Signs You Need to Replace Your Septic Drain Field
Septic systems are set up on properties that are not connected to the municipal sewer system. A healthy drain field is crucial to the overall efficiency of your system. Our licensed septic professionals in Culpeper County can help you install a new drain field or repair your current one. Culpeper Home Services handles residential and commercial septic systems.
Since the drain field—and the rest of your septic system—is buried underneath your property, issues with your system are likely to go unnoticed until the problem surfaces in your home. Signs of drain field failure include:
- Persistent drain problems (clogs, back ups, slow drains)
- Wastewater rising to the surface above your drain field
- Surprisingly green and healthy grass growing near your septic tank or drain field (due to wastewater flowing up)
The most common cause of drain field failure is wastewater pooling in the system. This occurs when the septic tank is full. Other problems that can damage your drain field include poor piping installation, construction work, vehicles running over the drain field, tree root intrusion, and lack of septic system maintenance.
A well-designed and properly installed drain field can last about 20–30 years. Timely maintenance will prevent excess wastewater from accumulating in the drain field and help it operate at full potential.
Can Drain Field Failure Be Repaired?
If your indoor drain issues are caused by clogged pipes, inlet baffles, or effluent filters, we can easily fix the problem for you without having to consider drain field replacement. In some cases, drain fields affected by excess wastewater can also be dried and restored.
However, drain field failure becomes inevitable over time. After about thirty years, the soil surrounding the drain field will teem with friendly microbes, making it difficult for the soil to efficiently absorb wastewater. This is why septic system inspections are highly recommended before you buy a home—particularly if it’s an older property