How to extend the life of your septic drain field?
Tips for keeping your drainfield healthy
- Practice economy in the water usage of your home. ...
- Fix any dripping faucets, running commodes and malfunctioning water softeners promptly to avoid flooding out the drainfield.
- Pump out the septic tank on a regular basis to prevent solids from entering the absorption area.
How much does it cost to replace a drain field?
The drain or leach field is the section of the septic system that transports the waste water back to the soil. The first sign of a problem with drain field is often a swampy area in the yard, or an odor of sewage on the property. Drain field replacement can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000.
How do you unclog a drain field?
Ways To Unclog The Septic Field Lines
- Find out the field lines of the drain and open the cap.
- There is a PVC cap on the lateral line of the drain field. You have to open it by unscrewing it.
- Go to the control panel now.
- You need to flip on the pump switch. ...
- Let the water flow and let it clear.
- Close the PVC cap.
- Close the lid of the pipe.
- Do this process at least for 6 days.
How to restore a septic drainfield?
- Overloading your system with water. ...
- Disposing of non-biodegradable matter such as coffee grounds, cigarette filters, disposable diapers, sanitary pads, grease, and other synthetic substances into your septic system are the primary causes of clogging problems. ...
- Allowing tree roots to infiltrate your drainfield and septic plumbing. ...
What are signs that your drain field is failing?
Drainfield has failed. When the drainfield fails, or is saturated with water, sewage may backup into the home. Wet, soggy areas may develop above or near the drainfield and you may see spongy bright green grass over the area. There may also be odors near the tank or drainfield.
What causes a septic drain field to fail?
A common reason for septic system failure is overloading the system with more water than it can absorb. A septic system is designed for a specific wastewater flow rate based on the number of bedrooms (120 gallons per bedroom per day) in the house served by the system.
How do you extend the life of a drain field?
4 Tips to Extend the Life of Your Septic System Drain FieldHave Your Septic Tank Pumped Regularly. ... Keep Your Drain Field Covered with a Layer of Grass. ... Keep Your Drain Field as Dry as Possible. ... Never Place Heavy Objects on Your Drain Field.
How long does it take for a drain field to dry out?
Except for mound systems, most drainfields are 2 to 4 feet below the ground surface. The groundwater will take time to recede to the level of the bottom of the drainfield. This could happen within a week or two or require a couple of months.
What ruins a drain field?
Heavy items such as vehicles, horses, and permanent structures can crush pipes and compact the soil, causing damage to the drainfield.
How often do leach fields need to be replaced?
A properly designed, installed and maintained leach field will require replacement once every 15 to 30 years. However, a leach field that is not designed and constructed adequately or receives poor maintenance may require replacement before 15 years of age.
Can you add to an existing leach field?
The simplest way to add to your septic tank while remaining connected to existing sewer lines is to simply add an additional septic tank. This gives your home a larger wastewater capacity, and gives your septic system more time to treat the wastewater before draining.
How long does a concrete septic system last?
Concrete septic tanks, the most common tank type found today, can last quite a long time. Generally speaking, concrete tank owners don't need to think about septic tank replacement hassles for about 20 to 30 years. With proper maintenance, a high-quality concrete tank might even last as long as 40 years.
What is the life of a septic system?
The average lifespan of a septic system is 15 to 40 years, but it can last longer if properly maintained! Think at the sink. Consider what you put into your toilet and sink and the impact it may have on your system.
Can you unclog a leach field?
It is often possible to clean and renew a clogged septic leach field instead of replacing the drain field lines. Septic field lines can fail to drain when heavy solids accumulate and block perforations in the lines. This is commonly seen in septic systems that are more than 20 years old.
Can you pump out a drain field?
Septic system back pumping to remove water from a flooded or saturated drainfield is a service offered by some septic contractors. In our opinion back-pumping septic fields is ineffective, possibly harmful, and is not a recommended procedure.
How do you clean a septic drain field?
A common approach is to use a high-pressure water jet to clean out drain field pipes. Sewer jet products, like the Clog Hog, attach to a gas or electric power washer and then feed into the pipe to clear away any clogs or buildup.
How do you know if your field lines are clogged?
