As the snow finally starts to melt, one of the issues Alaska residents usually face this time of year is flooded septic systems. Often a result of rising groundwater levels and heavy rains, flooded septic tanks and leach fields cause slow running drains, plumbing backups, and sometimes even basement flooding.

If this issue affects your home this summer, North Pole, AK, septic pumping company Bigfoot Pumping & Thawing recommends taking one fo the following actions:

• Avoid Using Water: Your septic system is over capacity, and your leach field is so saturated that water has nowhere to go but back up into your pipes. Until your problem is solved, you’ll avoid making it worse by drastically cutting back your water usage. Stop flushing the toilet, don’t run the dishwasher or washing machine, and ask a neighbor to use their shower if possible. Wait until the water level in your leach field is lower than the water level around your house.

• Redistribute Water: If your yard or leach field is flooded, you can rent a trash pump and use it to move excess water to a different part of your property. While not always ideal, this solution will allow you to continue using water. When cleaning up floodwater inside your house, do not dispose of it by putting it back down the drain.

• Call a Septic Pumping Service: If your septic tank is half-full with solids, call a septic pumping service to make more room. Bigfoot Pumping & Thawing recommends getting your tank pumped at least once a year, as Alaska’s colder ground temperature limits bacterial growth, making sludge accumulate faster than in other parts of the country.

When the snow starts melting near your home this summer, don’t let flooded groundwater inconvenience you. If you need help getting your septic system back in order, call Bigfoot Pumping & Thawing at (907) 488-9855. More information about their septic pumping and water jetting services is available on their website, and you can connect with the company on Facebook.