An entire septic system is made up of the drains in the house, the septic tank and the leach field, all of which require septic systems maintenance in Anne Arundel County MD. For a septic system to work effectively all three of the elements must be in place and working properly. The leach field; also called a drain field or leach drain is that element of the system that removes specific contaminates from the effluent of the septic tank.
A typical leach field consists of a series of trenches which are first covered with gravel and then with the top soil. The contents of the leach drain must be checked periodically, usually by an individual licensed to do this work. The test that is performed is called a “percolation test” and it measures the amount of water which is put into the trench and the soil. The test checks for microbial colonies, the presence of petroleum products or cooking oil and insoluble’s. In some cases, especially where there is a lot of sewage activity there are two leach fields; they are used alternatively which allows them to rest between uses.
When the leach field fails to work as it should, septic systems maintenance Anne Arundel County MD is called in to facilitate the repairs. In most cases the problem lies with a clogged system and to avoid this there are a few precautions that should be considered.
Often, the failure of a septic system is the results of excessive waste from a washing machine. As the clothes are washing, lint is produced; this lint ends up in the septic tank. When the lint builds up the tank will become blocked. The easy way to overcome this situation is to insure that your washing machine has a functioning lint filter and that it is kept clean. Using laundry detergent sparingly will also help reduce failures. There is nothing wrong with using laundry detergent; it is just that excessive use can block the system as powdered detergents are often not biodegradable.
All septic tanks should be routinely pumped; failure to do so may cause problems. The use of tank additives is not recommended, they can often do far more harm than good, just keep the tank pumped and clean.
If you are in need of septic systems maintenance in Anne Arundel County MD you are invited to contact Freestate Septic Service. Freestate Septic are experts in septic system maintenance, repair and new installations.
