Septic Tank Alarm

A septic system that uses a pump to move wastewater from a septic pump tank to a drain field should have a septic tank alarm installed and connected to the inside of your home somewhere.

If you just bought a new home and see an unidentified alarm flashing (red light) or a buzzing/beeping in the  house, basement space, or in the yard,  it may be an indicator that your septic pump is not working properly.

This alarm typically goes off when the wastewater is not being pumped out to the drain field as it should be. When you hear this alarm go off, you should call for a septic pumper as soon as possible to avoid the wastewater backing up into your basement or house.

Causes Of Alarms

There are various things that can cause the alarm to go off. Be aware of the causes and you can perhaps save yourself a lot of work.

1) Has the power been disconnected from the pump by accident?

2) Is it (or has it been) raining heavily and causing water from the surface to enter the  tank and cause your pump extra work it cannot keep up with?

3) Is the pump checked routinely for proper function? A pump will sometimes last no more than 10 or 15 years with regular family use.

4) Are the lines in your drain field clogged so that they cannot drain the wastewater as they should?

5) Do you have your tank pumped out routinely to avoid back-up?

6) Have you had electrical difficulty that could trigger a false alarm?
 
Do not ever ignore an alarm, lest sewage back up into your home. If you do not have an septic tank alarm hooked up to your septic system, you can still have one installed. It can save back breaking labor, costly repairs, and valuable time.