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Category: DIY Septic Drain Field Repair

DIY Septic Drain Field Repair: How to Locate Your Septic System

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DIY Septic Drain Field Repair

A septic system is normally situated in one of two ways: the entire system is below ground, or there is a riser to position the lid at ground level. For obvious reasons, the riser type is pretty easy to locate when it comes time for DIY septic drain field repair.

With a below ground system, however, there could be anywhere from a few inches to a foot or more of dirt on top of the lid. Here are a few ways in which it can be located:

Locating Your System

  1. Get a diagram. If you know the business that installed the septic system, they may still have copies of those plans. The county itself may also have a copy. This diagram will tell you the location of the septic tanks, as well as where the lid is.
  2. Look for a sign. A previous homeowner may have marked the location of your septic tank in some way. This may be a small flag or perhaps some type of lawn ornament. You might also be able to locate it, because it may be a bit lower than surrounding areas.
  3. Locate the tank first. If you know where the sewer pipe exits the home, you can usually follow it to the septic tank. It will always be at least five feet away from the house. Once in the general area, you can use a piece of metal rebar. Probe the ground with it until it strikes the hard surface of the tank. Depending on when the system was installed, it will have either one lid in the center, or two lids at opposite ends.
  4. Call a professional. They are also quite skilled at locating the tank and lid, should you have trouble figuring out where it is.

Once it is found, and after your DIY septic drain field repair or maintenance, you can mark it with a lawn ornament or a septic marker.

Bad Smell In The Yard, Instead Of Roses

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The day started off like any other. As I took my morning garden tour to check my rose bushes, a curious smell in the air disrupted my slice of heaven. You didn’t have to be a detective to quickly ascertain that the bad smell in the yard was decidedly “sewer-like.” My septic drain field was in crisis. To put it mildly, the lawn surface over my septic drain field was awash in wastewater.

In retrospect, I had ignored the warning signs. Bright green strips over the septic drain field should have set off alarm bells. Then there was a plumbing backup about a month ago. I attributed it to a small toy that a helpful child flushed down the toilet. This was followed shortly thereafter by gurgling sounds in the plumbing and slow-draining sinks and toilets. A call to the septic maintenance company indicated that they had pumped out the septic tank only six months ago. So an inspector was dispatched.

If sewage water cannot trickle through the holes in the underground piping in a septic drain field, the cleaning organisms present in soil cannot do their job. Then the effluent will begin to collect. In this case, it was collecting on my lawn.

The Problem

Septic drain field problems develop over time. As the inspector pointed out, the sodium present in products used for laundry, in the kitchen and bathroom, and in our diets, bonds with the soil in a septic drain field. Over time, this bond creates an impenetrable barrier, which prevents the wastewater from percolating through the soil. Almost 90% of septic system failures are due to sodium buildup in the soil. If the soil is unable to perform its cleaning or absorptive functions, then the continuous wastewater flushed out from the septic tank into the septic drain field has to find an outlet.

The good news is that it is possible to restore soil structure and drainage by adding Septic Drainer to the septic system. An environmentally friendly product, Septic Drainer uses a groundbreaking soil-restorative formula to restore failed or failing septic drain fields. The product is based on a solution commonly used in agriculture to improve the absorption of plant foods and water.

The Answer

As directed, I added four gallons of Septic Drainer to my 1,000-gallon septic tank. Within a week, my septic system was rejuvenated and back on track, with no more bad smell in the yard. To ensure that the system stays in balance, I will follow the advice to add one gallon of Septic Drainer every six months, as well as regular treatment with its companion product, Bio-Septic Boost. The modest cost of Septic Drainer was a welcome alternative to repairing the piping, or replacing the septic tank.

Now I can relax and smell my roses.

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