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

Emergency Septic Service in Kennewick, WA

A septic backup does not wait for a convenient time. Maybe sewage is coming up through a drain in your Kennewick 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 Kennewick and Pasco, Richland, West Richland 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.

Why septic systems back up

Wastewater backs up when it cannot move forward. That can happen at the pipe leaving the house, inside the tank, at the outlet filter or out in the drain field. A single slow drain usually points to a clog near that fixture. Every drain slowing at once points to the tank or beyond. The technician's job is to find which part stopped flowing and fix that, not just empty the tank.

When the septic alarm sounds

A high water alarm means water in the pump tank or aerobic unit has risen above normal. Press the silence button, cut back on water and check whether the breaker for the pump has tripped. If the alarm comes back on or the breaker trips again, call for service, because the pump may have failed.

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.

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.

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 Benton County health department can confirm whether a permit is needed for repairs in Kennewick.

After an urgent septic call in Kennewick

Once the emergency is handled, ask the Kennewick crew what caused it and what would prevent a repeat. The answer might be a pumping schedule, a new pump or float, or a repair to a line. Clean any affected area inside the home with disinfectant and keep the invoice with your records.

Local conditions behind septic emergencies in Kennewick

Soil conditions vary around Kennewick, so the cause of a backup can be anything from a clogged line to a saturated drain field. A technician will check both. With only about 11 inches of precipitation a year, rain is rarely the trigger here. Heavy water use and clogs are more common causes.

Local conditions in Kennewick that affect emergency septic service

Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Kennewick, the USDA soil survey rates 58% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 26% as somewhat limited and 16% 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.

Kennewick averages about 11 inches of precipitation a year, and December is usually the wettest month. December is the coldest month at about 34°F on average, so freezing is rarely the main concern here. Heavy rain and saturated ground are the bigger factors for drain fields.

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 Kennewick means for emergency septic service

By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Kennewick as 89% well drained, 9% excessively drained, 2% poorly drained. Backups and wet spots are most common after heavy rain, 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 Kennewick

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

Cliff's Septic Tank & Sewer, Kennewick, WA, 2.8 mi
Greg's Septic Tank Service, Kennewick, WA, 5.9 mi
Twilight Septic Tank Co, Richland, WA, 9.4 mi
Westfall Septic, Hermiston, OR, 23.0 mi
Frank's Sewer Service, Hermiston, OR, 23.7 mi
Allstate Septic, Sunnyside, WA, 40.1 mi

Emergency Septic Service in nearby towns

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

Pasco, 5.4 mi
Richland, 8.2 mi
West Richland, 12.9 mi
Benton City, 15.2 mi

About Kennewick, WA

Kennewick is in Benton County, Washington. About 85,158 people live there, across 28.5 square miles of land (about 2,988 per square mile).

Emergency Septic Service questions in Kennewick

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