We had a new septic system put in about 2 years ago and love it. No more problems for us with water backing up and not flushing when it rains. It is an aerobic system with a pump that runs continuously. The pump sits on our back patio. At the time it was installed we didn't use the patio, ever, so the noise didn't bother me. It's not extremely loud, about like a dishwasher or washing machine. But it is loud enough that at night I want to hear the crickets and frogs and it interferes.
Is there a way to quiet the pump some way. Right now I have a cement block type thing sitting over it to protect it from the dogs. There is an opening on 2 sides for air. The plumber actually put this on it for me. It needs air flow I am pretty sure so it does not overheat.
If I can't quiet it is it okay to unplug it for an hour or two at a time each day? I have googled this and can't find an answer. I know it is okay for the power to be off at times because the plumber said if we lose power for a few days not to worry. But I wonder if I do this every day for an hour or two is it okay?
Best Answer
The possible result of unplugging it for hours is that the pump may lose its prime. If that happens, when you do plug it in, it will run and run without actually pumping anything. If left this way, it could overheat and be seriously damaged. It is relatively easy to restore the prime in the pump, but you would not want to be doing this every day. It would be annoying. Building a sound barrier sounds like a better option.