Gurgling drains, an alarm, a smell or a wet field in Rockaway Township usually mean the tank is full or the field is struggling. Ease off water use and call a septic contractor to check it. In lake sections, any sign of effluent heading toward the water deserves a fast response.
Septic alarm going off
The alarm means water in the pump chamber or tank is above the normal level. Common causes are a pump that has quit, a float switch that is stuck, a tripped breaker on the pump circuit, or a surge of water from laundry, guests or saturated ground after heavy rain. Some alarm panels also go off for an electrical problem in the control box.
Press the silence button and leave the warning light on so you can watch it. Keep water use to a minimum until it clears: skip laundry and the dishwasher and keep showers short. Check the septic pump breaker and reset it one time if it tripped. If it trips again, leave it off. Do not open the control panel or alarm box, and do not lift tank lids.
Call a pro if the light stays on for more than a few hours or comes back. Tell them when it started, whether the breaker tripped and how much water the house used. The Rockaway Township Division of Health advises having the tank pumped about every three years for a family of four, so mention when yours was last pumped, since an overdue tank can strain the pump.
Toilets gurgling or drains slow
Gurgling happens when wastewater cannot leave the house freely and air gets pushed back up through the traps. If several fixtures are slow, the cause is usually in the septic system: a tank that needs pumping, a blocked baffle or effluent filter, or a drain field that is absorbing slowly. A single slow drain is more often a clog in that one line.
Make note of which drains are slow and whether the lowest fixtures are worst. Spread laundry and dishwasher loads over several days. Avoid chemical drain openers and septic additives, which can harm the tank and will not empty a full one. Keep fats and grease out of the drains. Leave the main line to a pro unless you have the right equipment.
Call a pro if more than one fixture is affected or the gurgling keeps coming back. First confirm you are on septic: the township's Municipal Utility runs the sanitary sewer in the sewered parts of town, and if your home is connected, a sewer line problem is a plumber or utility call. On septic, tell the contractor when the tank was last pumped.
Sewage smell in the house or yard
Inside, a sewage smell usually comes from a dried out trap in a floor drain or unused bathroom, a failed toilet seal or a blocked vent stack. Outside, a smell near the tank can mean a lid that does not seal, and a smell over the drain field can mean effluent is surfacing. Odor along with slow drains suggests the system is starting to back up.
Run water into unused drains to refill their traps and air out the house. If the odor is strong, makes anyone lightheaded or might be gas, leave and call 911 or the gas utility. Keep children and pets away from wet, smelly spots outdoors and do not touch them. Never lean over or climb into an open septic tank, since the gases inside can overcome a person fast.
Call a pro if the smell returns after refilling traps or sits over the tank or field. Tell them where it is strongest and whether it worsens after laundry or showers. The township's Highlands plan notes that the Green Pond lake management area is affected by many septic systems, so in the lake neighborhoods a leaking system is worth fixing quickly.
Sewage backing up into the basement
Sewage coming up through a basement drain, shower or toilet means the pipe to the tank is blocked, the tank is full, or the drain field has stopped taking water. Backups commonly follow heavy rain or a long stretch of high water use, when a system that was already struggling has no capacity left.
Stop using all water immediately. Keep people and pets out of the area. If water is near outlets, cords or appliances, stay out of it, and shut off power at the main panel only if you can reach it from a dry place. Wear gloves, boots and eye protection for cleanup, wash hands thoroughly, and discard porous items soaked by sewage.
Call a pro the same day and tell them where the sewage came up, how much and when the tank was last pumped. About 60 percent of Rockaway Township lies in the Highlands Preservation Area, where the Highlands Act sharply limits new sewer extensions, so for most homes there the fix is restoring the septic system rather than waiting on a sewer connection.
Soggy or green patch over the drain field
A patch of lawn over the field that stays wet, spongy or unusually green in dry weather usually means effluent is reaching the surface. That can come from an overloaded field, trenches clogged by solids from an unpumped tank, a broken distribution line or a pipe crushed by a vehicle. A wet spot close to the house may be a leaking tank or line instead.
Keep people and pets off the area and treat standing water as sewage. Do not drive or park on the field, and keep delivery trucks and heavy equipment away. Do not cover the spot with soil, mulch or plastic, which hides the problem without fixing it. Cut water use and spread laundry through the week to give the field a rest.
Call a pro to work out whether you need a pump out, a line repair or work on the field. Tell them how long the spot has been wet and whether anything has driven over it. The Rockaway Township Division of Health specifically warns never to drive over the disposal field, so a recent delivery, pool install or driveway job is worth mentioning.
No water or low water pressure (well)
Many Rockaway Township homes on septic also draw water from a private well. When the water stops, the cause is usually the pump, the pressure switch or the pressure tank: a tripped breaker, a failed pump, a pressure tank that has lost its air charge and makes the pump short cycle, or a clogged sediment filter. Pressure that fades over months often means a worn pump or dirty filter.
Reset the well pump breaker once. If it trips again, leave it off. Check the gauge on the pressure tank; a reading near zero while the pump should be running points to the pump or the supply. Look at any whole house filter for clogging. Do not open the well cap, handle pressure switch wiring or keep resetting a breaker that keeps tripping.
Call a well pro if the water does not return after one reset, the pump runs constantly, or the water comes back cloudy, sandy or smelling off. Tell them the gauge reading and the pump's age. If the water quality changes after the repair, the Rockaway Township Division of Health is the office that fields private well questions.
Common questions
How often should I pump my septic tank in Rockaway Township?
The Rockaway Township Division of Health advises having a professional pump the tank about every three years for a family of four. Larger households or homes with a garbage disposal may need it sooner.
What should I do when my septic alarm goes off?
Silence the horn, stop using water and reset the septic pump breaker once if it tripped. If the light does not clear in a few hours or comes back, call a local pro.
Is my Rockaway Township house on sewer or septic?
It depends on where you live. The Municipal Utility runs sewer in the sewered parts of the township, but much of the northern lake and woodland area is on septic. Your utility bills or closing papers will show which you have.
Can I drive over my septic field?
No. The Rockaway Township Division of Health advises never driving over the disposal field, since the weight can crush pipes and compact the soil, which can lead to a soggy, failing field.
Rules change. Confirm the current requirements with Rockaway Township or the contractor before work starts.