Play: Both children and pets can safely run and play on the grass above a leach field. As long as it is well-maintained, your family shouldn’t have any fear of encountering puddles of affluent or dangerous bacteria. You can also use bicycles and tricycles on the surface because they are not heavy enough to compress or disturb the soil.
Can you put a playset on a leach field?
You Can't Install Semipermanent Playground Equipment Large play structures tend to be too heavy, putting pressure on the septic field and potentially bending or breaking the pipes that are only a foot or two under the ground.
Can you put anything on top of a leach field?
Put plastic sheets, bark, gravel or other fill over the drainfield. Reshape or fill the ground surface over the drainfield and reserve area. However, just adding topsoil is generally OK if it isn't more than a couple of inches. Make ponds on or near the septic system and the reserve area.
What can you do on top of a drain field?
The best plants you can put on top of a septic drain or leach field are shallow-rooted herbaceous plants. These include perennials, bulbs, turf-grass, weeds, groundcovers, and more. A few examples are holly shrubs, boxwood shrubs, azalea shrubs, hollyhocks, wild violets, and spring bulbs.
Can you put a trampoline over a leach field?
Trampolines should not be put on top of leach (septic) fields. This is because the weight from the trampoline will cause the soil under it to compact. If the soil compacts, it can clog or even damage the tank system, causing the wastewater to go back into the home.
How deep is the gravel in a leach field?
Depending on local regulations, each of the trenches should be between 1 and 3 feet in depth and about 18 inches wide. A layer of gravel should be placed at the bottom of the trench to a depth of about 1 foot.
How long will a septic drain field last?
50 yearsIt's important to consider the life expectancy of a drain-field, too. Under normal conditions and good care, a leach-field will last for 50 years or more. Concrete septic tanks are sturdy and reliable but not indestructible. The biggest risk is exposing the concrete to acidic substances.
Can you put a fire pit over a leach field?
A fire pit directly on the field increases the chances of melting the drain pipes underneath, but a fire pit that stands on legs would eliminate that and still allow you to make the most of your limited space. That said, compaction is one other possible problem of which to be aware.
Can you add dirt on top of leach field?
Never add additional soil over the drain field unless it is a minimal amount used to restore an area that may have been eroded or pulled up by removing another plant. Try not to be overly zealous when tilling the soil for planting. Remember that the drain lines may be as close as 6 inches from the soil surface.
Can you put a patio over a leach field?
A common question homeowners ask when building a patio is, “can you build a patio over a septic field?” The answer to this question is no. The reason for this is that the weight of the concrete in the foundation will cause too much pressure on your septic system and can lead to flooding or a damaged septic tank.
Can you put a chicken coop on a leach field?
Can I put my chicken coop over my septic fields or tank? YES, as long as you don't cover the access of to the tank. It shouldn't interfere because a chicken coop isn't that large and is definitely not as large as your leach fields.
Can you drive a Bobcat over a septic system?
Since anything larger than a lawnmower can cause serious damage, you should never operate cars, trucks or heavy equipment over any part of the septic system.
How does a leach field fail?
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.
Can you add dirt on top of leach field?
Never add additional soil over the drain field unless it is a minimal amount used to restore an area that may have been eroded or pulled up by removing another plant. Try not to be overly zealous when tilling the soil for planting. Remember that the drain lines may be as close as 6 inches from the soil surface.
Can you put a fire pit on top of a septic field?
A fire pit directly on the field increases the chances of melting the drain pipes underneath, but a fire pit that stands on legs would eliminate that and still allow you to make the most of your limited space. That said, compaction is one other possible problem of which to be aware.
Can you plant wildflowers over a septic field?
Never plant vegetables, fruits, shrubs or trees over a leach field; food items may be contaminated and tree roots may damage the pipes. Avoid general wildflower mixes unless mixed specifically for your area; many mixes contain invasive and non-native varieties.
How do you maintain a leach field?
Tips for Maintaining Your Leach FieldMinimize the use of the garbage disposal.Do not put grease down your drains.Spread loads of laundry out over time rather than doing multiple loads in a short period of time, and use liquid detergents rather than powdered detergents.Avoid excessively long showers.More items...•
Why do sandboxes need plastic?
