One of the more difficult problems that you could experience in your septic system is when your leach field gets clogged with bio-mat. The leach field system is the second most important part of the wastewater treatment in your home. It is the final stop wherein the effluent is supposed to be purified for the surrounding soil. You may think that there is something wrong with your septic system when the tank is not working well. The leach field system is as equally critical as the septic tank. The only thing that you could do to prevent the replacement of your entire septic system is to restore the leach field area with beneficial bacteria.

There are various stages that you have to take note of when the leach field fails. First, the clay component in your leach field binds with the sodium that your household cleaning products have. They form hard blockages that prevent the leach field from efficiently draining the effluent in the soil.

Restoration of the leach field should then be performed in a systematic way to insure that the systems recovery. The septic professional will pump out your leach field septic system, including the distribution box. The distribution box typically has a bio-mat buildup and should be cleared out. Then, about four gallons of septic shock bacteria will be poured into the distribution box and leach field. One gallon is usually applied to the sinks and drains around the house. The last step is waiting one to three weeks for the solution to really penetrate the leach field digesting solids and bio-mat.

You should remember that merely aerating the entire system does not eliminate the sodium accumulation from the soil. Aeration systems can cost up to $1,500 USD and should be backed up by electricity at all times. Be warned that the toxic fumes inside the septic tank can be detrimental to one’s health. You should not do the leach field restoration yourself. Only a licensed, trained septic system professional should handle situations like this.

The leach field restoration is a very costly thing to do. As with any ailment, prevention is better than cure. If you really want to save money and lengthen the lifespan of your septic tank and leach field, then adhere to the maintenance practices and schedules. Be responsible and mindful of how you use your water and drains. As much as possible, lessen your water consumption by only using what you really need. Eliminate all anti-bacterial soaps and detergents. You should also make it a point to use more efficient drain filters to keep hair, soap scum, tissue fibers, and other solid wastes that you could potentially clog drains and pipes. Even the smallest effort can make all the difference if you want a long lasting leach field and an enduring septic system.

Your trees are indeed very impressive. They are growing larger everyday. But have you ever thought of the things that go on underneath the ground they are planted on? Have you ever thought about the location of your beloved trees? Did it ever occur to you that you may have planted your majestic trees on top of your septic system?

That puzzled, realization look has swept over the faces of so many homeowners. They have all fallen victims to the beauty of landscaping in the sense that they have neglected one vital component—the septic system. It would seem that the short orientation that you have received from your septic professional has just passed through your ears and was not taken much into consideration. As a result, you are now faced with one of the possible reasons why there are problems brewing in your septic system. Here are some of the effects of having tree roots clog your septic system.

1. Overflow of sewage
Yes, trees can clog the pipes or block the sewage system through their roots. This blockage can make the sewage backup into your home. As a result, health issues and damage to property become apparent. To lessen the backup of sewage, you should remove the trees from that area above your septic system, and replant them in another part of your yard, wherein their roots won’t be able to block the septic system pipes.

2. Septic tank filling too fast
Because the roots of your trees have already broken or even blocked the septic pipes, the filling up of the septic tank ahead of the usual schedule takes place. If your septic tank is not regularly checked, the sewage will backup into the drain field or your own house. When a septic system runs properly, it only needs to be pumped out every 5 years. Because the septic tank prematurely fills up, tank should always be checked and totally emptied. This is a costly endeavor so clear out the trees!

3. Unpleasant smells
When the tree roots damage or block the pipes, the drain field is bound to overflow because of the improper water flow through your septic system. Water and sewage overflow obviously cause the wafting of off-putting septic odors throughout the house and your yard. Although heartbreaking for the tree-lover you, the only way to eliminate the invasive tree roots is to manually pull them out. If you put corrosive chemicals to disintegrate the tree roots, these will cause the contamination of the groundwater and your drinking water.

4. Wet spots
Wet spots evident in your yard are caused by the overflow in the drain field. This overflow is brought about by the blockages of the tree roots in the septic system. The yard will then become too much of a bother and an annoyance especially when you want to use the yard for relaxation and recreation. Your yard will also be hard to mow and clean up. The smaller plants above your septic drain field will also die and this will be an area where disease-causing mosquitoes could thrive.

