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.

Is SepticTank.com the company that comes out?

No. SepticTank.com connects you with an independent local septic company that serves Palos Heights. That company provides the service and sets its own prices and availability.

Emergency Septic Service in Palos Heights, IL

A septic backup does not wait for a convenient time. Maybe sewage is coming up through a drain in your Palos Heights 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 Palos Heights and Worth, Palos Park, Chicago Ridge will call you back to find out what is happening and when a crew can get there.

Keep the problem from getting worse

The fastest way to limit damage is to stop sending water into the system. Ask everyone in the house to hold off on showers, flushing and laundry. If wastewater is surfacing outdoors, keep the area clear. If the power went out and you have a pump system, the chamber may simply have filled while the pump was off. Limit water use until power returns and the pump catches up, and call if the alarm keeps sounding.

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.

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.

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 Cook County

If a backup happens in Cook 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 Cook County health department may need to be involved in the repair.

Local conditions behind septic emergencies in Palos Heights

Most mapped soils near Palos Heights 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. May is usually the wettest month in Palos Heights, 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 Palos Heights that affect emergency septic service

Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Palos Heights, the USDA soil survey rates 98% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 2% 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.

Palos Heights averages about 38 inches of precipitation a year, and May 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 Palos Heights means for emergency septic service

By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Palos Heights as 36% moderately well drained, 29% somewhat poorly drained, 16% poorly drained, 11% very poorly drained, 6% well drained, 2% excessively drained. Backups and wet spots are most common after heavy rain, and with 56% 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 Palos Heights

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

Balducci & Son, Lemont, IL, 10.3 mi
Carl's Septic, Lemont, IL, 12.0 mi
G & C Septic & Sewer, Darien, IL, 12.3 mi
Set Industrial Service Inc, Glenwood, IL, 12.3 mi
Sullivan Septic & Sewer, New Lenox, IL, 14.1 mi
Busse Green Technologies Inc, Oak Park, IL, 14.2 mi

Emergency Septic Service in nearby towns

We also cover emergency septic service in these towns near Palos Heights:

Worth, 1.7 mi
Palos Park, 1.7 mi
Chicago Ridge, 2.9 mi
Palos Hills, 3 mi
Alsip, 3.1 mi
Crestwood, 3.1 mi

About Palos Heights, IL

Palos Heights is in Cook County, Illinois. About 11,515 people live there, across 3.8 square miles of land (about 3,051 per square mile).

Emergency Septic Service questions in Palos Heights

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.
Is SepticTank.com the company that comes out?: No. SepticTank.com connects you with an independent local septic company that serves Palos Heights. That company provides the service and sets its own prices and availability.