Septic Tank Drain Field Repair & Replacement

After the wastewater from your home goes down the drain, it collects in the septic tank. Different chambers inside the tank separate fat, solids, and liquids. The fat floats to the top. The solids sink and are broken down by naturally occurring bacteria. The liquid slowly flows into the drain field, which is an array of perforated pipes. Tiny holes in these pipes allow the liquid to seep back into the soil, where it’s filtered and can safely return to the groundwater.

Septic drain fields are known by many names, including:

• Drain fields
• Leach fields
• Weeping tiles
• Absorption beds
• Disposal fields
• Seepage fields

Whatever you prefer to call it, you need it to work the right way.

The different types of septic field lines include:

• Gravity systems–the most common type of residential drain field most people are familiar with.
• Pressure distribution systems–similar to gravity systems but use a pump to move effluent through pipes and chambers.
• Mound systems–involves building an artificial drain field above ground for homes with high water tables.
• Cesspools–most common in homes built before 1970, cesspools allow effluent to seep out of one chamber rather than a system of perforated pipes.
• Drywells–similar to cesspools, drywells add a layer of gravel or crushed rock around the chamber for better effluent absorption.

Leach field lines must be buried at least six inches below the soil surface. How deep your drain lines are will depend on your property’s topography and where the septic tank will be located in relation to the home’s main drain line.