Some early warning signs of a clogged leach field include foul odors, slow drainage, and even sewage backing up into sinks and showers inside the home. Outside, you may notice taller, greener grass above your leach field, and puddling or sinking soil as well.
Can a clogged drain field be fixed?
It is often possible to clean and renew a clogged septic leach field instead of replacing the drain field lines. Septic field lines can fail to drain when heavy solids accumulate and block perforations in the lines. This is commonly seen in septic systems that are more than 20 years old.
How do you unclog a field line?
If you suspect one of the leach field pipes has a clog, the easiest way to clean it is with a pressurized sewer jetter. If the clog doesn't clear with a jetter, there may be tree roots that you can cut with a mechanical auger.
Can a drain field collapse?
Damage to the drainfield can also lead to standing water or poor processing of the effluent. Damage can occur if you drive over the field or if tree roots invade the field and cause collapse.
How long should a septic tank last?
USDA sources assert that a properly operated and maintained ST/SAS (septic tank / soil absorption system) should last at least 20 years. But it's easy to ruin or shorten the life of a drainfield/leaching bed. In fact the same USDA source states that. Studies reported at an Environmental Protection Agency seminar, Orlando FL, November 1979, ...
What is required for a drainfield?
installation details of the drainfield including clearance over high water table, adequate dimensions for usage and soil percolation rate, provision of an adequate trench size and quantity of and proper type of gravel, inclusion of a barrier material over the rock, gravel, or stone surrounding the leach lines
What are the causes of premature failure of wastewater treatment systems?
Similar studies of advanced wastewater treatment systems such as aerobic systems, sand beds, mound systems similarly found that improper or inadequate operation and maintenance were the primary causes of premature failure of those systems as well.
What does it mean when a tank floods?
However if the tank floods when waste water is entering it that's a sign of a slow Outlet which could be a blocked drain line or a failed Greenfield.
How long should a septic field last?
A well-designed, well-sited, properly-used, non-overloaded septic drain field should last for 20 years or so.
How can a septic tank be imploded?
An ‘empty’ septic tank in frozen ground can be ‘imploded’ by the freezing and expansion of the ground surrounding it.
Why do we need a separate storage tank?
In cases where alternative systems might be used with high peak loading a separate storage tank may be put into place where a controlled pumping time is set to allow small doses to be sent to drain field over times of non use (like a restaurant where peak hours creates heavy use, or tavern where hours of use have peak times). This allows for soils to absorb and properly treat waste.
Why do concrete tanks erode away?
chemical compromise - it is well known, but still not completely understood, that some concrete tanks will just erode away because of the chemical composition of the soil surrounding it or the sewage dumped into it. The salt, from water softeners, has been suspect of accelerated degradation of concrete tanks
Do you need to empty a septic tank?
I just watched a video presentation of a house that had such a septic system and drain field… In 6 years the owner never emptied the tank (2 persons living in the house), there was no need for that. If the septic tank is properly designed/arranged and taken care of, there’s only clean water coming out and the bacteria will take care of the rest. There are individual waste water management plants that can take care of sewage without the need to pump out the residues, although the manufacturer says it should be removed on a yearly base.
Can a septic tank freeze?
A ‘full’ septic tank that freezes - one that is not used during the winter, when the ground frost freezes deeply enough - can break. It’s not too likely, but the forces of nature, the expansion that comes with freezing and thawing are mightier than concrete.
Do septic tanks last a lifetime?
And not all septic tanks are concrete, or newer, modern plastic. And not all - even concrete - tanks last a lifetime.
How long does a septic system last?
A: The average lifespan of a conventional septic system is 20 to 30 years. The 20- to 30-year life span, commonly cited in the industry, is for systems that were properly designed and built, well-maintained, and not overloaded.
How long does a garbage disposal last?
The other major component is the septic tank. A well-built concrete tank should last at least 40 years. Steel tanks tend to fail in 20 to 30 years and good-quality plastic tanks may last from 30-40 years.
How many people can fit in a three bedroom septic system?
The first component to fail in a septic system is usually the leach field (drain field). The drain field is sized based on the number of bedrooms, assuming two people per bedroom. So a three-bedroom drain field is sized for six people.
Why does my drain field fail?
