Is sewage in the house dangerous?

Sewage can carry bacteria and viruses. Keep people and pets away, wear gloves if you must touch anything, and clean affected areas thoroughly after the problem is fixed. Large spills may call for a professional cleanup company.

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

Septic Backup or Alarm in Bloomington? Get Help Fast

A septic backup does not wait for a convenient time. Maybe sewage is coming up through a drain in your Bloomington 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 Bloomington and Normal, Downs, Hudson will call you back to find out what is happening and when a crew can get there.

First steps during a septic backup

Turn off anything that uses water, including the washer and irrigation. If a toilet or floor drain is overflowing, do not keep flushing to try to clear it. Keep people and pets away from any sewage and wash hands well if you come in contact with it. Check whether the problem is in one fixture or the whole house, since that helps the company tell a clogged line from a full tank.

What usually goes wrong

Most emergency calls in places like Bloomington trace back to a full tank, a clog, a pump failure or a saturated drain field. Systems that have not been pumped in many years are the most likely to fail suddenly, often after a busy weekend of guests or laundry. Older systems with clay pipes are more prone to root intrusion and cracks.

If your septic alarm is going off

An alarm on a pump chamber or aerobic unit usually means the water level is too high. Many alarms have a silence button; press it, then cut back on water use. Check that the pump's breaker has not tripped. If the alarm comes back on after a few hours, the pump, float switch or control panel may have failed and needs service. Do not open the pump chamber yourself, since it contains wastewater and electrical equipment.

How an emergency visit usually goes

The first priority is to get wastewater moving so you can use your plumbing again, which often means pumping the tank or clearing a line. Next the technician looks for the underlying cause. Some fixes happen on the spot, like replacing a float or cleaning a filter. Others, like replacing a drain field, need a follow-up visit, permits and a written estimate.

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.

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.

Common septic emergencies near Bloomington

Most urgent septic calls near Bloomington 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 Bloomington

Most mapped soils near Bloomington are rated very limited for septic absorption, so a drain field that is already working hard can back up quickly when something else goes wrong. June is usually the wettest month in Bloomington, and backups tend to rise when the ground stays soaked. About 3 months below freezing each year also bring the risk of frozen lines, especially in shallow pipes or homes left empty.

Local conditions in Bloomington that affect emergency septic service

Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Bloomington, the USDA soil survey rates 84% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 12% as somewhat limited and 3% as not limited. The most common drainage class is moderately well drained. Soils like these often call for careful system design, such as a larger drain field, a mound or another engineered system, and a site evaluation before any new installation or replacement.

Bloomington averages about 39 inches of precipitation a year, and June is usually the wettest month. Average temperatures stay below freezing for about 3 months a year, with January averaging 25°F, so tank lids and shallow lines benefit from a layer of snow or mulch rather than being cleared bare.

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 Bloomington means for emergency septic service

By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Bloomington as 38% moderately well drained, 30% well drained, 17% somewhat poorly drained, 12% poorly drained, 4% very poorly drained. Backups and wet spots are most common after heavy rain, and with 33% of the soil poorly drained the ground here can stay saturated for days, 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 Bloomington

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

Zeschke Septic Cleaning, Bloomington, IL, 2.1 mi
Williamson Excavating, Heyworth, IL, 15.0 mi
Kennedy Farm Drainage, Colfax, IL, 16.5 mi
G & D Tank LLC, Tremont, IL, 26.6 mi
D & D Complete Sewer Service, Lincoln, IL, 30.3 mi
Tazewell County Septic Service, Pekin, IL, 32.0 mi

Emergency Septic Service in nearby towns

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

Normal, 3.2 mi
Downs, 6.8 mi
Hudson, 9 mi
Heyworth, 11.2 mi
Danvers, 11.4 mi
Le Roy, 14.5 mi

About Bloomington, IL

Bloomington is in McLean County, Illinois. About 78,587 people live there, across 27.1 square miles of land (about 2,899 per square mile).

Emergency Septic Service questions in Bloomington

Is sewage in the house dangerous?: Sewage can carry bacteria and viruses. Keep people and pets away, wear gloves if you must touch anything, and clean affected areas thoroughly after the problem is fixed. Large spills may call for a professional cleanup company.
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 McLean County health department, or ask the septic company to handle permits for you.