“Pumped the tank and showed me the baffle before closing it up. The next date went on the invoice and on the lid.”
Justin G.Homeowner, Lolo
Missoula County and the Bitterroot
Septic, well and plumbing for homes past the city line
We pump, inspect and repair septic systems, fix well pumps and pressure tanks, and plumb the house they serve. Nine of us, one phone number and a shop on Mullan Road.
- Licensed plumbers, insured shop
- Written price before work starts
Septic care calendar
What your tank needs, and when
Most household tanks want pumping every 3 to 5 years. Yours may be sooner or later: it depends on the tank size, how many people live there and whether there is a garbage disposal.
- After the thaw
Step 1: Walk the drain field
Look for soft spots, bright green grass or a smell. Keep vehicles and livestock off the field, and clear snowmelt debris from the lids.
- Summer
Step 2: Spread out the laundry
Big wash days put a lot of water into the tank at once. Spread loads over the week so the solids can settle between them.
- Fall
Step 3: Pump before the ground freezes
If a pump-out is due, do it in the fall. Frozen ground makes lids hard to open and a dig slow.
- Every year
Step 4: Clean the filter, check the baffles
If your tank has an effluent filter, it needs rinsing about once a year. We look at the baffles and the sludge level while we are there.
- Every 3 to 5 years
Step 5: Pump the tank
Solids settle to the bottom and scum floats on top. They have to come out before they reach the drain field. We measure both layers and tell you if you can wait.
These are general intervals. Your permit record and your household can move them.
Tank size guide
How big is your tank?
The size sets how fast solids build up. Sizes below are rules of thumb: the permit on file for your house says what you actually have.
- Smaller tank
1,000 gallons
A common size for a two or three bedroom home.
Fills with solids sooner: plan on the short end of 3 to 5 years
A garbage disposal or a full house shortens it
- Middle tank
1,250 gallons
A common size for a four bedroom home.
Plan on pumping every 3 to 5 years
Heavy laundry weeks and guests shorten it
- Larger tank
1,500 gallons and up
Five bedrooms or more, or a home with a shop bathroom or a rental unit.
Often reaches the long end of the range
Bigger is not a reason to skip the checks
Not sure what you have? Holly can look up your permit record, or Tomas can probe and measure at a pump-out.
County permits
New system or replacement? The county comes first
A new, replacement or enlarged septic system needs a county permit before anyone digs. We walk you through it from the first site visit to the sign-off after the install.
Rules, fees and timelines differ by county and change. In Missoula County the permit goes through the city-county health department's environmental health office. We tell you what yours asks for.
The usual steps
Site and soil evaluation
Design and permit application
Permit approved before digging
Inspection while the trench is open
Final approval and your as-built record
What we do
One crew from the tank to the tap
Septic, well and house plumbing from the same shop, so nobody has to guess whose problem it is.
Septic pumping and inspection
Pump-outs, baffle and filter checks, and a written note of the sludge level. Inspections for a home sale come with a written report.
Septic services
Wells, pumps and pressure tanks
Pump replacement, pressure tank and switch repair, yard hydrants, and water that sputters or cycles.
Well services
Plumbing in the house
Water lines, drains, fixtures and water heaters, including the old galvanized lines that rural houses often still have.
House plumbing
How pricing works
Septic and well work depends on what is underground. Here is how we get to a number.
What decides the price
Four things move the price of most of our jobs, and you can see most of them before we come.
Tank size and how full it is
How far the hose runs from the truck to the lid
Whether the lids are buried and need digging up
How deep the well pump sits and what pipe is down there
What the estimate includes, and what it doesn't
The estimate covers labor, parts and the disposal of what we pump. It leaves out what we can't see yet.
Not included: digging to find buried lids
Not included: drain field repair found later
Not included: county permit fees
What happens at the visit
We look first and tell you what we see. If you go ahead with a repair we found on the visit, the visit goes toward it.
After hours
We keep office hours and don't run a night crew. If something backs up after we close, call and leave a message; we call back first thing.
When you get the number
You get a written price by text or email before work starts. If the job changes once the tank or the pump is open, we stop and tell you before we go on.
Prices vary by job, so we don't post any here.
Counties we serve
Where the truck goes
Three counties along the Clark Fork and the Bitterroot. If your road isn't on the list, call and ask before you rule us out.
Missoula County
- Missoula
- Lolo
- Frenchtown
- Bonner
- Clinton
- Huson
- Evaro
- Turah
- Seeley Lake
Ravalli County
- Florence
- Hamilton
- Victor
- Corvallis
Mineral County
- Alberton
- Superior
We don't go to Flathead County, Butte or Helena, or across the line into Idaho. For those, call a septic company near you and ask which installers your county health office lists.
Customer notes
What people wrote after a visit
“Our pressure tank was cycling every few seconds. Jessie found the air charge was gone, explained what that does to the pump, and fixed it that visit.”
Amy F.Homeowner, Florence
“We bought a place near Clinton and nobody had papers for the septic. Holly found the county record and Tomas inspected before we closed.”
Stacy V.New homeowner, Clinton
Sample reviews.
Short answers
How often should a septic tank be pumped?
Most household tanks every 3 to 5 years. A smaller tank, a bigger household or a garbage disposal moves you toward the short end. We measure the sludge and scum and tell you if you can wait.
What should never go down the drain?
Wipes of any kind, including the ones labeled flushable, grease and cooking oil, paint, solvents, cat litter and medications. The calendar page has the full list.
Do I need a permit to have the tank pumped?
No. A pump-out is maintenance. A new, replacement or enlarged system does need a county permit, and some repairs do too. Ask us before you plan.
Can you tell me how big my tank is?
Usually, yes. We look up the permit record, and at a pump-out we measure it ourselves.
My well water has stopped. What do I check first?
The breaker for the pump, then the pressure switch. If both are fine, call us and say what you hear at the pressure tank.
Do you work on both the septic system and the plumbing?
Yes. The same shop handles the tank, the well and the plumbing in the house.
Request a visit
Tell us what's going on
Send the details and a photo of the lid, the tank or the pump if you have one. Holly or Irene calls back the same business day.
Phone(406) 555-0100
Hours
- Monday – FridayToday
- 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- SaturdayToday
- 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- SundayToday
- Closed