Septic Backup or Alarm in Excelsior? Get Help Fast
A septic backup does not wait for a convenient time. Maybe sewage is coming up through a drain in your Excelsior 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 Excelsior and Tonka Bay, Shorewood, Deephaven will call you back to find out what is happening and when a crew can get there.
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.
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.
What the septic company will do
Expect the crew to ask questions first, then locate the tank and check the water level. If the tank is full, they will pump it so the house can drain. With the tank open, they can see whether the outlet, filter or baffles are blocked, and whether water is flowing back from the drain field, which points to a field problem. For pump systems they will test the pump, float and panel. You should get a clear explanation of the cause and your options.
Keeping your system out of trouble
Regular pumping and inspection are the best insurance against a surprise backup. Install risers so the tank is easy to reach, which makes service faster in an emergency. Fix leaking toilets and faucets, since constant trickles add up. Plant only grass over the drain field and keep trees at a distance. A maintenance plan from a local company can put all of this on a schedule.
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 Hennepin County health department can confirm whether a permit is needed for repairs in Excelsior.
Emergency septic help around Excelsior
Septic emergencies in Excelsior and nearby towns such as Tonka Bay, Shorewood, Deephaven 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 Excelsior
Most mapped soils near Excelsior 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 Excelsior, and backups tend to rise when the ground stays soaked. 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 Excelsior that affect emergency septic service
Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Excelsior, the USDA soil survey rates 96% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 4% 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.
Excelsior averages about 31 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 13°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 Excelsior means for emergency septic service
By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Excelsior as 45% well drained, 19% very poorly drained, 15% poorly drained, 12% moderately well drained, 4% somewhat excessively drained, 4% somewhat poorly drained, 1% excessively drained. Backups and wet spots are most common after heavy rain, and with 38% 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 Excelsior
These are the septic companies in our directory closest to Excelsior, with straight-line distance. Call any of them directly, or send one request and we will pass it to the best match.
- Volkenant Inc, Maple Plain, MN, 8.1 mi
- Mckinley Sewer Service & Supply, Prior Lake, MN, 15.2 mi
- Bixby Septics, Prior Lake, MN, 16.4 mi
- Schirmers Wastewater, St Michael, MN, 18.9 mi
- Duane's Septic Service, St Michael, MN, 19.0 mi
- SS Drain Cleaning, Belle Plaine, MN, 19.5 mi
Emergency Septic Service in nearby towns
We also cover emergency septic service in these towns near Excelsior:
- Tonka Bay, 1.2 mi
- Shorewood, 1.4 mi
- Deephaven, 2.7 mi
- Chanhassen, 3.4 mi
- Spring Park, 3.9 mi
- Orono, 4.2 mi
About Excelsior, MN
Excelsior is in Hennepin County, Minnesota. About 2,277 people live there, across 0.6 square miles of land (about 3,620 per square mile).
Emergency Septic Service questions in Excelsior
- 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.
- Why did my system back up after heavy rain?
- Saturated soil can stop a drain field from absorbing water, and surface water can seep into tanks and lids. The system may recover as the ground dries, but repeated problems after rain point to a drain field or drainage issue that should be inspected.
- How fast can someone come out in Excelsior?
- Response time depends on the company's schedule and where you are. Tell them it is an emergency and describe what you see so they can prioritize and bring the right equipment.
- Is SepticTank.com the company that comes out?
- No. SepticTank.com connects you with an independent local septic company that serves Excelsior. That company provides the service and sets its own prices and availability.