Biros Septic and Drain Cleaning, Inc

Your Septic System

Your basic septic system has two main parts: the septic tank and the soil drain field (could also be called a leach field, absorption bed, or absorption field). At the beginning of the drain field a distribution box distributes wastewater to an absorption trench.

A septic tank is a large, underground, watertight sealed container that is connected to the home’s main sewer line. The standard beginning size of a septic tank usually starts off at 1,000 gallon capacity. However the tank size is determined by the number of people living inside a home. A septic tank is usually made out of concrete, fiberglass, or polyethylene. Wastewater from your home flows into the tank where solids separate from the liquid. Light solids, such as soap suds and fats, float to the top of the tank to form a layer of scum. The layer of scum will remain on the top and will eventually harden until the tank is properly pumped out. The liquids will then go into the drain field, while the heavier solids will sink to the bottom of the tank where most of the solids are broken-down by bacteria. But some of the solids will not be broken-down, and will then form a layer of sludge that will need to be pumped out. Homes built before 1996 used a single compartment septic tank, and homes built after 1996 are required by law to install a double compartment septic tank. The baffles or tees at the tank’s inlet pipe will slow the incoming wastewater and reduce its disturbance of sludge. The baffles or tees at the outlet pipe will help keep the solids and scum from exiting your tank. Effluent filters could be installed on the outlet pipe to help prevent scum and sludge from expanding into the ground surface.

Two Compartment Septic Tank

For more information on your septic system visit www.abe.psu.edu/extension/facthsheets/f/F165.pdf.

Cesspool or Seepage Pit:

A cesspool is a circular hole in the ground that can vary in size, which is usually made out of stone, or block walls. Homes from the 50’s up to the 70’s used cesspool or seepage pits in place of your standard septic system which newer homes use today. Cesspools are still being used today in older existing homes.

Cesspool

Septic Locations:

Concrete or even sometimes steel, septic tanks are buried underground and are located about 10 feet from a house. If a homeowner is not sure where their septic tank is, the first thing they would want to do is locate the exit pipe. The exit pipe is usually located in the basement of a house, and once you find the exit pipe, the tank should be 10 feet from the house but distances may vary. Leaving the septic tank there may be a distribution box or header pipe leading to a series of pipes called laterals. The pipes serve the purpose of evenly distributing within the trench. To keep the pipes from becoming blocked, the pipes are laid in a bed of crushed stone, above the stones there is a soil filter which has either straw, hay, or fabric material.

It is never advisable and is against most municipal codes to build any additions, pools, driveways over your septic tank, or undertake any other construction work near your septic tank or drain field.

For more information on Minimum Horizontal Isolation Distances visit www.depweb.state.pa.us.

Alternative Septic Systems:

A sand mound has special selected sand that is placed on top of the soil to help treat and dispose of effluent from the septic tank. Mound systems are used in areas that have too much clay to allow water to seep through at a proper rate, or the water table may be to close to the ground surface. The sand depth is determined by the depth of the soil above the limiting layer. The limiting layer could be either bedrock, soil that has a low percolation rate, or in areas where it gets high groundwater.

Advantages of a mound system:

The mound system enables use of some sites that would be unsuitable for your standard septic system
A mound system doesn’t have a direct discharge towards a ditch, or a body of water
Sand mound septic systems can be used in nearly all climates

Sand Mound System

A mound system is constructed in layers of prearranged depths. The depth of the limiting layer is determined by the depth of the natural soil. The soil above the limiting layer should be no less than 24 inches. Special sand is then placed on top of the natural soil, so combined the two layers equal a soil depth of 4 feet. The next layer which is gravel that will surround the pipes is then placed on top of the sand. The last and final layer could either be construction fabric, mulch, or straw that could be placed over the entire mound to protect against freezing, or help prevent small particles from entering into the system itself. Under no conditions trees or shrubs should be planted on the mound because the roots can clog the pipes. Also the sides of the sand mound system are sloped to make it more efficient.

Aerobic Septic Systems:

An aerobic septic system is similar to your basic septic system in that they both use natural processes to treat wastewater. An aerobic system requires oxygen during the treatment process, therefore it uses a mechanism to inject and circulate the air inside the tank. However, when an aerobic septic system is installed properly it will provide a high quality treatment system. Aerobic Septic Systems have been in use for more than 50 years in homes across the United States. They are most common and used in rural areas. About two thirds of the land in the United States is unsuitable for your standard septic system, in that case an alternative system must be installed. Some homeowners may not have enough land to account for the septic tank and the drain field. Homeowners living in wooded areas may want to use an aerobic system instead of your basic septic system. Also in certain areas where the water table levels are too high to allow your drain field to give proper treatment to the wastewater before it enters into the ground water.

Aerobic Septic System

Pretreatment Tank
Aeration Chamber
Clarifier Chamber
Chlorinator
Holding Tank
Aerator Tank
Control Center
Discharge Pump

Drip Irrigation System:
Drip Irrigation systems are easily installed and are used mostly in areas with large uphill slopes. A drip irrigation system relates to the course through which the effluent is introduced to the soil. A flexible plastic tube that is fitted with nonclogging emitters in 24 inches intervals, and are placed at a maximum depth of 12 inches below the surface, with 6 inches being the optimum installation depth.

A drip irrigation system has certain components:

Treatment tank, could either be a septic or aerobic tank
A computer, which is driven controlled
A drip field with at least two zones, could have more

Certain areas may require additional components to be added. One component that is usually required is a filter which is placed after the treatment tank. The filter could be a free-access or even a buried sand filter. Remember that the filter will need to be serviced at the time of each tank cleaning.

Drip Irrigation System

For any additional information on alternative systems visit this fact sheet.