Welcome! My name is Sally. This is my blog about plumbing. I decided to start writing about plumbing after a very scary experience. I arrived home from work one day only to discover that a pipe burst in my home. When I opened the front door, I saw a torrent of water pouring down the stairs. I panicked and ran next door to my neighbour. Luckily, he used to work as a construction contractor, so he has a lot of experience in dealing with household problems. He helped me to turn off the mains water and helped me to mop up the mess. After this event, I decided I wanted to learn more about the plumbing in my house, so I went to a night school class.
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A septic tank is an ideal onsite sewage treatment system for residential properties located in areas without connection to the local sewage networks. This disposal system prevents contamination of nearby streams, rivers and ditches as well as the general land.
If the septic drain field is faulty, you will notice plumbing problems such as backed-up drains, odours emanating from sinks, and overflowing toilets. In some cases, the septic tank container will flood causing extensive problems. If you want to better understand how to maintain your septic tank, here are some of the causative issues linked to the drain field failure and possible solutions.
Root Ingress
The drain field is rich in nutrients so it is a favourable substrate for plant growth. If there are trees and large shrubs around the septic system, their roots will grow towards the fertile areas. They can breach the pipe work and cause significant blockages. This root ingress will limit the flow of the waste causing the entire system to be backed up and the tank to overflow.
You will need to hire a local septic tank professional to remove the trees in close proximity to the system and to clear the roots within the pipes. If the damage is severe, your only option might be the construction of a new drain field.
Pipe Work Aging
Older septic tank systems will experience more drain field problems compared to modern alternatives. The leaching function of the septic field can fail because of sludge buildup in the pipe work. The narrower drainage pipes will have lower performance capabilities so they may be unable to keep up with the waste flow requirements.
It is important to note that the degradation of the drain field will depend on aspects such as waste type and emptying frequency. You can resolve this issue cleaning or replacing the drainage channels. In addition, older pipes are more susceptible to breakage and general damage which can result in blockage. If you are not ready to purchase replacements, avoid driving heavy machinery over the leach field.
Sodium Binding
The drain field can fail due to the increased usage of detergents such as washing powders and dishwasher tablets. These chemicals contain high sodium quantities which binds together the silt or clay particles in the field. This action renders the drainage layer impervious to the wastewater so you should minimise the usage of sodium-based detergents to restore efficiency.
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