How Much Does Septic Repair Cost in Tennessee?

HomeAdvisor, a national cost guide, puts the average septic tank repair at $1,829. Its typical range runs $627 to $3,043, and major repairs reach $6,500 or more. Forbes Home, another national guide, lists a $1,775 average. Its range starts at $650 and climbs to $6,000 for major repairs.

These are market numbers from national cost guides, not our price list. What Tennessee publishes is its permit fees. A state repair permit carries no permit fee, and the repair construction inspection is $100.

This guide covers repairs to the tank and its parts on a system already in the ground. For the work itself, see our septic repair service. A wet or failed field is a separate job, covered in what drain field replacement costs.

What do common septic repairs cost?

The table pulls from three national cost guides: HomeGuide, HomeAdvisor and Forbes Home. Where two guides price the same job differently, both figures appear.

What makes one septic repair cost more than another?

Getting to the tank is the first cost. A lid buried under sod has to be found and dug out before any repair starts. Septic tank risers bring the lids up to grade, and HomeGuide puts a riser at $200 to $400.

Some repairs need an empty tank. HomeGuide says a cracked tank has to be pumped before the repair. That pump-out becomes part of the bill, and septic tank pumping cost in Tennessee has those prices.

Tank material plays a part. HomeAdvisor puts concrete tank repairs at $700 to $5,000.

Finding the problem has its own cost. HomeAdvisor lists a standard diagnostic visit at $100 to $200. When a camera inspection is required, it lists $250 to $1,175. A septic inspection names the failed part before anyone prices the fix.

What does it cost when the pump, float or alarm fails?

Systems that cannot rely on gravity use a pump to send liquid out to the field. Floats switch it on and off, and an alarm sounds when the level climbs too high.

HomeGuide prices new tank floats at $100 to $300 and a tank alarm installation at $250 to $400. Replacing the control panel runs $300 to $500.

Replacing the pump is the bigger bill. HomeGuide puts it at $500 to $1,300 on average, and HomeAdvisor says $1,000 or more. When the pump can be repaired instead, HomeGuide and Forbes Home both list $250 to $400.

A dead pump and a stuck float can set off the same alarm. Testing both comes before any part is replaced.

What do baffle, lid and tank repairs cost?

Baffles sit at the inlet and outlet of the tank. They hold solids and scum inside the tank. HomeGuide puts baffle repair at $250 to $900. The effluent filter at the outlet runs $200 to $300 on average to replace.

Concrete lids crack with age, and some break under a mower or a truck. HomeGuide lists lid replacement at $150 to $600 on average. Keep children and pets off a cracked lid until it is replaced.

A cracked tank costs $500 to $850 to repair in HomeGuide’s figures. Large cracks may mean a new tank instead. The distribution box, which splits flow out to the field lines, runs $500 to $1,500 to replace.

What do septic line and root repairs cost?

Two lines serve the tank: one from the house and one out to the field. Either can crack or pull loose at a joint. HomeGuide puts septic line repair at $150 to $3,800, depending on the problem, its location and the pipe material. When a section has to be replaced, Forbes Home lists $50 to $250 per linear foot.

Roots find their way into joints and tanks. HomeGuide prices professional root removal at $600 to $1,600. It adds that locating roots usually needs a camera. A sewer camera inspection shows where the roots or the break sit, at $125 to $500 in HomeGuide’s figures.

Should you repair the septic tank or replace it?

A repair makes sense when one part failed on a sound tank. HomeGuide suggests replacing a tank that is more than 40 years old or cracked. It says the same for a tank that needs frequent repairs or pumping more often than it should. Its tank replacement figure is $3,500 to $8,500 on average for a three or four bedroom home.

A new tank, or a new tank and field together, is a bigger budget. Those prices are in the cost of a new septic system in Tennessee.

Does Tennessee require a permit to repair a septic system?

Tennessee’s septic permit page answers this. A property owner whose existing system is faulty and needs repair must get a Septic System Construction Permit. The page sends applications to the state’s Division of Water Resources.

The state’s fee schedule lists no permit fee for a repair permit. The repair construction inspection costs $100.

Ask whether your repair needs a permit before any work starts. The post on how to get a septic permit in Tennessee covers who issues it in your county.

How do you keep septic repair bills down?

Start with what insurance will not pay. HomeGuide says homeowners insurance covers septic repairs only for damage caused by disasters. A fire, a falling tree or extreme weather can qualify. Age, wear and tear and misuse do not.

That leaves routine care. The EPA says household septic tanks are typically pumped every three to five years. Systems with float switches, pumps or other mechanical parts should be inspected about once a year.

Skip the additives. The EPA says septic additives are not recommended for household wastewater systems. They can be ineffective or even harm the system. Nothing poured down a drain will fix a broken baffle or a failed pump.

Who handles septic repair north of Nashville?

Wiley Rooter and Septic Pros is based in Greenbrier, in Robertson County. We repair pumps, floats, alarms, control panels, baffles, lids and broken lines on existing systems. The digging is done with our own compact track loader and small excavator.

We are licensed, insured and bonded, and we work the north side of the Nashville area. The company brings 20 years of septic and sewer experience to each repair. Estimates are free. Call or text (629) 285-6381, or read about our septic system repair service.