If your place of business or home is located in an outlying area around Toledo there’s a good chance your plumbing waste may rely on a septic system.
Septic systems are underground wastewater treatment structures, commonly used in rural areas without centralized sewer systems. They use a combination of nature and proven technology to treat wastewater from household plumbing from kitchen drains, bathrooms and the laundry.
A typical septic system consists of a septic tank and a drain field, or a soil absorption field, often referred to as the leach field. The tank is a large concrete or steel tank that is buried in the yard. The take may hold 1,000 gallons of water. The wastewater flows into the tank at one end and leaves at the other. The leach field is the final destination of water released from your plumbing system, and when functioning properly, the water percolates into the soil and disperses. However, leach fields have finite lifetimes, and lack of proper maintenance can cause premature failure. One can only imagine that the symptoms aren’t pretty.
When septic systems fail, the issues are typically because of a problem with the leach field. The system relies on the leach field to filter and disperse waste. When wastewater or solid waste builds up on the soil at the bottom of the leach field, the soil plugs up and prevents proper drainage. Common causes of leach field malfunction include:
- Disposing of chemicals, grease, paint, and other complex substances down drains
- Excessive water use in the house and leaking toilets and drains
- Damage from construction or vehicles on top of the field
- Water runoff from excessive rainfall or snow
- Tree and plant roots that interfere with pipes
- Old age
It’s important to note that a malfunction of the leach field is a serious problem that needs to be addressed in a timely manner. If not fixed properly, the health of you and those around you are at risk. There are a few common signs that the leach field is failing:
- Grass over leach field is greener than the rest of the yard
- The surrounding area is wet, mushy, or even has standing water
- Sewage odors around drains, tank, or leach field
- Slow running drains or backed up plumbing
When the failure of the septic system is due to broken or damaged pipes, it is important to have a team of professionals do the work for you. We do not recommend you do this project by yourself. At E & K Contractors, we have the right equipment and our technicians know what to look for and can provide you with an estimate to get the system running in proper fashion.
Also, if you are just building a home and need excavation for a new system, we will also provide an accurate estimate for that as well.