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

Septic Backup or Alarm in Champaign? Get Help Fast

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 Champaign. Tell them what you are seeing so they can bring the right equipment on the first trip.

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.

Common causes of septic emergencies

A tank that is overdue for pumping is the most common cause. Other frequent culprits include a clogged line between the house and the tank or a blocked outlet baffle or filter. A failed pump or a drain field that can no longer absorb water can also cause a sudden backup. Heavy rain can make a struggling drain field fail suddenly. Tree roots, crushed pipes and items like wipes or grease also cause blockages.

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.

What to expect when the truck arrives

Expect the technician to start at the tank, not inside the house. Pumping usually relieves the backup right away, and the crew will then look for the cause: a clog, a broken part or a field that is no longer draining. Ask them to explain what they found before any larger repair is scheduled.

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.

Questions to ask when you call

Ask how soon a crew can arrive and whether there is an extra charge for after-hours service. Ask whether they can pump and diagnose on the same trip. Confirm they work on your type of system, especially if you have a pump, aerobic unit or mound. After the visit, ask for a written summary of what failed, what was done and what still needs attention.

While you wait for help in Champaign

If sewage is backing up in a Champaign home, stop using water right away. Do not run the washer, dishwasher or showers. Keep children and pets away from any wet area in the yard. Open windows for air if there is an odor indoors, and have the tank lid location ready for the crew.

Local conditions behind septic emergencies in Champaign

Most mapped soils near Champaign 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 Champaign, 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 Champaign that affect emergency septic service

Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Champaign, the USDA soil survey rates 100% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 0% as somewhat limited and 0% 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.

Champaign averages about 41 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 26°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 Champaign means for emergency septic service

By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Champaign as 37% moderately well drained, 27% somewhat poorly drained, 27% well drained, 9% poorly drained. Backups and wet spots are most common after heavy rain, and with 36% 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 Champaign

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

Gulliford Septic & Sewer Service, Urbana, IL, 4.1 mi
J & S Waste Water Systems Inc, Urbana, IL, 4.3 mi
Ray's Plumbing & Heating, Homer, IL, 17.6 mi
Martin Excavating, Hammond, IL, 28.3 mi
Herbold Construction, Danville, IL, 35.6 mi
Kennedy Farm Drainage, Colfax, IL, 38.2 mi

Emergency Septic Service in nearby towns

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

Savoy, 3.9 mi
Urbana, 4.1 mi
Mahomet, 8 mi
Tolono, 8.5 mi
Philo, 9.9 mi
Sidney, 12.3 mi

About Champaign, IL

Champaign is in Champaign County, Illinois. About 89,189 people live there, across 23.0 square miles of land (about 3,873 per square mile).

Emergency Septic Service questions in Champaign

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