You can design a beautifully landscaped yard with a variety of plants, flowers, hedges, and trees that draws guests into an inviting oasis for outdoor gatherings and barbecues. These helpful landscaping tips will also help you avoid causing flooding of the drain field that accommodates the septic system.
One of the most important landscaping tips for Atlanta homeowners with a septic system is taking into account the placement of a sprinkler system. A well-placed system will keep the lawn watered, the flowers blooming, and a garden growing. However, it can also lead to problems for the septic system if allowed to saturate the drainfield, leading to potentially costly drainage issues.
Drainfield
A properly draining septic system is vital to keeping the entire system running smoothly from the home to the drainfield. Each function of a septic system is linked—meaning that if one area has a problem, such as clogged drains or oversaturation of the drainfield, it affects the entire system.
Water from the sinks, bath, shower, and toilet makes its way through the pipes and into the septic tank and continues its travel out to the drainfield, where it filters into the ground through a series of layers.
The main drainfield is designed to accommodate the size of septic system and water flow from the home. If the field is saturated with water, the field cannot “drain” as quickly and as efficiently, resulting in slow drainage throughout the entire system and causing backups in the home.
Saturation Issues
Oversaturation of the main drainfield, as well as a backup field installed by the homeowner, can be caused by several things, including heavy seasonal rain, flooding, or the drainfield not being large enough to accommodate the water usage from the home. This happens when additions are built and more water is coming from additional fixtures, or more people are living in the home, which causes more water usage.
Sprinkler Systems
When landscaping, placing sprinklers over the drainfield or placed so water is continually draining into the field can (and will) cause problems. While drainfields are designed to accommodate water from the tank as well as regular rainfall, certain amounts of additional water may cause an overloaded field and stress the system, which ultimately leads to failure.
If you do decide to have a sprinkler system installed, ensure it is located far enough away from the drainfield so the extra water doesn’t drain into the field. Contract a professional to lay out the design and properly install draining pipes that may have a direct affect on the drainfield.
For answers to your questions, contact the Pink Plumber today.
Image source: Flickr
