24 Hour Emergency Callouts in Kent and East Sussex
Tank overflowing or drains backing up right now? We run a genuine 24 hour service across Kent and East Sussex, weekends and bank holidays included.
Genuinely 24 hours
Waste problems do not keep office hours. When a tank overflows on a Sunday night it cannot wait until Monday, so we answer the phone at 3am and we come out. No answerphone and no callback queue, weekends and bank holidays included.
What counts as an emergency
Sewage surfacing in the garden. Drains backing up into the house. A tank alarm sounding. A treatment plant that has stopped, or a sewage pump that has failed and left the chamber filling. Any of those, ring us straight away rather than waiting to see if it settles, because none of them improve on their own. If a pump is behind it, pumping station servicing explains what we check once it is running again.
What to do while you wait
Stop using water in the property as far as you can, which means no washing machine, no dishwasher, no baths and minimal flushing. Every litre you put in makes the overflow worse. Keep people and pets away from any surfaced sewage, and wash your hands well if you have been near it.
What happens when you ring
Tell us what you can see, whether anything is coming into the house, the postcode and how close the tanker can get. That lets us bring the right kit first time. Most emergencies come down to a full tank or a blocked pipe, and an empty or a jet usually brings things back under control on the first visit. Then we find the cause so it does not happen again.
Never go into a tank
Do not open a sealed tank and lean in, and never climb into one. The gases that build up inside, hydrogen sulphide and methane among them, can overcome a person in seconds, and the Health and Safety Executive counts would be rescuers among the people killed in confined spaces. Cesspool safety tips for homeowners covers tank lids, gases and what to keep children away from.
Overflows and the environment
An overflowing tank is more than unpleasant. If sewage reaches a ditch, a stream or the ground around a water supply, the owner can be held responsible for the pollution. Getting the tank emptied quickly and the cause found is the best protection. What happens if a cesspool overflows explains the clean up and what comes after.
Smells and wet weather
A sudden smell is often the first warning, and our guide to what to do if you notice smells helps you work out whether it is urgent. Heavy rain and high groundwater cause a lot of winter callouts, because water finds its way into old tanks and saturated drainage fields stop taking any more. How weather affects cesspools and septic tanks explains why.
Covering both counties
We cover emergencies right across Kent and East Sussex, from Ashford and the Weald to New Romney, Rye and out towards Eastbourne. If your village is not on our list, ring anyway.
What you get
- A real person answers
- Weekends and bank holidays
- Across Kent and East Sussex
Covering both counties
We carry out emergency callouts right across Kent and East Sussex.
What to Do if You Notice Smells from Your Cesspool or Septic Tank
Where you smell it tells you what is wrong. A practical guide to smells from your cesspool or septic tank, indoors, outdoors and after rain.
What Happens if a Cesspool Overflows
What happens when a cesspool overflows, warning signs to watch for and how regular emptying prevents drainage issues.
How Weather Affects Cesspools and Septic Tanks
How wet winters, floods, frost, summer drought and storms affect cesspools, septic tanks and treatment plants, season by season, and what to do about each.
Signs Your Septic Tank Needs Servicing
The signs a septic tank needs servicing, from a soggy drainage field and a lush strip of grass to slow drains and smells, and what each one tells you.
Need us out now?
Ring us for a price, or drop us a message and we will get straight back to you. We are on call 24 hours a day, every day of the year.