Be Kind to Your Septic Tank

Does the autumn weather have you in the mood for fall home improvement? Don’t forget about your septic tank. Sure, it’s not in front of you to visually see how dirty it is, but that doesn’t mean you leave it off your to-do list. After all, it’s one of the hardest working and essential parts of your home! Septic tank pumping is a fairly simple procedure that takes a lot of hose, a powerful truck, and a strong work ethic to do the job right, and the team at locally owned and operated Western Slope Septic Pumping is dedicated to doing the kind of job that will keep your home safe and clean and your septic system operating smoothly. I recently had a chance to visit with the company’s co-founders, brothers Matthew and Morgan Shultz.

“Pumping your septic tank keeps your leach field working its best to treat the wastewater flowing into it. The entire purpose of your septic system is to treat your wastewater before the liquids enter your leach field. Failure to pump out the septic tank is one of the most common causes of septic system failure and replacing a failed leach field is an expensive proposition,” says Matthew.”

Why does pumping help? Pumping your septic tank is the key to prolonging the life of your septic system. It removed the accumulated solids from the tank, so they do not clog up your leach field. That’s the point of the septic tank. It’s a “trap” for the solids. “The solids do not disappear, so they need to be removed about every 3 years for most residents,” says Matthew.

Based in El Dorado County, Matthew and Morgan grew up in an innovative and entrepreneurial family in Shingle Springs, California. Extremely bright and hard-working, the two brothers could have successful business careers in any field they desired. They identified a gap in the septic tank pumping market. This sparked an idea and after months of research and training, they opened Western Slope Septic Pumping, Inc. in May of this year. “Every day is different and never boring. we really enjoy it, we have met so many wonderful customers,” says Matthew.

One of the things that sets Western Slope Septic apart from others is that they use the latest in septic pumping technology and have all brand-new equipment. And, if you haven’t seen their truck already, it is beautiful! “We wanted to start with all new equipment and the latest technology, as we’re in this for the long-haul,” says Morgan. “Our truck is a brand new 2022 Peterbilt 337. It’s the only one like it in the county. We can control the vacuum system through a wireless remote that communicates with the truck. We can turn on all systems to start pumping right from the septic tank,” adds Matthew.

Why is this an important feature? Because wireless remote makes the pumping job easier, faster, and more efficient. “If it all goes well and there isn’t anything foreign in the tank that can potentially clog up the line, with our truck, we can pull into the jobsite and be in and out within 30 minutes. It also takes the guesswork out of knowing how full our truck is before heading to the dumpsite,” says Matthew. “Typically, the older trucks are manually operated, so you have to go over to the truck and open and close valves to get equipment started. With our truck we hook everything up at the septic tank and just turn it on,” adds Morgan.

At Western Slope Septic Pumping, both Matthew and Morgan are Certified Septic System Inspectors. They not only pump but install risers and do inspections as well. Risers are the plastic rings that raise up the entrance to the tank making it a lot easier to access the tank. With a riser lid just below the ground, the lawn can be maintained as usual, and accessing the port will require only minimal effort when it comes time to pump or inspect your tank for cracks, roots, and foreign materials.

How often do you have to pump? It depends on usage and size of tank. “A single person living by themselves with a 1000-gallon tank, it would be a good idea to have it done every 3 years but probably could wait longer. If you have a big family, you wouldn’t want to wait that long. How fast a tank’s solids fill up depends on the number of people living in the residence and the size of the tank. Typically, we see 1000 to 1200-gallon tanks with an occasional 1500-gallon tank,” says Matthew.

Another thing that sets Western Slope Septic Pumping apart from others is their integrity and excellent customer service. “We want to do the job 100% correctly and thoroughly every time. By doing the right thing and doing the job right, we aren’t cutting corners. We’ve had clients watch how we do business, and they often comment on the great level of care and service we provide,” says Morgan.

If you have a septic tank, there are some things you can do to keep it working properly. “We don’t recommend using bleaches, as they kill bacteria. You want to have good bacterial growth, and let the bacteria do the work of breaking down solid waste. When we pump, we always leave a little bit of the sludge at the bottom to keep some bacteria in the tank,” says Matthew. In addition, a lot of non-biodegradables can clog the leach field. “Wipes are a big problem and should not go in the toilet. They don’t break down. Wipes must be individually pulled out, and when that happens, they can clog our truck. The dump site doesn’t like wipes either because it causes clogging. The workers have to come out and pull the wipes out at the dumping facility,” says Matthew.

You know it’s time to pump your tank if it has been over three years since the last pumping, you’ve been working from home, your kids have been learning virtually, or you’ve had extended guests. Give Western Slope Septic Pumping a call today or check out their website for more information on preventive maintenance.