Drain fields, also known as septic leach fields, spread septic tank wastewater and eliminate impurities before it soaks further into the soil. Sludge can build up in leach fields over time, or tree roots can grow into them and develop obstructions, causing your septic tank to back up or leak into your yard.
You can unclog your leach field and keep it clean and functional with a little regular maintenance and care! If you detect a clog in one of the leach field pipes, a pressurized sewer jetter is the easiest approach to clear it. If a jetter doesn’t remove the blockage, tree roots may be present, severed using a mechanical auger.
Having Issues With Drainage Fields
Tree roots can penetrate and clog drainage pipes in drainage fields, causing them to stop working. Clogged pipes can be unclogged with a drain auger with cutting bits, although roots might take months to decompose. Chemicals that kill tree roots are effective, but they do not clear the root clog.
Bacteria feeding sewage builds a thick mat beneath the drainage system, clogging the leach bed. Effluent that cannot pass through the bacterial mat leaks to the surface or erupts from the system’s lowest point. Killing these beneficial bacteria prevents the drain field from processing sewage and prevents the mat from dissolving. Construction of a new leach bed is frequently the only choice.
Leach Fields Solutions
Regular septic tank pumping extends the field’s life, although bacterial mats can obstruct a drain bed in just a few years in some soils. Keeping plants and trees off the ground above the drainage system helps prevent roots from clogging pipes. To prevent erosion, replace the grass with shallow-rooted plants.
Homeowners with duplicate drainage systems can use one part of the drainage field for two years while the rest dries and clears. If the leach bed is slightly flooded, reducing home water usage by 35% will occasionally reduce the septic system’s load enough to allow for natural recovery.
Shock the System with Bacteria
Septic systems can be cleaned using a shock treatment. Bacteria-rich products are flushed down the toilet or directly into septic tanks. The products reduce black sludge significantly because of biosurfactants and other additives.
By letting waste material break down and drain through, a septic system bacteria packet can assist clean out a clogged drain field. This can also help to keep your system healthy and extend its life. One treatment per month is typically advised, though a greater, more frequent shock treatment may be required to clear the system first.
Septic Tank Maintenance
After years of use, a septic tank acquires a thick coating of indigestible sludge. Sludge in the tank lowers the volume of water in the tank, allowing sewage to pass more quickly through it. Sludge, which is a significant cause of clogged drain fields, is not dissolved by septic treatment. If you don’t maintain your septic tank regularly, the effluent from a septic tank with high sludge levels will carry solid waste into the leach bed, which can soon clog it. When the tank’s efficiency is threatened by sludge or floating scum, you’ll require a professional service to pump out the contents and dispose of them.
A drain field problem could result from roots infiltrating the pipes, or the system is too old to function efficiently. It may be necessary to consult an expert when determining what needs to be done. Make an appointment with one of our septic specialists to find out how we can help you unclog your leach field.
