Septic services

Emergency septic service when the system is backing up right now

Short answer: stop running water, keep everyone away from any standing sewage, and call us. Most backups are a full tank or a blocked outlet, and a truck on site the same day usually resolves it. Atteberry responds to septic emergencies across Show Low, Pinetop-Lakeside, Snowflake, Taylor and the surrounding communities. Call (928) 242-2802.

Septic tank access lids uncovered for urgent diagnosis and service

What to do in the first ten minutes

Stop using water — no laundry, dishwasher, showers or flushing
Keep children and pets away from any sewage on the ground or floor
Do not pour drain chemicals into a backed-up system; they will not clear a full tank
If a pump alarm is sounding, leave it on and tell us what it is doing
Call and describe the symptoms so we can bring the right truck and hose

What is usually going wrong

A tank that has simply filled is the most common call, and it is the easiest to fix. Next is a blocked or collapsed outlet line, which looks identical from inside the house but will come straight back if all anyone does is pump. Then there are pump and float failures on systems that lift effluent uphill, and drainfield saturation, which shows up most often in monsoon season when the ground is already full of water.

We diagnose on site so you know which one you have. Paying for a pump-out on a failed drainfield buys a few days, and you deserve to be told that before you spend the money.

Winter and monsoon emergencies

At elevation, frozen or snow-covered access roads and buried lids slow everything down. In monsoon season, saturated soil pushes marginal drainfields over the edge and several properties fail in the same week. Both are reasons to keep risers on the tank and a clear vehicle path to it — the prep you do in good weather is what makes the emergency visit fast.

How to avoid the next one

Most emergencies are a missed pumping interval. Get on a schedule, keep wipes and grease out of the system, and mark the tank so it is not under a woodpile or a parked trailer when it matters.

Where we provide this service

Emergency septic questions

How fast can you get here?

It depends on where you are and what is already on the board, but emergencies get triaged ahead of routine work and most in-area calls are handled same day. Call rather than submitting a form — the phone is faster.

Is sewage backing up into the house an emergency?

Yes. Stop using water immediately and keep people and pets out of the affected area. Raw sewage indoors is a health hazard, not just a plumbing inconvenience.

Will pumping fix it?

If the tank is full, yes. If the outlet is blocked, the pump has failed, or the drainfield is saturated, pumping is temporary relief and the repair is the real fix. We will tell you which situation you are in on site.

Do you serve remote and forest-road properties?

Yes. Our trucks are set up for long hose runs, unpaved drives and the kind of access that rural White Mountains parcels come with. Tell us about the driveway when you call.

What does an emergency call cost?

The pumping cost is driven by tank size, access and how much has to be uncovered, the same as a scheduled visit. We quote before we start work so there is no surprise at the end of a bad day.