Leech Field Prevention of Bio Mat Growth?

 
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Sunny Boy
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Post by Sunny Boy » Tue. Mar. 14, 2017 11:01 am

Rob R. wrote:
drywell for the water softener and laundry...
Good advice, and very economical. My brother just put one in.
Used to be common when I was a kid on LI's south shore with it's sandy soil and high water tables - before they put in the sewer lines. Good way to extend the life of any type of septic system.

One of my teenage summer projects was, ..... my father "volunteered me" to dig 4 foot holes, 5 feet deep at each corner of the house. He then got some clean 55 gallon drums. We whacked them full of holes with a pick axe, dropped them in the hole, ran the roof down spouts into them, filled them with crushed rock, and then buried them.

Worked great and we only had to have the cesspool pumped every few years instead of yearly.

Paul

 
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Post by scalabro » Tue. Mar. 14, 2017 11:02 am

First thing he did was pressure wash the inside of the leach pipes with a special "umbrella" device that was attached to a high pressure hose. This was snaked from the D box out to the end of each pipe. This forced the biomaterial back to the D box where it was extracted out by a septic pump truck. Then 50% HP was put in each pipe (3) about 17 gallons in each pipe. This was all caused by no filter installed by the builder.

HP breaks down biomaterial by oxzidation, I think!

CS beat me to it :D

 
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Post by scalabro » Tue. Mar. 14, 2017 11:10 am

Sometimes D boxes shift. Mine did and for 17 years I was unaware of it. Most effluent was going in only one field. I added 3 "Speed levelers" to fix this. They are cheap and work perfectly. I can't believe it's not code to install a tank outlet filter and speed levelers along with some type of quick access inspection cover on the D box. With these three things a properly sized & designed and used septic sys should outlive the owner.


 
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Post by ONEDOLLAR » Tue. Mar. 14, 2017 11:22 am

scalabro wrote:They are cheap and work perfectly. I can't believe it's not code to install a tank outlet filter and speed levelers along with some type of quick access inspection cover on the D box
The answer to your question can be found with one word.. MASSACHUSETTS. However "good intentioned" Title 5 was when passed the fact remains it is nothing but a money pit for a homeowner with a "failed" system and it doesn't take much for one to fail in Taxachusetts.

A new system in MA will run between 20 and 30k. I had 2 neighbors who shelled out over 40k each. Yet here in "Flyover Country" a new system is well under 8k.

 
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Post by scalabro » Tue. Mar. 14, 2017 12:47 pm

ONEDOLLAR wrote:
scalabro wrote:They are cheap and work perfectly. I can't believe it's not code to install a tank outlet filter and speed levelers along with some type of quick access inspection cover on the D box
The answer to your question can be found with one word.. MASSACHUSETTS. However "good intentioned" Title 5 was when passed the fact remains it is nothing but a money pit for a homeowner with a "failed" system and it doesn't take much for one to fail in Taxachusetts.

A new system in MA will run between 20 and 30k. I had 2 neighbors who shelled out over 40k each. Yet here in "Flyover Country" a new system is well under 8k.
True! But overall if you have a T5 compliant sys and a leach pipe fails, typically all that is required is to repair that section. Plus, without some type of code lots of builders would just stick a pipe in the ground. Believe me, you know I hate Big gubment but at some level scumbag builders have to be given a set of minimum standards.

Part of the expense out where you used to live, from what I'm told, is the area does not have the best geological conditions/soil for minimum perk standards.

I live on the far western edge of the CT river, everywhere I stick a shovel I bring up 3/4 inch gravel :D

What's worse is folks have their system inspected, when it fails the pumper is obligated to "fail" the system and notify the town.

If owners were more aware of how to maintain a properly engineered system without the szhit police we'd all be better off :lol:

 
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Post by CapeCoaler » Tue. Mar. 14, 2017 1:44 pm

Yep nobody likes playing with the stink pipe... ;)
Out of sight out of mind...
Until the yard turns into a mini marsh...
I agree a outlet filter should be required...
but if it don't get cleaned regularly it backs up the tank...
Resulting in stink water in the basement...
Then you need a hazmat team to disinfect the basement... ;)
Who is going to pay someone to clean the filter 2-4 times a year...
Nah just let the field fail...
And the d-box should be easily accessible...
like you said you can see what is happening...
The d-box is early warning system before your field fails...
I like doing the concrete chambers...
dig'em up replace the 2 feet of failed sand and you are done...


 
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Post by Lightning » Tue. Mar. 14, 2017 7:25 pm

I probably shouldn't post that here lol. Post retracted.

 
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Post by KLook » Tue. Mar. 14, 2017 10:17 pm

I used to think they had too many regulations even in rural Maine..... :o Welcome to Tennessee. I have looked at 100 houses in the last 3 months....none had a septic plan on file for me to see. I just bought one built in 95 and the realtor was so pleased to send me a septic plan......until I told her I thought her 5 yr old drew it with a crayon.....seriously.... :shock: The builders are as described here scalabro......housing is the biggest ripoff I have ever seen.....silly me.

Kevin

 
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Post by Clousseau » Sat. Mar. 18, 2017 10:38 am

Shampoos, bath soaps, and especially hair conditioners are fuel for bio mat growth.

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