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

Septic Backup or Alarm in Rome? Get Help Fast

When a septic system fails suddenly, homeowners in Rome need two things: to keep the problem from spreading and to get a qualified crew on site. Most emergencies trace back to a full tank, a clogged line or a failed pump.

A local company that works across Kennebec County can find the cause, pump the tank if needed and get your plumbing working again.

What to do right now

Stop using water. That means no laundry, dishwasher, showers or flushing until the problem is found, because every gallon has to go somewhere. If sewage has come up into the house, keep children and pets away, avoid touching it without gloves and open windows for ventilation. If your system has a pump and an alarm, do not keep silencing and ignoring it. Note what you see, when it started and anything that changed recently, then call a septic company.

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.

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.

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.

A septic backup in Kennebec County

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

Local conditions behind septic emergencies in Rome

Most mapped soils near Rome 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. About 49 inches of precipitation a year means saturated ground is common, and backups often follow long stretches of rain. About 4 months below freezing each year also bring the risk of frozen lines, especially in shallow pipes or homes left empty.

Local conditions in Rome that affect emergency septic service

Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Rome, the USDA soil survey rates 86% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 14% 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.

Rome averages about 49 inches of precipitation a year, and June is usually the wettest month. Average temperatures stay below freezing for about 4 months a year, with January averaging 16°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 Rome means for emergency septic service

By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Rome as 20% well drained, 20% moderately well drained, 20% somewhat excessively drained, 13% excessively drained, 13% poorly drained, 10% very poorly drained, 3% somewhat poorly drained. Backups and wet spots are most common after heavy rain, and with 26% 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 Rome

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

Septic Inspections Ajs, New Sharon, ME, 8.6 mi
Pat Jackson Inc, Belgrade, ME, 10.9 mi
Stanley's Septic & Construction, Fairfield, ME, 11.8 mi
Dube Environmental, Sidney, ME, 12.5 mi
Augusta Septic Revitalization, Sidney, ME, 12.9 mi
Longstreet's Septic Tank Service, Fairfield, ME, 14.6 mi

Emergency Septic Service in nearby towns

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

Belgrade, 4.3 mi
New Sharon, 7.6 mi
Oakland, 7.9 mi
Mount Vernon, 7.9 mi
Chesterville, 10.9 mi
Sidney, 11.4 mi

About Rome, ME

Rome is in Kennebec County, Maine. About 1,175 people live there, across 25.4 square miles of land (about 46 per square mile).

Emergency Septic Service questions in Rome

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