Trees can really be an asset in your yard. They provide shade and aesthetic quality to your property. But even the most beneficial organism has to be placed in its proper place to be able to give the best possible good to everyone and everything that surrounds it. This provides the balance that every living environment requires. For you to have that coveted balance in your household, take care of your trees and don’t make them the villain in your septic system.

Most people are concerned as to how long the average lateral line system will last and what way can they keep those lines happy throughout the lifespan of the system. The good news is, lateral lines are normally a long lasting component of the entire leach field system and will provide years of uninterrupted service when properly cared for. The drain field is the part of the septic system that is the final phase of the wastewater treatment system. This is where the purification of the pre-treated effluent is performed by the biomat, which is regulated by the aerobic bacteria. 

The drain field has to be dry all the time since this helps increase the level of the aerobic bacteria. The more aerobic bacteria in the drain field, the better its components, such as the lateral lines, are. Lateral lines are the ones responsible for distributing the treated effluent into the surrounding environment. It is also connected to the distribution box that does the same thing. The lateral lines are in the trenches of the drain field so essentially, the lateral lines have to be as well-maintained as the drain field. 

How long do lateral lines last? Well, it lasts as long as the drain field itself. If the lateral lines are perfectly installed and the septic tank is optimally maintained, then the lateral lines could easily be in your property for 50 years at least. But septic installers are not perfect. Some of them make bad calls and professional mistakes as well. The drain fields and lateral lines could all simultaneously fail within 24 hours. A conventional drain field and set of lateral lines could last for about twenty years or so if well-cared for. If all drain fields are not made equally, then so are lateral lines. Lateral lines depend on the drain fields they are installed in. They can be dug up into the ground or raised above it to enhance absorption and evaporation of the effluent. 

Caring for the septic tank is the most important way to care for your lateral lines and lengthen its lifespan. Doing things like changing to bacteria-friendly and environment-friendly solutions; not dumping harsh chemicals and non-biodegradable trash into drains, toilets, and sinks; diverting the gutter away from the system area; not running over the system; not building anything over the system; not planting trees on the septic system area; and installing a dry well nearby to handle the grey water and decrease the septic water load. 

Lateral lines only give out when everything goes crazy from day one, in square one. The household is the main reason why lateral lines or any part of the septic system would fail. You should impose a strict proper usage of the septic system. The septic expert could very well orient you with this. It is their entire life and profession so why don’t you take advantage of the skills and knowledge that they have to offer. It would be better to get as much first-hand information from them as you could, as early as you could to prevent serious damages. You would definitely hate yourself for only knowing about the proper maintenance of lateral lines by the time it fails. 

As you go through your life as a homeowner, always remember that there is a living organism underneath your property that occasionally needs your attention but always needs your consideration. It is never a bad thing to improve your ways and get into the correct manner of running a property and a septic system. So better start now or regret it someday.

                Water softening is a process wherein the sodium, magnesium, and calcium ions are eliminated from your water supply. As a result, the discharge that enters the septic tank is rich with the said ions. There is a speculation about this that stresses the harm of these ions, especially salt, on the bacterial population that is supposed to thrive in the septic tank. There have been studies that provided evidence that the salt content in the water softening discharge is not enough to deplete the bacteria. Even if the bacteria present love fresh water, the salt content of the discharge is too dilute already to significantly affect them. Other ions such as calcium, greatly improves the porosity of the soil in the drain field. This increases the percolation rate of the soil and makes the absorption of the effluent much faster. This also accelerates the purification and distribution process. The degree of improvement in percolation depends on the texture of the soil that surrounds the septic tank.

                The volume of water is also a point of concern in the water softening process. It is believed by many that the amount of water that enters the septic tank greatly increases, resulting in the violent stirring of the solid waste materials and the delay of the decomposition. Both of these result to the blockage of the drain field that leads to the failure of the septic system. Water softening only pushes through when it is needed. This results to a lowered volume of water that enters the septic tank. It really doesn’t bother the decomposition of the solid wastes that have settled at the bottom of the tank. Its impact doesn’t even stir up the sludge for it to be dispersed into the drain field.

                The septic tank is a vital part of your home’s water treatment facility. Water softening yields mineral ions that are thought to accumulate and damage it. It is speculated that the sodium, calcium, and magnesium have a tendency to stick to the tank. Since only very low amounts of these ions are deposited into the tank through the water softening discharge, no evidence has been presented that shows their significant damage to the tank itself.

