Understanding Your Septic System
A private onsite septic system means that the waste from your home drains (sinks, toilets, showers) goes into a septic tank, which retains the solids and lets the effluent flow into the soils on the property. Properly designed and installed these systems are functional and sanitary. Private septic systems serve more homes in the U.S. and many other countries than any other waste disposal method.
Below we’ll discuss the Basics of a Septic System.
What is a Septic System?
Septic systems include buried septic tanks (sewage tanks) and drainfields.
Most septic systems consist of distribution piping and leaching systems that are “gravity” systems; meaning the flow runs through piping and distribution boxes without the assistance of any mechanical device, such as a pump or siphon, but some homes pump their effluent uphill into a mound system.
What are the main septic system parts?
The main waste line or “sewer line” connects the home’s plumbing to the septic tank. Wastewater flows from the house to the septic tank.
The septic tank, which is often buried just a few feet from the house foundation wall, receives all waste (solid and liquid). The tank is designed to retain waster water and allow heavy solids to settle to the bottom. These solids are partially decomposed by bacteria to form sludge. Grease and light particles float, forming a layer of scum on the top of the wastewater. Baffles installed at the inlet and outlet of the tank to help prevent scum and solids from escaping. Clarified effluent is allowed to flow out of the tank into a soil absorption system.
Newer septic tanks can have a partial concrete dividing wall in the center, thus making two compartments. This helps ensure the sludge does not get forces out of the baffle into the drainfield. Newer tanks can also have two manhole covers, one above each baffle.
An effluent distribution pipe directs the flow of effluent from the septic tank to the leaching system, often connecting first to one and more distribution boxes, which in turn distribute the flow of effluent evenly into the leaching system.
A leaching system, or soil adsorption system, also called “drainfield”, a soakaway system, leachfield or seepage bed disperses the sewage effluent into the surrounding nature soils. There are many types of leaching systems but most common is a network of perforated pipes buried in gravel-filled trenches. The specific type utilized on a particular property depends on the soil conditions and amount of space available.
Drainfield (Trench): A solid pipe leads from the septic tank to a distribution box where the waste water is channeled into one or more perforated pipes set in trenches o
f gravel. Here the water slowly infiltrates (seeps) into the underlying soil. Dissolved wastes and bacteria in the water are trapped or adsorbed to soil particles or decomposed by microorganisms. This process removes disease-causing organisms, organic matter, and most nutrients (except nitrogen and some salts). The purified wastewater then either moves to the ground water or evaporates from the soil. Trench systems are the most common type of system used in new home construction.
Septic systems should be inspected and pumped a minimum of once every two to five years. You may not be experiencing any problem now, but a full septic tank may allow unwanted solids to flow into the drain field, which is the part of the system that consists of a distribution box, with a series of connected pipes. Each pipe allows water to flow into a bed of stones, which drain into the ground. If paper and other solids flow into the drain field it becomes blocked and ineffective. A blocked drain field is costly to repair or replace. Make sure to get your tank inspected whenever you feel neccessary to prevent this costly maintenance.
A private onsite septic system means that the waste from your home drains (sinks, toilets, showers) goes into a septic tank, which retains the solids and lets the effluent flow into the soils on the property. Properly designed and installed these systems are functional and sanitary. Private septic systems serve more homes in the U.S. and many other countries than any other waste disposal method.
Below we’ll discuss the Basics of a Septic System.
What is a Septic System?
Septic systems include buried septic tanks (sewage tanks) and drainfields.
Most septic systems consist of distribution piping and leaching systems that are “gravity” systems; meaning the flow runs through piping and distribution boxes without the assistance of any mechanical device, such as a pump or siphon, but some homes pump their effluent uphill into a mound system.
What are the main septic system parts?
The main waste line or “sewer line” connects the home’s plumbing to the septic tank. Wastewater flows from the house to the septic tank.
The septic tank, which is often buried just a few feet from the house foundation wall, receives all waste (solid and liquid). The tank is designed to retain waster water and allow heavy solids to settle to the bottom. These solids are partially decomposed by bacteria to form sludge. Grease and light particles float, forming a layer of scum on the top of the wastewater. Baffles installed at the inlet and outlet of the tank to help prevent scum and solids from escaping. Clarified effluent is allowed to flow out of the tank into a soil absorption system.
Newer septic tanks can have a partial concrete dividing wall in the center, thus making two compartments. This helps ensure the sludge does not get forces out of the baffle into the drainfield. Newer tanks can also have two manhole covers, one above each baffle.
An effluent distribution pipe directs the flow of effluent from the septic tank to the leaching system, often connecting first to one and more distribution boxes, which in turn distribute the flow of effluent evenly into the leaching system.
A leaching system, or soil adsorption system, also called “drainfield”, a soakaway system, leachfield or seepage bed disperses the sewage effluent into the surrounding nature soils. There are many types of leaching systems but most common is a network of perforated pipes buried in gravel-filled trenches. The specific type utilized on a particular property depends on the soil conditions and amount of space available.
Drainfield (Trench): A solid pipe leads from the septic tank to a distribution box where the waste water is channeled into one or more perforated pipes set in trenches o
f gravel. Here the water slowly infiltrates (seeps) into the underlying soil. Dissolved wastes and bacteria in the water are trapped or adsorbed to soil particles or decomposed by microorganisms. This process removes disease-causing organisms, organic matter, and most nutrients (except nitrogen and some salts). The purified wastewater then either moves to the ground water or evaporates from the soil. Trench systems are the most common type of system used in new home construction.Septic systems should be inspected and pumped a minimum of once every two to five years. You may not be experiencing any problem now, but a full septic tank may allow unwanted solids to flow into the drain field, which is the part of the system that consists of a distribution box, with a series of connected pipes. Each pipe allows water to flow into a bed of stones, which drain into the ground. If paper and other solids flow into the drain field it becomes blocked and ineffective. A blocked drain field is costly to repair or replace. Make sure to get your tank inspected whenever you feel neccessary to prevent this costly maintenance.
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