Septic alarm going off: what to do

What the alarm means

A float rises with the water; when it passes the normal pump-on level, the alarm sounds. It means the pump is not keeping up or something has failed.

Common causes include a failed or clogged pump, a tripped pump breaker or power outage, a stuck float, heavy water use, leaking fixtures, or rainwater getting into the tank.

On an aerobic system, the alarm may also mean low air pressure from the air pump, from a broken pump, broken air lines, or low water in the aeration chamber. HIBLOW, an air pump maker, notes a ruptured pump diaphragm is a common cause, and that the alarm can sound for a couple of days after the tank is pumped.

Sources: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, L-5346 Pump Tank (Lesikar and Persyn, 9-08); SJE Rhombus (alarm manufacturer), What Does a Tank Alarm Do?; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, L-5302 Aerobic Treatment Unit (Lesikar, 9-08); Orenco Systems, Control Panel Troubleshooting Chart; HIBLOW USA (aerobic air pump manufacturer), Why is the Alarm Sounding on my Aerobic Septic System? (Jan 14, 2022)

What to do right away

1. Silence the buzzer with the silence or test button on the panel. The red light stays on until the problem clears.

2. Cut water use to the essentials: no laundry, dishwasher or long showers. Texas A&M AgriLife advises limiting use to toilet flushing and hand washing if the system has lost power.

3. Check for a power problem. Orenco's troubleshooting chart lists a pump breaker in the off position and a power outage among the causes of a high-level alarm. Check your home's electrical panel for a tripped breaker labeled for the septic pump. Do not open the septic control panel; Orenco says only a qualified electrician or authorized installer should work on it.

4. Give it a little time. If the pump is working, the water drops below the alarm float and the alarm resets on its own.

Sources: SJE Rhombus (alarm manufacturer), What Does a Tank Alarm Do?; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, L-5475 Responding to Power Outages and Floods (9-08); Oklahoma State University Extension, PSS-2275 Aerobic Treatment System (Abit and Jones, print code 0714); Orenco Systems Homeowner's Manual (hosted by Virginia Department of Health)

How much time you have

Tanks with pumps keep reserve space above the alarm level. Orenco's homeowner manual says normal use gives 24 to 48 hours of reserve. Its FAQ describes a 24-hour reserve.

State rules set the reserve differently. Arkansas requires emergency storage above the high-water alarm of at least one third of the estimated daily flow in stand-alone dosing tanks. Oklahoma requires an aerobic system's pump tank alarm to sound when the tank is more than half full.

Texas A&M AgriLife's example: an 80 gallon reserve on a 3-bedroom system allows very little emergency water use, so conserve right away.

Sources: Orenco Systems Homeowner's Manual (hosted by Virginia Department of Health); Arkansas State Board of Health, Rules Pertaining to Onsite Wastewater Systems (effective Sep 5, 2024); Oklahoma DEQ, OAC 252:641 Individual and Small Public On-site Sewage Treatment Systems (amendments effective 9-15-24); Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, L-5475 Responding to Power Outages and Floods (9-08)

When to call a pro

If the alarm comes back on after you silence it, call your service provider.

After a power outage, Texas A&M AgriLife says to call if the alarm stays on for more than 24 hours after power returns.

Call right away if the breaker trips again, drains back up, or you have an aerobic system (both Oklahoma State and Texas A&M say to call your maintenance provider and not repair it yourself).

Never enter a septic tank. It can kill through lack of oxygen or drowning.

Sources: Orenco Systems (manufacturer), Homeowner FAQs; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, L-5475 Responding to Power Outages and Floods (9-08); Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, L-5302 Aerobic Treatment Unit (Lesikar, 9-08); Orenco Systems Homeowner's Manual (hosted by Virginia Department of Health)

What not to do

Do not mute the alarm and forget about it.

Do not turn off the main breaker to the septic pumps when you go on vacation, because the pumps still need to handle any water that gets in.

Do not try to repair an aerobic system or the control panel yourself.

Sources: HIBLOW USA (aerobic air pump manufacturer), Why is the Alarm Sounding on my Aerobic Septic System? (Jan 14, 2022); Orenco Systems Homeowner's Manual (hosted by Virginia Department of Health); Oklahoma State University Extension, PSS-2275 Aerobic Treatment System (Abit and Jones, print code 0714)

Alarm rules in Arkansas and Oklahoma

Arkansas requires a visible and audible high-water alarm on every system with electrical dosing, and the pump and alarm may not share a circuit. Aerobic units must have a warning device wired so that unplugging the unit sets off the alarm.

Oklahoma requires a high-water alarm on aerobic system pump tanks.

Sources: Arkansas State Board of Health, Rules Pertaining to Onsite Wastewater Systems (effective Sep 5, 2024); Oklahoma DEQ, OAC 252:641 Individual and Small Public On-site Sewage Treatment Systems (amendments effective 9-15-24)