Extending leaching fields

[ChrisfromCT]

Has anyone added on to thier leaching field. I need to extend my current system. The field is very short by todays standards. I'm sure it was installed 70 or so years ago.

The area I live in has a relatively high water table. I've seen some new systems using these plastic units instead of perferated pipe. Any comments would be of great help.

 

[W5FL]

If the water table rises within 3 ft, there is not a septic system using leach lines that will work properly. If the water table rises within 5 ft, most codes would not allow a leach line field as it is pretty iffy to ever work properly. Contact your local health department for requirements and specifications for your local area. If they will allow you to sepeate gray water and not treat it, then you might have a chance.

I would not tie on to a 70 year old system. Just start over from where it comes out of the house.

 

[bcarter]

I looked into these plastic leaching units when I was facing the possibility of re-doing my leaching field at my old lake house. The units I looked at are called "in-drains" made by a company called Elgin (pardon the spelling) and I think they are in CT. I have a friend that has used them with great success. The big benefit is that most jurisdictions will allow the leach system to have less area than a standard stone/gravel/pipe leach bed, so they'll fit on a small lot where other systems won't. The other benefit that the company touts is that they are cheaper because you don't need all the stone and gravel. I don't think they'll allow you any closer distance to the water table (assuming my memory is correct). I might still have the info if you're interested.

Also, I work part-time for a company that does septic systems and I've seen some pretty scary stuff on old systems...given that I'd have to agree with wen, dig up the old one and start over. It will be easier in the long run.

 

[ChrisfromCT]

Thanks guys,
The problem with starting from scratch is money. While I know in my gut that you guys are right, new systems around here run 15 to 25 thousand dollars.

I was basically trying to do this under cover of darkness.... I'll raise the area with gravel/fill. When they dug the one for the house across the street they had to raise it 12 inches or so.. My guess is the water table / high water mark is about three feet down from the surface where I want to extend this. I have 8 acres so it's not like I'm close to lot lines...

When I had the tank pumped out last, the guy inspected it and it was a cast tank with baffles. So the tak can't be too old can it? If I had to guess I'd say the leaching field is less tha 100 ft. In this case the end of the leaching pipe exits the ground. After a lot of rain we get gray water run off even if we're not running water in the house. Sounds like the field is acting like a curtin drain!

Thanks again,

 

[Alan L.]

Wow. It would seem one of those aerobic treatment systems would work there. I'm fixing to put one in on my place for $5,300 including 2 years of maintenance. Two brand names come to mind - Hydro-Action and Norwest.

I'm on a creek, plus my land don't perculate too well so I pretty much have to have that kind. But after reading about it and talking to those who have them I think I would like it better anyway because there is no leach field to worry with. The treated effluent just sprinkles onto your lawn.

 

[Bird]

Yep, Alan L., I think it's the only way to go in areas that don't perk well (and maybe even if they do). I don't know whether it's a state law or just what, but everyone I know of who installs the aerobic systems includes the first two years maintenance as a part of the installation cost. After that I pay $200 a year for a maintenance contract. My Hydro-Action is just into its fourth year and we've been very pleased with it.

Bird

 

[ChrisfromCT]

Ok I'll bite,
How do these systems actually work? I'll go try Hydro-action.com and see what I can find. What kind of maintenance is done on them.

Thanks,

 

[ChrisfromCT]

Guys,
I went to the Hydro-Action website. This is the space shuttle of septic systems. This is vastly more complicated than excrement has a right to be.

If I were on land that wouldn't perc I'd say maybe. But I'm on land where the high water mark is about three feet down. The area I want to extend to is is 6 or 8 feet lower than the rest on the field. I can raise the system with fill can't I?

If I toss 5 or 6 hundred yards of fill in there to build it up it will be 6 or 7 feet above the high water mark...

Won't a regular leaching field work 6 or 7 feet above the high water mark....

Thanks again,

 

[Bird]

Chris, I haven't figured I could provide you any useful information in response to your original inquiry because of the difference is soils, water table, etc. But I suppose I live on land that percs about as poorly as any ground without rocks could. When I bought the place, the existing septic system had a lateral line approximately 175' long, and we moved in during one of the wettest spells this part of the country has seen in years. It very quickly became apparent that the system was not adequate, so I had an additional 200' of lateral line installed, thinking that would take care of the problem. It was all right so long as it was just the two of us in the house and the weather was dry, but during wet weather, still no good. I learned that most of the neighbors with septic systems have plumbed the drains on their washing machines to either run that water out on top of the ground, or into a separate sump from which they pump it onto the lawn, flower beds, etc.

Anyway, when we built my brother's house, we had the Hydro-Action system installed for $4k, and about 6 months later, I had one installed for the same price. A year or so later, one of my brothers-in-law had one installed for $100 more (by a different installer). You could very easily do the maintenance yourself, but we have a state law requiring a service contract with a licensed installer, so I do that. Now I'm squeamish and certainly wouldn't want to drink the water, but since it's automatic, you never know when the sprinkler is going to come on (depends on how much water is run through it and when), and I walked out one morning on my way to the barn, and the sprinkler came on just as I walked by one of the heads and it hit me full broadside. As far as appearance and odor, you couldn't tell it from the water coming from our hydrants.

Perhaps in some places, or with some installers, the cost may be more, but very shortly before I learned about the Hydro-Action, my parents had a septic system installed for $3,800 (only $200 less than I paid for the Hydro-Action).

Bird

 

[ChrisfromCT]

Thanks Bird,
The soil in this area is about 30% clay and other than that percs pretty good when the weather has been dry. In the spring and winter is when I notice the problems.

I should have mentioned that there are only two of us here in the house. We seem to get runoff in the winter to, I think the field is too shallow and the earth freezes around it.

Thanks for all the help. I may go the extra step to have an engineer design a system and build that. I'm not sure if the law would allow that or not?

I've also seen these big precast pyarmid looking leaching systems. You dig a hole 10x10x10 drop the unit in, run the pipe and fill the rest of the hole with stone. It would seem that if I used two of these units and made sure the base was above the high water mark I'd be ok.

Thanks again everyone for the help.
Chris