                Contrary to what people believe, water softeners give more advantages than disadvantages to you and to your household.

• They do not damage your septic tank.
• They do not harm the bacterial population in the septic tank.
• They improve the porosity of the drain field.
• You save on soap and time in washing and bathing.

You enter your home with loads of soap again. This is outrageous and you know it! You are spending so much on soap and detergents that it is already creating a strain on your budget. Don’t you think it’s about time for you to have a water softening system installed? Of course, you will spend on it but think about how much you’re going to save on soap when you have soft water running. There are times when you have to try something out for yourself so that you could really have a grasp of what it could really give you. Water softening is just one of the issues that you have to look into very well in order to correct the wrong perceptions that built up time.

One of the plans that you had for years was to have lots of trees in your yard. But the dilemma started to reveal itself when the idea of having a septic system entered the picture. You wanted to incorporate a bunch of trees to have the look of a secret garden on your property. But the thought of having the drain field underneath those trees made you think of a resounding question—can tree roots block or clog lateral lines?

You have already talked with the architect and the septic professionals that you have hired. The aesthetical aspect of the yard was stressed by your architect but the septic professional emphasized the effect of the trees on the drain field and lateral lines. Before an argument ensued, you just decided to go with the septic professional and compromise with the architect’s landscaping ideas. You just opted for the trees to frame the entire property or at least a few meters surrounding the area of the drain field. This would assure the safety of the lateral lines and the long life of the septic system. You only want what is best for your investment and taking the expert’s advice would be a great way to start.

The septic system’s drain field is a very important part of the waste water treatment process. This is the part where the final treatment and purification takes place. With the leach field in full throttle, the effluent is surely prepared to get rid of the toxins, viruses, pollutants, and harmful bacteria that are detrimental to your health and to your environment. This is why the leach field should be well-cared for. The lateral lines in the drain field are needed to distribute the purified wastewater to the surrounding soil. If these are clogged, the pretreated wastewater will back up onto your yard or into your home. The common causes of lateral line clogging are the accumulation of the bio-mat and the tree roots that invade them.

Trees have complex root systems that never stop searching for nutrients and water to sustain their processes. This prompts the roots to go deeper and deeper into the soil. The lateral lines are rich with nutritious effluent that is an ideal source of sustenance for the trees. As the roots cling and penetrate the lateral lines, damage ensues. The lateral lines break and this makes the drain field fail. It would definitely be a very expensive repair process, if you let the roots of trees get into your lateral lines. Your investment will be treated poorly and will deteriorate in a matter of a few short years.

Your yard was definitely coming together with the septic experts doing their job and your design team at a standby when their septic system work is finished. You have a feeling that everything is falling in its right place. You are positive about this entire project. Even if it is going to take a while for your home to be finished and fully functional, you know that it will be one of the best decisions that you have ever made. Your septic system is as important as your home. Without it, your wastewater will never be disposed of properly. It is only right for you to make sure that everything is all right and followed systematically. Tree roots can really clog the lateral lines. You have made the right decision to place the trees away from the drain field. This is only one of the responsibilities that you have as a homeowner and you have done it with full consideration.

                It is very embarrassing to have a home reeking of septic system odors. Even if you keep a clean household, if the drains give out that obnoxious smell, guests and neighbors will think otherwise. Those who live in areas where they are hooked up to wastewater treatment plants are very fortunate as they don’t have to maintain their own septic tank and risk having regular bouts of odorous spells. 

                The offensive odors from your septic system linger for a while until you finally address the main problem. You can find yourself temporarily resolving the issue by spraying deodorizers and air fresheners. Take a look at these septic system odor control techniques that could help you deal in your own home: 

1. Indoors

When you have septic system odor issues in the home, don’t worry because this dilemma can be easy to tackle. This is mainly caused by a trap in your pipe or a dry drain that is often located in a sink or bathroom that is not often used. The “U”-shaped pipe there traps odors, especially when it is dry and there is no blockage of water between the odor from the septic system and the drain. If you want to remove the septic system odor inside your home, just turn on the faucet and run some water. Do this as a practice to prevent odors from coming out again. 

