Leach Field on hillside leaking out of surface.

[checkthisout]

Originally Posted by Redneck_Steve

Not for nothing, but the whole point of these message boards is to bring people together to exchange information. Members can be from all walks of life, tradesmen, professionals and what have you. In this case we all have a common interest in Ford diesels, but as you know other topics come up all the time.

I've installed and repaired systems for nearly 30 years, I don't know if that makes me an expert or not, but I have a pretty good understanding of how systems work and am more than willing to share this with someone in need just as many others here have helped me with problems with my trucks. There are a few simple things a handyman can check before having to throw in the towel and spend the big bucks.

It was a tongue-in-cheek comment.

I am well-aware of the variety of professionals on this board but there is only so much one can achieve with communications across an internet chatboard. I appreciate and love discussing all sorts of topics that come up.

[OMCUSNR]

Originally Posted by checkthisout

The county should have the as-built drawing on file with to scale drawings of the location of each component and leg and it's distance from the structure.

My 31 year old system had this but it was simply a hand-drawn "rough" sketch although it was pretty close.

The Septic-Designer that had to map the reserve area, dug up the distribution box and fed a metal wire down each leg and then used a locate to find the wire and sketch out it's location on the surface which they then used a rather expensive surveying device to map out. The county I am from are NAZIs about septic systems but I know the benefits of them being that way.

Around here, there are a couple of "roto-rooter" type companies that have the ability to tv the lines & do locates by tracing the camera head. They can go about 200' and usually cost about $100 for a locate. Locally, we would require a clean-out every 100' on the distribution line to the field.

If you do wind up having to replace it, tracer wire is a good idea. If its ok, and you do find the existing field, shove a few rebars in the ground at the corners.

This place is local to Oregon, but they have a lot of good info too:

Orenco Systems, Inc. - Changing the way the world does wastewater

OMC

[Rick M]

After following this thread for awhile I find myself wondering about the elevation changes as it would relate to a build up of pressure in the leach fields. If the house is significantly higher than the field and water builds psi @ .44 psi per foot elevation could it not simply be that the static pressure is pushing the water out a zone of least resistance? If, for example, the field is 20' below the house then wouldn't the resulting 8 psi end up forcing a leak?

[DirtFarmer]

Originally Posted by Rick M

After following this thread for awhile I find myself wondering about the elevation changes as it would relate to a build up of pressure in the leach fields. If the house is significantly higher than the field and water builds psi @ .44 psi per foot elevation could it not simply be that the static pressure is pushing the water out a zone of least resistance? If, for example, the field is 20' below the house then wouldn't the resulting 8 psi end up forcing a leak?

Wouldn't any pressure just vent back out the sewer line into the house and up a vent stack? Water lines are full of water, but sewer line should be (mostly) empty, right?

[Rick M]

No, just the standing column of water would exert the pressure. So once the field is full then the pipe from the tank to the field would fill then the pipe back to the house. Think of a pipe laid down a hill with the total elevation change of 20 feet, if the bottom end was capped and there was a pressure gauge on that end it would read almost 8.8 psi. At least that is the way I understand it. In our town the water tower is 100' +/- tall and the average pressure is a bit over 40 psi.

Of course, I could be completely wrong on the entire concept.