Additionally, this style of play structure typically requires a plastic sheet to help prevent flooding and erosion around the playground , but when this barrier is used over a septic field it blocks the process of evapotranspiration and can actually cause both erosion and flooding in the field. Sand, gravel, and other playground material also inhibits the proper function of the septic field, so even sandboxes can cause damage to the system.
What is an open air kennel?
Essentially, an appropriate open-air kennel is a fenced area where the dog can freely run. Any additions beyond this straightforward design could pose a risk to the septic field or may prevent access for necessary maintenance. Also, make sure that the fence posts are installed away from the septic field pipes to avoid accidentally breaking a pipe while digging a fence post hole.
How does a septic system work?
Septic systems are designed to break down organic waste from the home, separating the waste into liquids and solids. While the solid sludge that forms in the bottom of the tank needs to be pumped out at scheduled intervals, the wastewater can be treated and reused as irrigation for crops or simply released into a septic field that typically consists of perforated piping, set in gravel trenches, and buried about 1 to 2 feet underground.
How old do you have to be to set up a swing set?
This style of playground equipment is typically intended only for kids under the age of 10 due to the small size and lightweight construction. These factors also make it possible to set up a swing set for some outdoor fun. Just make sure that the swing set doesn’t have any broad roofed areas that will block the sun and damage the beneficial vegetation in the area.
Can a kennel be built on top of a septic system?
Most structures put too much weight on top of the septic field to be a viable option, but if you have a dog and want a place where it can play without running off, a simple open-air kennel can be built on top of a septic field. However, it should be noted that this kennel cannot have a roof or any type of floor that would sit over the top of the grass because these additions would interfere with the evapotranspiration process.
Can you put a tennis court over a septic system?
Not only does the addition of concrete prevent the process of evapotranspiration, but it also adds a significant amount of weight that could cause the septic field pipes to collapse.
Can a septic field be used for play?
Kids can make great use of the open space provided by the septic field, so it may seem like a great idea to install a permanent or semiper manent play structure, but this can lead to all kinds of problems. Large play structures tend to be too heavy, putting pressure on the septic field and potentially bending or breaking the pipes that are only a foot or two under the ground.
Why plant over a drain field?
Perhaps the most compelling argument for planting into the drain field would be to mitigate any erosion of the soil over the drain field.
How to keep moisture from flowing over drain field?
This can be accomplished by diverting runoff from a roof or driveway away from the drain field, and making sure that irrigation systems do not add excessive moisture.
How does a septic system work?
Understanding how a septic system functions is essential to making sound decisions about how to best landscape over the drain field. A standard septic tank will separate solids from liquids. The liquid effluent, or wastewater, will then flow from the tank into a series of drain lines that allow the effluent to slowly percolate down through ...
What are the most common trees that are damaging drain fields?
Trees with very aggressive root systems that should be avoided include willows, red and silver maples , beeches, birches, elms and poplars. Some trees with less aggressive root systems include cherries, crabapples, dogwoods, hemlock and oaks. To reduce the associated financial risk and emotional stress of a failed system, plant trees at least as far away as their estimated root spread at maturity. There are two methods used to estimate tree root spread. One rule of thumb is that roots extend out from the tree two to four times the diameter of the canopy. Another is that tree roots spread out one to three times the height of the tree. These estimates should be considered a bare minimum, and to reduce the risk, the trees should be planted even further away from the drain field.
Why is it important to keep traffic off drain field?
This is why it is recommended to keep excessive traffic off the drain field to avoid over-compaction of the soils.
Why do you wear gloves when digging?
Always wear gloves when working with the soil in the drain field area to minimize your exposure to the soil and any harmful organisms in it. This applies to many gardening activities such as digging, planting and weeding.
Can you plant septic in your yard?
No one wants septic effluent surfacing in their yard, not to mention the cost of repairs and the associated inconveniences. However, there are certainly recommendations for which plants should or should not be planted on or around the drain field.
How much coverage does a drain field need?
Drain fields are designed to work with 18" to 24" of coverage, unless they have been engineered to deal with special soil types. Liquid leaches down into the soil and can also be absorbed by the shallow-rooted plants, such as grass and small groundcovers above.
Can artificial turf be used as a cover?
Artificial turf would be okay as a cover, as long as no additional fill is added. Unfortunately, if the plan moves forward, the likelihood of drain field failure will greatly increase, and upon replacement, the new drain field will have to be in a different location on the property.