In most cases, drain field failure happens gradually as the soil around the leaching trenches gets blocked by the naturally forming”biomat” and clogged with solids and grease that spilled out of the septic tank (due to high-volume water usage and inadequate pumping).
How to tell if a house has sewage?
The first signs may be sluggish drainage, backups on the lower floors of the home, or soggy areas over the leach field with a whiff of sewage.
Why is it important to protect drain field area?
It’s also important to protect the drain field area from damage. Direct drainage of yard and roof water away from the drain field so the soil is not saturated. Do not drive or park over the field, or use it in any way that will compress the soil.
How much does it cost to install a concrete tank?
A new concrete tank will typically cost from $3,000 to $6,000 installed. If you need a completely new system, the cost can easily exceed $15,000 or twice that if you need to install an alternative septic system.
How long does a drain field last?
If the size of the drain field and its septic tank, if the soil is in good condition, if the septic tank is well maintained, and if the pumping schedule is met, then the drain field could last for at least 50 years. But there are cases of drain fields that immediately fail within 24 hours.
What is drain field?
Think about it. The drain field surrounds the septic tank and makes up most of the yard space. It takes the pressures brought about trampling and playing, it receives all the rain water and snow, it’s often penetrated by hardwood roots and it also receives whatever condition of effluent that comes from the septic tank.
What happens when a drain field is soggy?
Once the drain field becomes soggy, the anaerobic bacteria die off and the bio-mat becomes too thick that it already clogs the entire drain field. This results to the failure of the entire septic system. You can care for the drain field the same way you care for the septic tank. Everything starts in the household.
What is the function of a drain field?
The anaerobic bacteria in the drain field are responsible for regulating the bio-mat that filters and purifies the outgoing effluent. The drain field should only have short grass planted on it so that the sun’s rays could easily penetrate the top soil and cause immediate evaporation of the effluent. The drier the top soil, the more anaerobic bacteria that reside in it, the better the drain field or the septic system functions. Once the drain field becomes soggy, the anaerobic bacteria die off and the bio-mat becomes too thick that it already clogs the entire drain field. This results to the failure of the entire septic system.
Why is a septic system important?
There is a big reason for this because the septic tank is the receptacle for the wastewater that the household produces. It is the first step to the entire wastewater treatment.
Why are drain fields above ground?
These drain fields are above the ground so that proper absorption and evaporation of the effluent could take place. Because of the fact that drain fields do vary in structure, they also differ in lifespan. Their longevity depends on the actual size, manner of use, and percolation rate of the soil it is installed in.
Why do you need a dry well for a septic tank?
A dry well could be installed to take care of the grey water and lessen the water load of the septic tank.
Septic System Lifespan
On average, a septic system will last for about 20-30 years. With that said, the lifespan of a septic system depends on many factors. The 20-30-year figure assumes that the septic system has been 1) well designed and built, 2) properly-maintained, and 3) never overloaded with waste.
The Leach Field
In all likelihood, the first component of your septic system that will fail is your leach field. Oddly enough, a leach field’s size is based on the bedrooms of your home, assuming that 2 people live in each bedroom. For example, a 4-bedroom home will have a leach field sized for 8 people.
The Septic Tank
Another crucial component of your septic system that will effect its life-expectancy is the septic tank itself. A properly built, concrete septic tank can last for upwards of 40 years, and plastic tanks, assuming the components are not damaged, can last for about as long.
Proper Maintenance
Much of the information covered above is outside of your control, assuming that your septic system is already installed.
The Cost of Replacing a Septic System
While there are certain factors that can make a septic system last longer, every system will eventually need to be repaired to replaced. For instance, if you have purchased a home with a 40-year-old septic system, you may want to consider replacing the system soon. 40 years is a long time for a septic system to function without being replaced!
Conclusion
By its very nature, a septic system is a finite piece of engineering. In other words, it's not designed to last forever! Eventually, it will need to be replaced, so it's a good idea to know how old your system is and how much it can cost to replace it.
Also in Resources
Being a homeowner comes with a lot of challenges, not least of which is caring for one of the most important aspects of your home: the septic system. Proper maintenance doesn’t take much; in fact, a yearly, seasonal deep clean will take care of most issues.
