I’am getting ready to “help” install a new leach field. The home is 45 years old, a one bd rm, one bath, and one kitchen sink. The Site is granite boulder’s every where. The Plan, is to dig up old leach field, and install new leach rock and leach pipe, where old field is/was. Reason for this, is Old leach field is Root infested, them roots are all over the place, interferring with the leaching process. My question to you all, what can I do to prevent/slow down the roots??? The tree types are chinese elms, and a type of popular, all trees are about 10 to 15 feet away from field. I cut them down and the next year, I’ve got more sprouts. The home is a friends rental, the tenants are not much,, help ie tree control. I thank you all Jim J
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Whoops,,, exsisting field is apprx. 3' wide, 35' long, 18" dirt on top, then anybody's guess as to how much actual depth of leach, but I/we will find out.
Around here you'd need a septic design approved by the county to even touch something like that. No ad hoc design allowed...
David and Rick, I thank you for your responses. This job, happens to be inside the City limits, no City sewer available,(at this time ) you all might as well slap me now, and then later I'll bang my head against some rock. For, job is supposed to be done by this come Friday. I'll keep you all informed at to what all we dig up. I do know that this type of Job is like walking on thin ice, ie no permit, no college engineering, and not much time, Be Safe out there Jim J
You just can't do what you suggest and have it work. A wise friend once told me that intelligent people figure out which jobs are worth doing yourself and which aren't. This falls into the "aren't" category. I speak from bitter experience having done just what you're planning many times. Rebuilt a drainfield at one of my rentals 3 years ago. Dug it all out and put in new gravel , etc. Worked a little over 2 years then I paid a septic contractor to come in and do it right. The biggest problem is that the soil around the field will be saturated. If you don't have a separate grease trap it will also be saturated with grease and nothing short of replacing all the soil will work. Around here, south Florida, the contractors would dig up the existing field and all the soil surrounding it. They would dig down 10 or 12 feet and fill the pit with drain sand, install the new drain field and then cover it all over with more sand.