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.

Why did my system back up after heavy rain?

Saturated soil can stop a drain field from absorbing water, and surface water can seep into tanks and lids. The system may recover as the ground dries, but repeated problems after rain point to a drain field or drainage issue that should be inspected.

How fast can someone come out in Snellville?

Response time depends on the company's schedule and where you are. Tell them it is an emergency and describe what you see so they can prioritize and bring the right equipment.

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 Gwinnett County health department, or ask the septic company to handle permits for you.

Emergency Septic Service in Snellville, GA

Septic emergencies usually show up as a backup in the lowest drain, a sewage smell that will not go away or a high water alarm. Each of these means wastewater has nowhere to go, and it will only get worse with more water use.

Use the form or call to reach a local septic company working in Snellville. Tell them what you are seeing so they can bring the right equipment on the first trip.

What to do right now

Stop using water. That means no laundry, dishwasher, showers or flushing until the problem is found, because every gallon has to go somewhere. If sewage has come up into the house, keep children and pets away, avoid touching it without gloves and open windows for ventilation. If your system has a pump and an alarm, do not keep silencing and ignoring it. Note what you see, when it started and anything that changed recently, then call a septic company.

Why septic systems back up

Backups usually happen because the tank is full, the pipe from the house is blocked, or the drain field has stopped accepting water. A failed pump in a pump chamber, a broken baffle that let solids into the outlet, and heavy rain that saturates the yard are other common triggers for an emergency call.

High water alarms explained

A high water alarm tells you wastewater is rising above where it should be in a pump or treatment tank. The cause might be a stuck float, a failed pump, a tripped breaker or more water coming in than the system can handle. Silencing the alarm is fine, but the underlying problem still needs attention. Tell the septic company what type of system you have and the brand on the control panel if you can see it.

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.

Avoiding another septic emergency

Regular pumping, an effluent filter cleaned at each visit, and care about what goes down the drains prevent most emergencies. Fix leaking toilets and faucets, keep roof water away from the tank and field, and know where your tank lid is so a crew can reach it quickly if something does go wrong.

What to ask an emergency septic company

Ask when they can be there and what the trip will cost, including any after-hours or weekend fee. Ask if they will pump the tank and look for the cause on the same visit, and whether they can handle a repair if one is needed. Confirm they serve your address before they head out.

A septic backup in Gwinnett County

If a backup happens in Gwinnett County, the first priority is keeping sewage out of living space and away from people. After that, a pumper can relieve the tank and find the cause. If the drain field turns out to be failing, the Gwinnett County health department may need to be involved in the repair.

Local conditions behind septic emergencies in Snellville

Soil conditions vary around Snellville, 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 Snellville that affect emergency septic service

Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Snellville, the USDA soil survey rates 49% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 50% as somewhat limited and 1% 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.

Snellville averages about 51 inches of precipitation a year, and December is usually the wettest month. January is the coldest month at about 41°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 Snellville means for emergency septic service

By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Snellville as 83% well drained, 8% moderately well drained, 5% poorly drained, 3% somewhat poorly drained, 1% 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 Snellville

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

Tri R Service Septic & Sewer, Snellville, GA, 3.4 mi
Right Time Septic, Lawrenceville, GA, 7.0 mi
Amerisep, Stone Mountain, GA, 7.7 mi
B JS Septic Tank Inc, Loganville, GA, 8.1 mi
North Ga Septic Tank Service Inc, Loganville, GA, 8.7 mi
Action Septic Pro LLC, Lawrenceville, GA, 9.2 mi

Emergency Septic Service in nearby towns

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

Grayson, 3.5 mi
Lawrenceville, 6.5 mi
Loganville, 6.5 mi
Lilburn, 7.8 mi
Stone Mountain, 10.2 mi
Dacula, 10.4 mi

About Snellville, GA

Snellville is in Gwinnett County, Georgia. About 22,067 people live there, across 10.5 square miles of land (about 2,103 per square mile).

Emergency Septic Service questions in Snellville

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.
Why did my system back up after heavy rain?: Saturated soil can stop a drain field from absorbing water, and surface water can seep into tanks and lids. The system may recover as the ground dries, but repeated problems after rain point to a drain field or drainage issue that should be inspected.
How fast can someone come out in Snellville?: Response time depends on the company's schedule and where you are. Tell them it is an emergency and describe what you see so they can prioritize and bring the right equipment.
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 Gwinnett County health department, or ask the septic company to handle permits for you.