To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. In most urban environments, when you flush the toilet, the waste is piped out to a sewage treatment plant. The residual waste gets landfilled or used as fertilizer. Septic tanks are made from concrete or heavyweight plastic and typically have a capacity of to gallons. There are two chambers in the tank, separated by a partial wall. Waste flows from the house into the larger chamber. Solids settle to the bottom, and liquids make their way over the partial wall into the smaller second chamber.
Naturally occurring anaerobic bacteria digest the solids, turning them into the water, carbon dioxide, and a small portion of indigestible material.
There, the effluent drains into the ground through a series of perforated pipes or through perforated plastic structures called galleries. The pipe or the galleries are placed in a bed of gravel that helps disperse the liquid. Septic fields are usually just a foot or two below the surface to keep the effluent away from people and pets, but not much deeper because a significant amount of water escapes through evaporation or is transpired by grass growing above.
Never graze large animals or ride horses over your leach field. You also need to keep cars, trucks, farm machinery, and other heavy vehicles away from the field. Permanent covers : Both heavy weights and permanent covers will damage your leach field because of compaction.
This means that you do not want to have a deck, shed, barn, or another edifice over your leach field. Even cement and gravel walkways can block oxygen from reaching the leach field and prevent the proper breakdown of bacteria.
Gardens : Your leach field is a wide-open space, and you may be tempted to use it as a garden. Unfortunately, your leach field is the worst place to do this because the rototilling, fertilizers, irrigation, and deep roots, which are necessary in gardening, are destructive. Just be sure to maintain the current landscaping as it is designed to control runoff from your home and the surrounding area.
Consult an expert because you engage in any intense landscaping activity as it pertains to your leach field. To disperse the effluent over the field, the leach lines will fan out, trickling through holes in the pipes, and percolating downward through gravel, sand, and then the soil. Leach lines are typically made of perforated PVC pipe, which encourages the final product to trickle into the soil. Increase plant growth. Greener grass in other areas of the yard.
Drains in the house running slowly. Water in the house frequently backing up. Yard is mushy or has standing water. Sewage odors either inside or outside of the house.
Gurgling sounds. Sometimes, it may be for a specific reason and other times it may be because your leach field is at the end of its life. Tear out all existing components in your leach field. Leach fields on average can last anywhere between 15 and 25 years if properly taken care of. Proper maintenance of your leach field starts with monitoring water usage and what goes into your septic system. If you are experiencing any of the signs listed above, or notice other issues with your leach field and septic system, give us a call at or submit the form on this page.
Our experienced technicians can address the problem, and work to resolve the issue in a timely and cost-effective manner. Common causes of leach field malfunction include: Draining chemicals, grease, paint, and other complex substances down drains Excessive water use in the house and leaking toilets and drains Damage from construction or vehicles on top of the field Water runoff from excessive rainfall or snow Tree and plant roots that interfere with pipes Old age Additionally, one of the main causes of leach field malfunction or failure is not having your septic tank pumped on a regular basis to remove sludge.
The following are a few common signs of leach field failure: Grass over leach field is greener than the rest of the yard The surrounding area is wet, mushy, or even has standing water Sewage odors around drains, tank, or leach field Slow running drains or backed up plumbing Leach fields on average can last anywhere between 15 and 25 years if properly taken care of. The best way to keep your septic drain field working well is to maintain your entire septic system properly.
This includes:. Pumping your septic tank on the right schedule for you. We can help you determine this based on the size of your tank and the number of people in your house.
These can clog the filters in the pipes leading to your septic drain field and prevent them from draining your tank.
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