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.

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

Septic Backup or Alarm in Urbandale? Get Help Fast

A septic backup does not wait for a convenient time. Maybe sewage is coming up through a drain in your Urbandale 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 Urbandale and Clive, Grimes, Windsor Heights 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 sets off an emergency

Most septic emergencies start quietly. A tank goes years without pumping, wipes and grease collect in the outlet, or roots slowly fill a line. Then a holiday with guests, a week of laundry or a storm pushes the system past its limit and the water has nowhere to go but back into the house.

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.

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.

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 Polk County health department can confirm whether a permit is needed for repairs in Urbandale.

Emergency septic help around Urbandale

Septic emergencies in Urbandale and nearby towns such as Clive, Grimes, Windsor Heights are often handled by the same local companies that do routine pumping, and many keep a truck available after hours. When you call, give the address, describe what is backing up and mention any alarm so they bring the right equipment.

Local conditions behind septic emergencies in Urbandale

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

Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Urbandale, the USDA soil survey rates 68% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 32% 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.

Urbandale averages about 35 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 22°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 Urbandale means for emergency septic service

By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Urbandale as 60% well drained, 17% somewhat poorly drained, 15% poorly drained, 5% moderately well drained, 4% very 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 Urbandale

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

Cook Plumbing Corp-West Des, West Des Moines, IA, 5.5 mi
Rogers Septic Maintenance & Repair, Des Moines, IA, 8.7 mi
Johnson Excavating, Ankeny, IA, 9.8 mi
Best Portable Toilets, Des Moines, IA, 10.1 mi
A J Plumbing, Des Moines, IA, 13.4 mi
A1 Complete Septic Tank Service, Pleasant Hill, IA, 15.2 mi

Emergency Septic Service in nearby towns

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

Clive, 1.9 mi
Grimes, 3.1 mi
Windsor Heights, 4.1 mi
Johnston, 4.8 mi
West Des Moines, 6 mi
Waukee, 6.2 mi

About Urbandale, IA

Urbandale is in Polk County, Iowa. About 46,729 people live there, across 22.5 square miles of land (about 2,072 per square mile).

Emergency Septic Service questions in Urbandale

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