1. Cleaning products

Using household cleaning products to flushing the pipe lines between your home and the septic tank can help in getting rid of the septic system odor. You could consult with your local home store or online septic system stores for tips on what products you should use. 

1. Outdoors

A technique that you could use in dealing with septic system odors outdoors is the extension of the vent to the topmost portion of the roof. This is quick and easy to do. You usually experience septic system odor outside the house because of the vent’s low position. It needs to be high enough for the wind to carry the fumes away from your area. Make use of a PVC pipe to increase the height of the vent stack to about three feet. Don’t forget to place charcoal filters over the extended vent so that the odors can be filtered before they get carried off into oblivion. 

There are many causes of septic system odors that mainly arise from your own practice at home like dumping used oil and coffee grinds into the garbage disposal. This causes heavy clogs that make the water backup into your home. The clogging also causes the water to become stagnant and pool around your septic tank. This water collection damages the tank and gives way to septic system odors to spew out. You should also avoid planting trees around the area of your septic tank because the roots will eventually damage the pipelines and cause odors to escape. If ever you already did everything possible to get rid of the septic system odors and nothing still worked, it would be better to seek the assistance of professionals and let them skillfully handle the matter.

While these are just a few broad reasons why a septic system may give off odors, keep in mind that any system with odor conditions is an early warning sign that something is wrong internally and the system should be inspected and treated accordingly. Once septic system odors appear, pressures build within the system which causes interference with the normal decomposition process. Once this begins, a snowball effect occurs and the system steadily declines.

                One of the technology’ gifts to man is the dishwasher and it has be proven to be an indispensable tool in the kitchen that helps you get rid of the filthy kitchenware that your household uses everyday. With the handy and ready dishwasher, you can have clean dishes anytime, any day. But if you are a homeowner, would having such a contraption be a contradiction to your septic system? Would your automatic dishwasher actually harm the system that digests and recycles your solid wastes? 

                When it comes to the water volume that the dishwasher utilizes, this does not usually affect the septic system at all. While the detergent content of the dishwasher wastewater is diluted, it may pose a threat to the bacteria within the septic system. When you use a dishwasher, the detergents you pour in do not normally lather up too much while the surfactants lift the dirt and other substances from the dishes – aggressively spraying hot water to do all the necessary work. 

                The regular dishwashing detergents that you use may or may not do a lot of damage in the septic tank per se but they do make their way to the surface water or groundwater in many cases since over 50% off all septic systems in the country are in disarray or in need of attention. The chemicals pose a hazard to the surrounding environment since the surfactants in the detergents are known to be very toxic to some species of fish. They interfere with the ability of the gills to absorb oxygen from the water. The phosphates accelerate the growth of algae in the surface water. Eutrophication is the end-product that deprives the living organisms in the water of oxygen. When this happens, the affected bodies of water are tagged as dead zones wherein there is no fish or aquatic plants are present anymore. As you can see, it is the surface water or ground water that is highly affected by the dishwashing detergents used every time you turn on your automatic dishwasher. 

                During social occasions or those times when you have an excess amount of visitors or guests in your home, dishwashers can work triple time. This accelerated use causes greater amounts of potentially toxic material to flow into the safe zone of your septic system. The increased chemicals can radically deplete colony counts inside your septic and speed up or cause clogging downstream. Whenever people get together, food seems to be the ice breaker and that food leads to dirty dishes. You can’t serve your important guests with paper products so keep aware of when and how many people you plan to entertain regularly. 

Too much dumping of dishwashing detergents, food stuffs and just plain excess water will have an immediate impact on your septic system. If you feel as though you are going to be using the dishwasher up and beyond what might be gauged as normal, consider adding a French drain or drywell to handle the dishwasher water. These independent type collection systems are relatively inexpensive and will take a massive load off of the septic by diverting the grey water elsewhere. Most drywell systems only take up a small footprint of yard space and are buried for aesthetics. 

                To resolve the overloading of the drain fields, it is better if you install a drywell or a gray water system as a receptacle and dispersement system for the dishwasher water. This way, you will be confident that the drain field is safe from too much dishwasher use since the toxic load will be diverted elsewhere. If you are thinking of not using your dishwasher again, think twice. There is no point in not making your life lighter by not using assistants like the dishwasher. Whatever you decide, at the very least, select a dishwasher detergent that appears to use the least amount of toxic ingredients while still having suitable power to clean your dishes with one cycle. Running the dishwasher twice using a substandard detergent only makes thing worse.

