Septic problems
Why is my septic alarm going off?
Straight answers from a family owned septic company serving Denver and the Colorado Front Range for over 20 years.
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- Family Owned & Operated
- 20+ Years of Septic Experience
- Serving Denver & the Front Range
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Septic alarm A septic alarm is the audible and visual warning wired to a pump chamber or treatment unit that trips when the liquid level rises above, or falls below, its set point. It signals a control, float, or pump condition, not a scheduled reminder.
The alarm is the window between a working system and sewage backing up, and that window is measured in hours of normal water use.
A septic alarm means the liquid level in your pump chamber or tank has climbed past its normal float setting. The most common reasons are a failed effluent pump, a stuck float switch, a tripped breaker, or a drain field that can no longer accept water. The alarm itself is a warning, not a failure. You usually have a small buffer of storage before a backup. Stop using water, check the breaker, and call for service the same day.
What you are seeing
- A buzzer or beeping panel on the outside wall, in the garage, or in the basement
- A red light on the control panel, sometimes with a silence button
- The alarm returns after you silence it, often within hours
- Drains may still work normally at first
What it usually means
Ranked by how often we find each one on Front Range properties.
- 1
Effluent or lift pump failure
Most likelyThe pump that moves liquid from the chamber to the drain field has burned out, seized, or lost power. Level rises, float trips, alarm sounds.
- 2
Tripped breaker or failed float switch
CommonA GFCI trip or a float tangled on a cord or grease crust can put the system in alarm even though the pump is fine.
- 3
Drain field no longer accepting flow
CommonA saturated or clogged field backs liquid up into the tank. Pumping helps for a short time, then the alarm comes back.
- 4
Water surge into the system
PossibleHouseguests, a running toilet, a leaking softener, or several loads of laundry back to back can outrun the pump for a day.
- 5
Groundwater infiltration through a cracked lid or riser
Less commonSnowmelt and heavy Front Range storms can push water into a tank with a bad seal.
What to do right now
- Stop all water use. No laundry, no dishwasher, short showers only.
- Check the breaker or GFCI for the septic pump and reset it once.
- Silence the alarm if there is a button, but do not ignore it.
- Look for a running toilet or dripping fixture that is feeding the tank.
- Call 720-427-7557 and describe the panel lights you see.
When it is an emergency
Call 720-427-7557 right away if any of these are true.
- Drains are slowing or a toilet is backing up
- You see wet ground or sewage odor near the tank or field
- The alarm is paired with a burning smell at the panel
What the fix typically involves
Diagnose power and floats first
We check the panel, breaker, and float positions before touching the pump. A tangled float is a short fix.
Test and replace the pump if needed
If the pump is dead, we pull it, confirm sizing, and set a replacement with clean electrical connections.
Pump the tank and read the water line
The liquid level tells us whether the field is taking water. That answers repair versus replacement.
What drives the cost
We do not post flat prices, because the same symptom can be a filter cleaning or a drain field replacement. These are the factors that set the number on your property. You get the price before we start the work.
- Whether the fault is electrical, mechanical, or drain field related
- Pump horsepower and depth of the chamber
- Whether the tank needs pumping to complete the diagnosis
- Access to the lid and riser, including frozen or buried ground
Tell us what your system is doing
Send the details and we will tell you what we think is going on and what it takes to fix it. We serve Denver, Westminster, and the Colorado Front Range.
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Family owned and operated, serving the Front Range for over 20 years.