company.
Does fixing a septic emergency need a permit?: Pumping and small repairs usually do not. Larger repairs and drain field or tank replacement often do. Check with the DeKalb County health department, or ask the septic company to handle permits for you.