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 Flushing. That company provides the service and sets its own prices and availability.

Emergency Septic Service in Flushing, MI

A septic backup does not wait for a convenient time. Maybe sewage is coming up through a drain in your Flushing 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 Flushing and Swartz Creek, Flint, Mount Morris 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.

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.

If your septic alarm is going off

An alarm on a pump chamber or aerobic unit usually means the water level is too high. Many alarms have a silence button; press it, then cut back on water use. Check that the pump's breaker has not tripped. If the alarm comes back on after a few hours, the pump, float switch or control panel may have failed and needs service. Do not open the pump chamber yourself, since it contains wastewater and electrical equipment.

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.

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.

Questions to ask when you call

Ask how soon a crew can arrive and whether there is an extra charge for after-hours service. Ask whether they can pump and diagnose on the same trip. Confirm they work on your type of system, especially if you have a pump, aerobic unit or mound. After the visit, ask for a written summary of what failed, what was done and what still needs attention.

Common septic emergencies near Flushing

Most urgent septic calls near Flushing 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 Flushing

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

Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Flushing, the USDA soil survey rates 92% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 8% 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.

Flushing averages about 34 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 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 Flushing means for emergency septic service

By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Flushing as 32% well drained, 28% somewhat poorly drained, 16% poorly drained, 15% moderately well drained, 6% very poorly drained, 3% excessively drained. Backups and wet spots are most common after heavy rain, and with 50% 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 Flushing

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

Eichorn Enterprise, Flushing, MI, 1.9 mi
Don's Septic Service, Flushing, MI, 1.9 mi
R & D Septic, New Lothrop, MI, 9.1 mi
Kincaid Construction LLC, Swartz Creek, MI, 9.6 mi
Kline's Septic Service, Birch Run, MI, 15.1 mi
Affordable Portables-Septic, Birch Run, MI, 16.2 mi

Emergency Septic Service in nearby towns

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

Swartz Creek, 6.9 mi
Flint, 8.1 mi
Mount Morris, 8.2 mi
Montrose, 8.3 mi
Clio, 9.6 mi
Burton, 12.1 mi

About Flushing, MI

Flushing is in Genesee County, Michigan. About 8,243 people live there, across 3.6 square miles of land (about 2,283 per square mile).

Emergency Septic Service questions in Flushing

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 Flushing. That company provides the service and sets its own prices and availability.