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

Emergency Septic Service in Galena, IL

A septic backup does not wait for a convenient time. Maybe sewage is coming up through a drain in your Galena 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 Galena and Hazel Green, East Dubuque, Bellevue will call you back to find out what is happening and when a crew can get there.

First steps in a septic emergency

Turn off or stop using every source of water you can: no showers, laundry, dishwasher or flushing. Keep children and pets away from any sewage, indoors or out, and do not try to open the tank yourself. If an alarm is sounding, silence it and leave the breaker on unless it keeps tripping.

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.

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.

What the septic company will do

Expect the crew to ask questions first, then locate the tank and check the water level. If the tank is full, they will pump it so the house can drain. With the tank open, they can see whether the outlet, filter or baffles are blocked, and whether water is flowing back from the drain field, which points to a field problem. For pump systems they will test the pump, float and panel. You should get a clear explanation of the cause and your options.

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.

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 Jo Daviess County health department can confirm whether a permit is needed for repairs in Galena.

Common septic emergencies near Galena

Most urgent septic calls near Galena 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 Galena

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

Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Galena, the USDA soil survey rates 81% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 19% as somewhat limited and 0% as not limited. The most common drainage class is 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.

Galena averages about 38 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 19°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 Galena means for emergency septic service

By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Galena as 67% well drained, 14% moderately well drained, 12% somewhat poorly drained, 5% 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 Galena

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

Mike & Nick Sproule Construction, Galena, IL, 3.3 mi
Schmalz Precast Concrete Manufacturing, East Dubuque, IL, 9.4 mi
Welu Septic Tank Service, Dubuque, IA, 13.7 mi
A A Septic Service LLC, Platteville, WI, 22.5 mi
Young Septic Tank Cleaning Service, Maquoketa, IA, 24.7 mi
Jeff Monson Septic-Portable, South Wayne, WI, 28.4 mi

Emergency Septic Service in nearby towns

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

Hazel Green, 7.8 mi
East Dubuque, 11 mi
Bellevue, 11 mi
Cuba City, 12.5 mi
Shullsburg, 14.4 mi
Dubuque, 15.2 mi

About Galena, IL

Galena is in Jo Daviess County, Illinois. About 3,250 people live there, across 4.6 square miles of land (about 704 per square mile).

Emergency Septic Service questions in Galena

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