Septic Maintenance Services in Tampa Bay and Central Florida

One in three homeowners in the Tampa Bay area have a septic system. These systems are often overlooked but are essential to your home’s sanitation. Regular septic maintenance is important in keeping your system running efficiently and preventing costly repairs.
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Looking for Routine Maintenance?

At ACE Septic & Waste, we’re here to help Florida homeowners with their septic system’s maintenance needs. Our professional services ensure your septic system operates efficiently. We offer a three-year maintenance plan to give you security and peace of mind about your conventional septic system. We also offer 2-year, state-required maintenance plans for your ATU or advanced system. Click below to schedule an inspection or maintenance service.

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How to Care for Your Septic System

Regular septic maintenance is like preventive medicine for your home. It keeps your system healthy, keeps you and the environment safe from harmful waste, and avoids expensive repairs down the road. Here are some tips for caring for your septic system:

Image of septic tank inspector holding a clipboard, in front of a home.

1. Schedule Regular Inspections:

Having a professional inspect your septic system regularly is the best way to identify and address any issues before they become major problems. They can check for leaks, damage, and signs of system distress. ACE recommends that Florida residents with a conventional septic system have it inspected yearly. For homeowners with advanced systems, the state requires an inspection at least twice per year.

Photo of two ACE Septic & Waste employees holding green hoses going into a septic system hole.

2. Pump Your Tank:

Septic tank maintenance includes regular pumping, which we often refer to as getting your septic tank cleaned. The frequency depends on the tank's size and the number of people in your household. DEP guidelines recommend that a septic tank be pumped every 3 to 5 years.

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3. Be Mindful of What Goes Down the Drain:

Watch what you flush down your toilets and put down your drains. Don't dispose of non-biodegradable items, like paper towels, hygiene products, or wipes, which may be marketed as “flushable” in your toilet. These items will not only cause clogs in your pipes but will also damage your pump. Additionally, avoid pouring grease, chemicals, and heavy cleaners down the drains. Some products get advertised as “septic friendly,” but we still recommend not pouring any chemical-based liquids into your toilets or down the drain. We have had to fix our fair share of septic systems whose owners thought they were using “septic-friendly” chemicals.

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4. Conserve Water:

Too much water can flood your septic system and lead to major issues. Repair any leaking faucets and install water-efficient fixtures to reduce water usage.

Septic Tank Health Starts at the Drain

The most critical aspect of septic maintenance is preventative – aka – what goes down your drains. The products you use, what you flush, and the chemicals you pour down the drain can impact your septic tank’s health.

Watch What You Flush:

Never flush anything other than human waste and toilet paper down the toilet. Even “flushable wipes” don’t decompose properly and can negatively impact your septic system.

Avoid Overloading with Fats and Oils:

Don't pour cooking oils or grease down the drain. These can clog pipes and contribute to septic tank problems.

Be Careful with Medications

Medications should not be disposed of by flushing them down the toilet. The chemicals in some medications can harm the beneficial bacteria in your septic system.

Protect Your Drainfield

Photograph of a septic system being installed by ACE Septic & Waste.

Your drainfield is a critical component of your septic system. It’s where the treated wastewater is released back into the ground. To protect your drainfield:

  1. Keep Heavy Equipment Away: Heavy vehicles or machinery can crush the pipes in your drainfield. Do not park cars or heavy equipment on or near it. You should not drive anything heavier than a lawnmower over the area
  2. Watch What You Plant: Do not plant trees on or near your drainfield. Tree roots will naturally find their way to water, causing them to grow into the drainfield pipes. These root intrusions can completely block and destroy your drainfield, causing backups and costly repairs.
  3. Divert Surface Water: Properly divert surface water, like rainwater runoff, away from your drainfield. Too much water can flood the area and lead to problems with effluent diffusion.
  4. Avoid Building Structures: Do not build structures over your drainfield, as they can also crush your drainfield pipes.
  5. Install a Filter: Installing a filter on your washing machine’s discharge hose can help prevent lint and other particles from entering your drainfield.

By following these maintenance tips and being mindful of what goes down your drains, you can ensure your septic system runs smoothly, avoid costly repairs, and protect your drainfield’s long-term health, as well as the environment.

Why wait for an emergency?

Photo of septic pump truck against blue sky

The saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” takes a gross turn when you apply it to septic services. You can avoid the mess by proactively maintaining your system instead of waiting for it to break.

Schedule Maintenance

ACE maintains:

Gravity-Fed Systems →

Gravity-Fed Systems

Gravity-fed systems require regular inspection and pumping of the septic tank to remove accumulated solids and filter cleanings to ensure the health of the drainfield.

Lift Stations →

Lift Stations

Dosing tanks in mound systems need routine inspection and maintenance to ensure the pump and associated components are functioning correctly and to prevent blockages or malfunctions.

Drain Fields →

Drain Fields

Drain fields require minimal maintenance but benefit from occasional inspection to detect and address any issues that may impede the natural percolation of wastewater into the soil.

Septic Tanks →

Septic Tanks

Septic tanks need regular pumping to remove sludge and scum buildup, along with occasional inspections to check for structural integrity or leaks.

Dosing Tanks →

Dosing Tanks

Dosing tanks require periodic maintenance to ensure proper effluent release into the drain field, including pump checks and maintenance.

High Water
Alarms →

High Water Alarms

High water alarms should be tested regularly to ensure they are functioning correctly and alerting homeowners to potential septic system issues.

Pumps →

Pumps

Pumps in septic systems require periodic maintenance and inspection to confirm they are working correctly, and any damaged or malfunctioning parts should be replaced.

Filters →

Filters

Filters need routine cleaning or replacement to prevent clogs and maintain the efficient flow of effluent in septic systems.

Riser/Lids →

Riser/Lids

Riser/lids should be inspected regularly for damage and secured properly to maintain safe and easy access to the septic tank for inspections and pumping.

ATUs →

ATUs

Aerobic Treatment Units (ATUs) necessitate regular maintenance and monitoring of the aeration system, pumps, and alarms to ensure their proper operation and prevent issues in the treatment process.

We're on top of septech.

ACE also maintains the newest aerobic treatment units (ATUs). These electrical systems offer better treatment and longevity than traditional systems but require specialized training and care.

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Testimonials

Same day service. Professional and knowledgeable about tank. Would use them again.
- Amy B.

Good company and fair pricing.
- Amber W.

A company ran by honest people with the knowledge to handle all your septic needs.
- Mark E.

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If our pump truck puts your mind at ease, imagine our maintenance plan.

It’s the best way to keep waste where it should be – out of sight and out of mind. Sleep easy. Your septic system is running smoothly.

Get our maintenence plan!

Filter cleaning

Soil check

Proactive pump-out

Annual inspection

Next Service:

Repair

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ACE is your Tampa Bay and Central Florida septic company to inspect, maintain, repair and install septic systems of all types and sizes. We’ve been Tampa’s trusted septic services provider since 1974 and continue to expand our reach throughout the region.

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Counties Served:
Hillsborough, Polk, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Levy, Marion, Sumter

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Headquarters:
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8005 Land O' Lakes Blvd
Land O' Lakes, FL., 34638
Satellite Office:
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3410 W Crigger Ct
Lecanto, FL 34461

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