                Your septic professional just broke the news to you. Your septic system has failed and needs to be replaced immediately. How could this be, you ask? Well, this is not supposed to be an “I told you so” moment but you have to realize that it is more of a combination of what you did and didn’t do that brought about this terrible crisis.

For years, you have never even taken a peek at your septic system. You were one of those who utterly believed that the septic system works all by itself and maintains itself. Too bad you proved yourself wrong the hard way. Having your septic system replaced is a very expensive and laborious endeavor. It is something that you cannot avoid at all because apparently, you don’t think of your septic system all the time. If your septic system has failed, then better get ready to shed about 4,000 to 40,000 USD and this would depend on your situation. Your new septic system depends on the ground layout, the amount of rocks in the soil, and the cost of labor. The actual area where you live in could also affect the cost of the new septic system. If the soil in your property is very hard to excavate, then it would cost you much more. Those advanced systems like aerobic systems, raised mounds, and sand filters are much more expensive to build and install. When the plumbing is complex, the advanced level of engineering and the groundwater is high.

                Do-It-Yourself guides are also available these days. If you want to save on professional service fees, just make sure that you follow instructions well. The septic tank costs between 500 – 1,800 USD and this could accommodate three hundred to a thousand gallons. The other items that you need would cost a total of 200 USD at most. There are internet guides like www.watertanks.com and www.Costhelper.com to help you in your step by step effort to install a new septic tank for your home.

                The cost of a replacement septic system doesn’t end with the materials that you need for the job. You should set aside an amount of about 250 – 1,000 USD and even more for a building permit. All septic systems need a permit that will depend on the design and the site of installation. You could consult the planning department and enforcement officers for application forms and details that you need. Also check out the websites for the enforcement of state codes so that you may be updated with the regulations and fees in your municipality. Also consider the plants that are to be removed when you new septic system is installed. This is another cost to be prepared for.

                Thinking of hiring a professional or a contractor to do the job for you could cost you more than you could imagine. The services will include pumping, removal of wastes, inspection, and the installation of the septic tank. It is more practical to hire someone knowledgeable of the codes and regulations so that everything would be done smoothly. The septic professional would also have to take note of the distance between the wetland and your home, the requirements for the permit, the devices that discharge on your property, and the distance between the septic area and your home. All these will add on to the total cost of the installation.

                Making sure that your keep your septic system running smoothly would’ve been much more affordable for you but hind sight is 20/20 of course. Making use of a lint filter for your washing machine whenever you use it would help your septic system run properly. Also, it is better to have small loads of dishes and laundry done during the week than to just do them all in one day. You should also make sure that you clean your septic tank regularly and maintain it with a potent bacteria additive.

                Yes, you may have to replace your septic system now and if it is damaged beyond potential remediation through chemicals, you must accept that it is not going to repair itself. But, once you have a new one installed, learn from your past mistakes. Give proper care and maintenance to your new septic system to save you another large dent on your bank account.

Taking good care of your cesspit needs a lot of detailed attention. It is something that you could almost think of like caring for a pet. When you have a pet, you do whatever it takes to assure that he or she is healthy. You feed, groom, and play with your pet every chance you get. You also spend quality time with him or her to really make sure that you have that special bond. It is the same with your cesspit. Think about it. It is a living system so it also needs the basic care that every living organism needs.

Of course, part of the cesspit care is to clean it. What do you use when you clean the cesspit? Well, you really have to consider a lot of things before you jump on the task. The cesspit is a system that depends on the bacterial population in the tank so you have to have that as a primary consideration when you choose the right cleaning agent. There are so many products that do the job and they are categorized into three—organic, inorganic, and biological.

Inorganic cleaning products for the septic tank are usually availed for their ability to unclog drains because of the strong alkali and acid components. These products deplete the bacteria in your cesspit, incapacitating the breakdown of the solid wastes for a while. As a result the sewage to directly to the drainfield and clog all the pipes and change the soil’s consistency. This also includes the corrosion of the d-box and the tanks, making them collapse or leak.

