A well cared for property should be functional, accommodating, clean, and orderly. If you want to make sure that your property is ideal, you have to step up and be ready to do your part. The technical parts of your property include your all-important septic system. Your septic system is responsible for treating and purifying all of the raw wastewater that your household produces. It has a septic tank that harbors resident anaerobic bacteria that break down the solid waste materials in the wastewater. When the effluent is clear enough, it flows into the drain field to leach into the surrounding environment. Blockage to the septic tank and the drain field is a common problem. When there is blockage in the drain field, the entire septic system is bound to suffer and fail. The septic tank is responsible for isolating the solid waste materials from the clear effluent. This is mainly performed by the resident anaerobic bacteria in the tank. Once the bacteria have done their job, the effluent flows into the drain field. It is crucial for the drain field to remain free of clogs because here is where the final stage of wastewater treatment happens. Here, the anaerobic bacteria will continue to break down organic matter to purify the effluent so that it could be reused. Blockages can happen sometimes, even if you are very diligent with your septic system treatment. But there are also other things that can cause issues with a septic. So, let see how calcium can cause blockage in a drain field.
Blockages happen because of the homeowner’s lack of information or lack of time to be more strict and aware of the proper septic system maintenance. Here are some of the things that bring about blockages in the drain field:
- Soil compaction. This results from making your drain field into a driveway, a parking lot, or a storage area. The heavy weight of vehicles and structures will crush the components of the drain field. When this happens, sediments will enter the system and leaks will take place. These will clog the normal passage of wastewater throughout the drain field. The wastewater will backup and flood the property.
- Harsh chemical use. Cleaning the house sometimes involves using harsh chemicals. These substances kill off the anaerobic bacteria in the septic tank. When this happens, the solid waste materials will not be broken down anymore. The solid waste will just stay in the tank and clog everything. They will even be pushed into the drain field to block the processes there as well.
- Invasive roots. Roots of trees and hardwood plants are always in search of close, abundant sources of water and nutrients. Your septic tank and drain field are the most immediate suppliers in your yard. These roots tend to invade the various components that hold the system together. Once these pipes are damaged, the leaks and the cracks will imbibe debris and excess water into the system. These will then block the natural flow of wastewater treatment.
- Improper disposal of waste. Even if you have garbage disposal units in your drains, non-biodegradable materials will always remain the same even if they are grounded up. In fact, the garbage disposal unit just increases the surface area of the plastics that you dump into your drains.
One cause of blockage in drain fields is calcium. Just like organic matter that can cause blockage, calcium can accumulate in the soil. Unfortunately the anaerobic bacteria will not eat calcium. You should know how calcium can cause blockage in a drain field to find out ways on how you can maximize performance in your septic system.