Question:
>During periods of heavy rain (I live in the Seattle area), my septic >drainfield appears to seep out to the surface on the downhill side of my >yard. The neighborhood is only six years old (I bought 6 months ago), but >several homes have had their drain fields replaced already (very expensive). >I have done some information searching and talked to several contractors >about my options. I am leaning toward a repair of the system using a >technology called "Terra Lift". It is about 10% of the cost of a new drain >field. The contractor uses a probe and sonic shock to break up the >underlying soils in several locations and backfills with tiny plastic beads. >He says if it doesn’t solve the problem, I don’t have to pay, and if it >does, it is guaranteed for 1 year. Has anyone heard of this process, and if >so does it work? Does anyone have other options/opinions regarding a >possible course of action to repair or replace the drain field? >Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
There are several systems that claim to be able to rejuvenate a drainfield. In reality, I have never seen one of them that really worked. This is especially true in fairly new systems that have failed [under eight years old]. If there were conditions that did in a relatively new drainfield , cleaning up the existing mess with hydrogen peroxide, sonic therapy, or whatever is not likely to buy you much time. First find out if it is the drainfield that is leaking. You can use a die test to find out for sure. Then try to determine why it is leaking. It could be that during a really heavy rain that the soil is so saturated that there is nowhere for the effluent to go but down the hillside. You may have a perfectly good drainfield that is submerged during heavy rains. In that case, you might want to try to use a few French drains to keep rain water from your house and yard from saturating your drainfield. The problem that you describe is often one of poor design and bad soils. Peter A. Bucy – Home Builder Charlotte, North Carolina
Response:
> First find out if it is the drainfield that is leaking. You can use a >die test to find out for sure. Then try to determine why it is >leaking.
side note: industrial grade testing dye available at www.plumbertools.com scott in san diego
Response:
During periods of heavy rain (I live in the Seattle area), my septic drainfield appears to seep out to the surface on the downhill side of my yard. The neighborhood is only six years old (I bought 6 months ago), but several homes have had their drain fields replaced already (very expensive). I have done some information searching and talked to several contractors about my options. I am leaning toward a repair of the system using a technology called "Terra Lift". It is about 10% of the cost of a new drain field. The contractor uses a probe and sonic shock to break up the underlying soils in several locations and backfills with tiny plastic beads. He says if it doesn’t solve the problem, I don’t have to pay, and if it does, it is guaranteed for 1 year. Has anyone heard of this process, and if so does it work? Does anyone have other options/opinions regarding a possible course of action to repair or replace the drain field? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Response:
> During periods of heavy rain (I live in the Seattle area), my septic > drainfield appears to seep out to the surface on the downhill side of my > yard. The neighborhood is only six years old (I bought 6 months ago), but > several homes have had their drain fields replaced already (very expensive).
We are in deep South Texas and ours is also draining out on the surface. We have a low pressure dosage system. Here is what I found out from the state folks. First, the county didn’t catch that the perc test was insufficient and not possibly correct correct given our soil type, then they didn’t catch that there were no down pipes in the tanks, then they didn’t catch that the pump was plugged into an outlet which is out in the elements and it is not a waterproof outlet unless the covers are closed which they can’t be when something is plugged in. What am I saying? Don’t expect that it was installed right or that the inspections were ever performed. On our house that is also true of the code inspections. However, if the downpipes aren’t in (a possibility since so many have the problems) all the "scum" (suspended solids and greases are what are going out into the field. That will eventually seal up the laterals and the effluent can only go up. When nothing is growing and taking up some of the moisture, it will show up. Or, the fields weren’t properly sized for the loads to be put on them or not properly installed, or etc. Find out who specs the requirements for septic installation (on site waste water treatment) and do some calling and questioning. Might pay to have the others with problems join in and have the things inspected. Gary
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