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.

Is SepticTank.com the company that comes out?

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

Emergency Septic Service in Saco, ME

A septic backup does not wait for a convenient time. Maybe sewage is coming up through a drain in your Saco 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 Saco and Old Orchard Beach, Scarborough, Biddeford 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.

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.

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 call usually goes

The crew will ask what happened, then find and open the tank. If it is full, pumping it gives the house room to drain again. With the tank empty they can see whether the inlet is blocked, whether a baffle failed, or whether water is flowing back from the drain field, which points to a bigger repair.

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.

Emergency septic help around Saco

Septic emergencies in Saco and nearby towns such as Old Orchard Beach, Scarborough, Biddeford 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 Saco

Most mapped soils near Saco 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 52 inches of precipitation a year means saturated ground is common, and backups often follow long stretches of rain. 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 Saco that affect emergency septic service

Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Saco, the USDA soil survey rates 93% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 4% as somewhat limited and 3% 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.

Saco averages about 52 inches of precipitation a year, and October is usually the wettest month. Average temperatures stay below freezing for about 3 months a year, with January averaging 23°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 Saco means for emergency septic service

By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Saco as 32% moderately well drained, 24% somewhat excessively drained, 13% very poorly drained, 10% well drained, 10% excessively drained, 10% poorly drained, 2% somewhat poorly drained. Backups and wet spots are most common after heavy rain, and with 25% 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 Saco

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

Quick Drain Service, Old Orchard Bch, ME, 1.8 mi
Macdonald Excavation, Old Orchard Bch, ME, 1.8 mi
Girard Plumbing & Heating, Old Orchard Bch, ME, 1.9 mi
Libby Geo Septic Tank Service, Scarborough, ME, 7.5 mi
Septic Preservation Service, South Portland, ME, 11.2 mi
Gorham Septic Service, Gorham, ME, 11.5 mi

Emergency Septic Service in nearby towns

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

Old Orchard Beach, 3.2 mi
Scarborough, 5.2 mi
Biddeford, 6.3 mi
Dayton, 7.9 mi
Arundel, 8.2 mi
Buxton, 9.6 mi

About Saco, ME

Saco is in York County, Maine. About 20,960 people live there, across 38.6 square miles of land (about 543 per square mile).

Emergency Septic Service questions in Saco

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