Did you recently buy a new home? Does it have a septic tank on the property? A septic tank can be an efficient and effective way to dispose of household waste, especially if the home is in an area that makes it difficult to connect to the municipal sewer system. However, if you've never had a septic tank before, you may be unsure about when the tank should be pumped. It's an important thing to consider. If you wait too long to pump your tank, your waste could flood your drain field or even back up into your home. Here are three signs that the septic tank in your new home needs to be pumped:

Water pooling in the drain field. This is a tell-tale sign that your tank is full. When a tank is working properly, waste comes into the field as liquid. It's then absorbed by the soil long before it ever makes it above ground. However, if your tank is clogged or full, solid waste could make its way into the drain and out into the field. That could force liquid waste to the top of the soil, where it can flood your field. If you see liquid pooling on the surface of the field, then it's time to get the tank pumped.

Extremely healthy grass in the drain field. Of course, you probably want to pump your tank before it gets to the point where water is pooling in your drain field. One way to get an indication that you might have a problem is to look at the health of the grass in the field. Is it greener than the grass in surrounding areas? Does it seem to grow faster and thicker than grass on the rest of your property?

If so, then you could have too much water draining up to the top of your soil. Again, that means that solids are likely either clogging your tank's drain pipe or passing into the field's soil, forcing liquid up near the surface.

Foul odors in the home. When your tank is full, it won't just get clogged and backed up in the drain field. The tank can also experience clogs in the drain pipes from your home to the tank. Waste may sit in the pipes because the tank is full of solid material. Eventually, you'll start to smell the clogged waste as odors that will rise from your toilets and drains. This is usually your last warning sign before you have a waste backflow into your home.

If any of these signs sound familiar, call a septic tank pumping company as soon as possible. They can pump your tank and get you set up on a regular pumping schedule. That way, you can avoid future clogs and other issues.