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.

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.

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

Emergency Septic Service in St. Joseph, MO

Septic emergencies usually show up as a backup in the lowest drain, a sewage smell that will not go away or a high water alarm. Each of these means wastewater has nowhere to go, and it will only get worse with more water use.

Use the form or call to reach a local septic company working in St. Joseph. Tell them what you are seeing so they can bring the right equipment on the first trip.

Limit the damage while you wait

The fastest way to limit damage is to stop adding water. If sewage has reached a floor, keep people out of the area, open windows for air and avoid using fans that spread odors through the house. Take photos for your insurance company before cleanup starts, 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.

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 Buchanan County health department can confirm whether a permit is needed for repairs in St. Joseph.

Emergency septic help around St. Joseph

Septic emergencies in St. Joseph and nearby towns such as Elwood, Wathena, Country Club 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 St. Joseph

Soil conditions vary around St. Joseph, so the cause of a backup can be anything from a clogged line to a saturated drain field. A technician will check both. June is usually the wettest month in St. Joseph, 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 St. Joseph that affect emergency septic service

Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central St. Joseph, the USDA soil survey rates 52% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 48% as somewhat limited and 0% as not limited. The most common drainage class is well drained. Conditions vary from lot to lot here, so a site evaluation is the only way to know how well a particular yard will handle a drain field.

St. Joseph averages about 36 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 26°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 St. Joseph means for emergency septic service

By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around St. Joseph as 73% well drained, 14% poorly drained, 12% 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 St. Joseph

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

Si Precast Concrete, St Joseph, MO, 6.8 mi
Carl's Septic Tank & Excavating, Dearborn, MO, 15.1 mi
Bob's Septic & Dirt Work, Camden Point, MO, 23.1 mi
H & H Septic Service Inc, Platte City, MO, 29.5 mi
Viking Septic Service, Gallatin, MO, 42.3 mi
Express Septic & Grease Trap, Kansas City, KS, 42.8 mi

Emergency Septic Service in nearby towns

We also cover emergency septic service in these towns near St. Joseph:

Elwood, 3.9 mi
Wathena, 5.7 mi
Country Club, 6 mi
Savannah, 12.4 mi
Gower, 15.7 mi

About St. Joseph, MO

St. Joseph is in Buchanan County, Missouri. About 70,634 people live there, across 44.0 square miles of land (about 1,604 per square mile).

Emergency Septic Service questions in St. Joseph

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