3 Tips for a Healthy Septic System and Drainfield

Summer storms can drop 2-3 inches of rain at a time, saturating your yard and putting a strain on your septic system’s drainfield (sometimes called a leachfield). We can almost guarantee a busy week for our technicians when there’s been heavy rain in the area, causing backups and problems for Lancaster County homeowners. Now, we don’t mind the extra business, but we know that an unexpected septic backup can be costly for our customers, so in this post, we’ve put together a few simple tips to avoid a summertime septic backup and keep your drainfield healthy. Contact us today with any questions or continue reading to learn more.

1. Avoid extra water usage when you know it’s going to rain or the ground is already saturated from heavy rains. One of the easiest ways to prevent your drainfield from becoming oversaturated, is to plan accordingly when it comes to laundry, showers, running the dishwasher, etc. If you have kids who get messy or a husband that works a dirty job (like us!) try doing one small load every day instead of 3-5 loads at a time. This is a simple way to space out your water usage and keep your septic system working properly.
   
   
2. Don’t park cars or heavy equipment on top of your septic system. This might seem like a no-brainer if you have a visible sand-mound system, but the same rule applies no matter where your septic system is located. When the ground is soft from heavy rains, cars, trucks and yard equipment can cause damage to underground pipes and septic system components.
   
   
3. Consider a septic system additive like Bio-Active to keep your septic tank working properly. Bio-Active is full of healthy bacteria that helps break down solids and restore the balance of sludge/water/scum in your septic tank. Keeping your tank healthy can assure waste water will exit the tank successfully and disperse throughout your drainfield where it absorbs into the ground. A build-up of solids can lead to a backup and a costly septic pumping. (We get charged more at the disposal plant when our trucks carry “heavy solids”)