Homeowners usually have issues to deal with when it comes to maintaining their properties. They have several aspects to consider so that their investment won’t go down the hatch. It is imperative that they resolve any problem that may arise as they spend their time in their homes. One of the most common complaints that homeowners have is the excessive water that their property accumulates. There are two basic sources of excess water. One is heavy rainfall and the other is excessive water use. The excess water on your property tends to affect the condition if your house foundation and your septic system. If your basement or the sides of your home often flood after a heavy rainfall, then your foundations are in danger of premature rotting and deterioration. The foundations of your homes should always remain dry so that it can properly handle the pressures of everyone using the living space. The septic system acquires excessive water from the runoff and from the water used by your household every day. The runoff comes from the rain gutter that drains over or near the septic system. Your household may not be moderating water consumption as well. The septic system does handle wastewater but it can only cater to the water capacity it was designed and built for. In some cases French drains may be used to help a property handle the excess water. So, how can French drains help your septic system?
French drains help property owners with their excessive water problems. You should do your best to understand how French drains can help your septic systems so that you can have fewer headaches concerning your property’s condition and your household’s health. A French drain built near your basement or near the sides of your house is efficient in waterproofing your home. It diverts the water from higher concentration to lower concentration. This helps in providing sustainability in your property because the excess water provides moisture to areas of your property that are very dry most of the day. The French drain or soakaway built around your septic system is needed to help the system function efficiently even if there is heavy rain or excessive water use in the household.
The septic system tends to overflow when the household’s water consumption exceeds the tank’s capacity. The untreated or raw wastewater spills into the drain field, clogging everything. The blockages brought about by the untouched solid waste particles cause the system to fail inevitably. The repairs and replacements brought about by this event will set you back thousands of dollars. The French drain around the septic system helps the wastewater treatment very effectively. If the septic tank overflows, the French drain catches the raw effluent and allows the anaerobic bacteria do their job in breaking down the solid waste particles. The pre-treated effluent passes through the bacterial slime layer in the French drain’s durable media. The slime further treats the wastewater before it disperses into the surrounding drain field system. By the time slime treated effluent reaches the surrounding soil, the latent bacteria in the soil purifies the effluent further. When the cleaned up water reaches the water table, it is ready to be reused by other households in the surrounding area.
Building a French drain is easy. You can do this on your own. However, if you’re not sure of what to do, you can always ask your drain or septic expert to do the job professionally for you. The French drain has to have an ideal slope that will allow it to use gravity to move the effluent forward. It also has to have aggregate—crushed stone or gravel—to help it filter the wastewater faster. Its pipelines need to be perforated so that it can help disperse the pre-treated effluent evenly into the surrounding soil.
It would be best to have professionals build your soakaway for you. This way, you can be sure that the measurements and the installations are right. French drains can help your septic system. With these components, your home and septic will last for a long time.