Surely you are already familiar with the fact that the septic system should take in or hold water. This characteristic is needed so that the wastewater that comes from the household will pass through the various stages of treatment. All the components of the septic system should hold water. What if one of the septic components such as lateral lines is not taking or holding water? Well, you definitely have a problem in your hands.
From the household, wastewater flows towards the septic tank. The wastewater then stays for a while in the tank to separate into layers—scum (top, lightweight solid wastes), effluent (middle, clear liquid), and the sludge (bottom, heavy solid wastes). Here, the wastewater is primarily treated. In the drain field, the second phase of treatment takes place. Here, the soil filters out the harmful contaminants. After the end treatment of the effluent, the recycled wastewater could then be returned to the surrounding environment. When one of these components stops holding water, then the entire flow of wastewater treatment in your home will completely stop. Then backups into the house tend to start.
Lateral lines are part of the drain field. It is made up of pipes that are installed in the trenches that distribute the treated effluent equally throughout the surrounding area. You could determine the location of the lateral lines by the parallel dark green grass that become visible when you miss a day of watering your lawn. In the winter, the lateral lines can be seen when the snow or frost melts easily in those areas than the rest of the lawn. When the lateral lines stop taking in water, meaning the wastewater that it’s supposed to distribute, then there would be backing up and pooling of wastewater. If this is not corrected immediately, then you have to prepare thousands of dollars for the repair or the replacement of the entire system.
A common reason for lateral lines not to take in water is the occurrence of heavy rainfall. During heavy rainfall, many septic systems can overflow. To save the lateral lines and the entire system, it is advisable that no pumping should be made during the rainfall. The obvious reason behind this is that the mud and sediments brought in by the rain will just seep into the system, eventually reaching the lateral lines. This would immediately clog the lateral lines. It will definitely stop holding water and the entire septic system fails.
Another reason is the poor installation of the lateral lines. This professional error may cause the entire drain field and the entire septic system to fail in just twenty four hours. Automatically, you should come up with at most 30,000 USD for a new septic system. This would double the cost of having an up and running system with a functional lateral line.
It will not be healthy for your household and the environment if the lateral lines don’t take in water anymore. Untreated wastewater would flood your home and yard. Everyone will be exposed to odorless, colorless, and detrimental septic fume. When you see slight malfunction in your lateral lines or you’re septic, immediately call the septic expert to help you correct it at the soonest possible time.
Of course, as with anything, you could prevent failure this dilemma from happening by making sure that you follow the guidelines in caring for your lateral lines. You should stop using antibacterial or harsh household cleaners. Properly use the drains, toilets, and sinks by not treating them as trash bins. Try distributing the laundry loads throughout the entire week and not just in any one day in a week. Move any large vehicles or debris away from the lateral lines. Finally, follow the pump out schedule set with the septic expert.
You could definitely avoid large expenses on your septic if you only follow what the septic expert advises you to. With these and persistence, you could be assured to have a beautiful and healthy home for decades to come. Lateral lines not taking of holding water becomes an issue only if you don’t properly maintain a system.