Biological cleaners mix up the bacteria and the enzymes to further improve the condition and the population of the existing colony of bacteria in your cesspit. They don’t have special bacteria to be added into the cesspit. Pretty much the same culture should be added into your cesspit to increase the efficiency of the bacteria.

Organic cesspit cleaners work to rid the cesspit of the unwanted grease and oils. These compounds break down the dumped fats into the cesspit where they negatively affect the bacterial population. These types of digestants are beneficial provided they are bacteria based, not just enzyme based. Enzymes, unlike bacteria, cannot create a loop cycle for digestion. While bacteria create enzymes as part of the breakdown process, enzymes do not have the ability to create bacteria and once their organic targets are liquefied, enzymes decompose and cease to offer prolonged benefit.

When it comes to being an effective cleanser, organic cesspit cleaners really do strip the cesspit of the thick grease and oils that clog the system. Once these are broken down, it is easier for them to be eliminated when the tank is pumped. Some organic cleaners also get rid of the hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and other toxic substances that are present in the cesspit. It makes the maintenance of the cesspit a level safer this way. These products make use of the natural probiotics and microbes that do all the work. They also leave certain antioxidants that get rid of cesspit odors as they perform the cleaning. Always seek the advice of a septic remediation professional when you apply the organic cesspit cleaner that is recommended.

The responsibility of caring for your cesspit lies in your vigilance and dedication as a homeowner. Make sure that you maintain your cesspit according to schedule and to watch water and household cleanser usage.

No, it’s not a dragon, a friendly pre-historic creature, or a kingdom of fairies that does you good from under the surface of your property. It is your septic system that makes health and safety possible for your household. It is only fitting that proper maintenance and care be given to this living organism that serves you everyday. But how do you do this? First, you have to locate the distribution box lid of your septic system. 

While the septic tank and pipes should be well maintained, you really will want to know the location of your D-Box and its lid. Finding the exact location of your distribution box and its lid can pose a problem especially if you have no idea where the system may be located in your yard. It is just one of the great technicalities of being a homeowner that you didn’t seem to think as that important at the time. It seemed enough for you to know that somewhere beneath your lot is a box made of concrete that is vital to your septic system maintenance. Don’t fret. Just have the perseverance and the patience and you will find that distribution box lid. These steps can really help: 

1. Installation records should be checked

First step in your mission is to make sure that the installation records should be checked. This is pretty easy to do because every septic system installation has a permit. It should have a file in the office where the permit was obtained by the one who installed your septic system. When you find the records, sort out the diagram or blueprint of your septic system. This will show you the exact place where your septic system was installed in your property. It will definitely include the pipe routes, drainfield location, and where the distribution box was fixed into. But take note that this diagram may just be the plan of the designer or installer. The actual installation might have been changed so it may not tell you exactly where the distribution box really is. Nevertheless, it is a great way to start your search. 

1. Locate the field lines

Once you have the diagram, try your best to locate the field lines. The location is characterized as a level part of your yard that is large and free of any shrubs or woody plants. The smaller plants on it such as grass should be dark green, fast-growing, thick, and lush. Follow the pattern to your house. Find the intersection of the dark green grass and this would most probably indicate the location of your distribution box. Dig up that suspected area so that you can confirm this notion. It is possible that the distribution box is installed two to four feet underground. 

1. Use a metal detector

A metal detector could help you is you cannot get your hands on the diagram or design of your septic tank. This device could help you locate the metal distribution box underneath all that grass. Just g to the suspected area of the field lines and scan that area towards your house. Even if the distribution box is of concrete material, there is a metal re-bar that reinforces it. The metal detector should be able to pick this up. 

1. Use a prybar

This may be considered as your last means to find the distribution box. You could just simply drive the prybar or a metal rod into the area of your yard where you suspect your distribution box is installed. This is an invasive means to find it. Keep driving the prybar two to four feet deep into the ground until you hit concrete. Just make sure that it is concrete and not just some large piece of rock. If you are unsuccessful the first time, mark the place you dug up and start in another area. This can really exhaust you and waste a lot of time but with positive thinking, you will find that distribution lid. 

Don’t worry. You will eventually find that distribution lid. What’s important is that you know that it is about 2 to 4 feet underground. This is a fair start in your effort to maintain your septic pipes.