old building materials - disposal and repuprosing

4 Fees Associated With Septic Tank Servicing

If you own a septic tank, it will be necessary to have the tank serviced once it becomes full. This typically happens every 2–4 years, depending on how big your family is and what kind of waste everyone puts down the drains. Unfortunately, when the bill for servicing the septic tank comes, it can be an unexpected shock at how much it is, even though you are paying it once every few years.

There are fees associated with having a septic tank serviced that you may not be aware of. By understanding what they are, you can do what you can do to avoid having to pay them.

Digging Fee

Your home's septic tank will be buried underground so that it is completely out of sight. For a company to service the tank, it will be necessary to partially dig out around the tank to get access to openings. It's possible that the company you use will charge you a digging fee for making your septic tank accessible. Make sure to ask about this fee before you have the work done.

If you want to save some money on this additional charge, consider digging the septic tank out on your own. Half the challenge will be locating the part of the tank that allows it to be serviced, which may involve some trial and error unless you have records stating where the tank is and how deep down it was buried.

Poor Maintenance Fee

If you recently bought a home that uses a septic tank, it's difficult to know what condition the tank is in until it needs servicing. If there are problems due to a lack of maintenance over the years, expect to pay an additional fee for dealing with unexpected problems. You may need to call around until you find a company that can guarantee a flat fee for the first time your newly acquired septic tank is serviced.

Disposal Fee

Make sure that any fees for disposing of the waste in the septic tank are included in your price estimate. You may be quoted one price to pump a tank, but have an additional fee based on how much waste is removed.

Inspection Fee

Once the tank has been opened, you'll want to have everything inspected to make sure it is working properly. Verify if there are any fees associated with inspecting the tank for leaks or damage, as well as the outgoing and incoming areas of your septic tank.