Septic Tank Pumping in Clover & York County, SC
Starting at $425. Pumped to the concrete by the person who answers the phone.Keith Morehead pumps your septic tank, scrapes the floor until the concrete shows, and shows you the bottom before he closes the lid. The $425 starting price covers a standard 1,000-gallon tank and includes opening both lids, up to 18 inches of hand digging, and up to six sections of hose. Call Keith at (803) 902-1290.
How Keith Pumps a Septic Tank
Keith regularly opens tanks that another company pumped a year earlier and finds sludge still sitting on the bottom. The water was pumped off the top and the truck left. A tank pumped that way fills back up sooner, and the solids left behind are what end up in the drain field.
His pump-out has three parts, and the last one is the reason to call him.
1. Find and Open the Tank
Keith probes for the tank and digs by hand to open both the inlet and outlet lids. He parks on the road or the driveway and runs hose to the tank, so the truck stays off your lawn.
2. Pump It and Scrape the Floor
He pumps the liquid and the solids, rinses the tank, and scrapes the floor down to bare concrete. That last step takes him another 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Check It and Show You
He checks the outlet baffle and looks the tank over for cracks. Then you see the bottom of your tank, in person or in a photo, before he backfills the holes.
“Pumping isn’t only pumping. I’m inspecting the tank while I’m in there.”
Keith Morehead
The Tank With No Water in It
A family in Iron Gate had lived in their house for two years when they called Keith. The household went through about a case of toilet paper a week.
When Keith opened the lid, there was no water in the tank. It was packed solid with paper from top to bottom. The auger he uses to break up solids caught in it and jerked out of his hand.
A tank like that can’t be pumped until it is liquid again, so Keith added water the whole time he worked, breaking the mass apart and pumping it out a little at a time. He was there about three and a half hours. A typical pump-out takes one to two.
Two things to take from it. Keith charges by the job, not by the hour, so a slow tank is his problem and not a running meter for you. And a tank can pack up far sooner than the usual three to five years if a lot of paper goes into it. If your household is heavy on toilet paper, pump on the early side.
What Keith Can Tell When He Lifts the Lid
Before the hose goes in, the tank has already told Keith how it is doing. He will explain what he sees if you want to hear it.
A White Crust on Top
Keith says it looks “like the icing of a cupcake.” It means a lot of toilet paper is going into the tank.
Clear Water, Top to Bottom
He calls this a dead tank. There is too much water and not enough bacteria to break anything down.
Slime Sliding Down the Walls
If slime slides down the walls as the tank drains, the tank needs more bacteria. Keith can recommend a treatment for it.
Little Floating, Little Sludge
Liquid with not much on top and not much on the bottom is a healthy tank. Keep doing what you’re doing.
What Septic Tank Pumping Costs
Pump-outs start at $425. Unusual systems and tanks that haven’t been pumped in five years or more run from $425 to $700.
- Keith charges by the job, not by the hour.
- His quotes never include hidden costs. Digging and hose are in the starting price, not added afterward.
- There is no fee for a long hose run.
- Two neighbors who book the same day get a neighbor discount.
The septic pumping cost page explains what moves the price and has the online estimate form.
Mobile homes and rentals. Keith pumps tanks in Clover mobile home parks often. If you live in one, you can call him for your own tank the same as any homeowner. Park owners and property managers with several tanks should call him to talk through the property.
Septic Tank Pumping Questions
How often should you pump your septic tank?
Most household septic tanks should be pumped every three to five years. Move toward three years or sooner if the household uses a lot of toilet paper, the toilets gurgle, the drains are slow, or water comes up in one fixture when another one drains.
Keith’s rule for everyone else: if you can’t remember when the tank was last pumped, it should probably get pumped.
What are the signs my septic tank is full?
Slow drains, gurgling toilets, a sewer smell in or around the house, sewage backing up, standing water near the tank or drain field, and bright green patches of grass over the system. If sewage is backing up into the house, see the emergency septic service page and call Keith.
What happens if you wait too long to pump?
Solids build up until they flow out of the tank and into the drain field. That clogs the field’s pipes and soil, and a drain field costs far more to fix than a pump-out. Before it gets that far, you may see sewage back up into the house.
What makes a “bad” pumping job?
Keith sees it when he opens a tank that someone else pumped a year earlier: sludge still on the floor. The liquid was pumped off the top and the solids stayed. You paid for a pump-out and still have a tank that is part full.
You can check any pump-out the same way. Ask to see the bottom of the tank, or a photo of it, before the lid goes back on.
Does Keith clean the tank completely?
Yes. He pumps the liquid and the solids, rinses the tank, and scrapes the floor until the concrete shows. Then he shows you the bottom, in person or in a photo.
How long does a pump-out take?
Most take one to two hours, depending on access and how long it has been since the last pump-out. Keith charges by the job, not by the hour, so a tank that takes longer doesn’t cost you more for the time.
What does septic pumping cost?
Pump-outs start at $425. The septic pumping cost page covers what the starting price includes and what can raise it.
What size tanks does Keith pump?
Any size. Keith pumps tanks at houses, mobile homes, rental properties, and commercial properties.
Does Keith pump engineered septic systems?
Yes, he pumps them. He does not repair or replace engineered and advanced treatment systems, and he will tell you who to call if yours needs that.
Is finding the tank part of the pump-out?
About 15 minutes of probing is included. If the tank can’t be found that way, Keith can locate it with a camera, and he quotes that before he starts.
I live in a mobile home park. Can I call Keith for my own tank?
Yes. In most parks each home has its own tank, and Keith pumps them often around Clover. Getting to the tank is usually the hard part, so tell him what is around it when you call.
Should I add a riser while the tank is open?
Keith recommends one when he has to dig 10 inches or deeper to reach the lid, or when the lid sits under a lawn or patio you want left alone. See the septic riser installation page.
Can Keith come the same day?
Often, yes. Keith takes calls 24 hours a day, six days a week. Sundays and holidays are sometimes available, so call to ask.
Can I flush “flushable” wipes?
No. Wipes labeled flushable don’t break down in a septic tank. Flush toilet paper only.
Why York County Homeowners Call Keith to Pump
He Pumps to the Floor
The solids come out with the liquid, and the floor is scraped to bare concrete.
He Checks the Baffle Every Time
A failing outlet baffle lets solids into the drain field. He looks at it on every pump-out.
He Does His Own Digging
Opening both lids and up to 18 inches of hand digging are in the starting price.
He Answers His Own Phone
The person who picks up is the person who pumps your tank. He is state-licensed (OSWWP0079) and insured.
See the Bottom of Your Tank Again, GUARANTEED
Keith pumps to the concrete and shows you the floor of your tank before he closes it, in person or in a photo. Pump-outs start at $425 in Clover, York, Lake Wylie, Rock Hill, and the rest of York County.