Top Design Objectives For Septic Systems
A septic system's design determines its efficiency, longevity, and safety. Septic contractors understand and incorporate relevant design parameters in the installed systems. Below are the specific objectives of a good septic system.
Adequate Waste Holding
Your septic system should handle all the waste coming from the house. Specifically, the septic tank should handle waste from the house at any time without overflowing. The tank can only do this if you size it correctly. Septic tank sizing depends on the following:
- The number of bedrooms in the house
- The household size
- The local temperature
- The expected water use
The local building code specifies the minimum tank size by the house. Once you have the right tank, ensure you use it correctly and don't overfeed it with waste. For example, don't house more people without increasing the tank size.
Efficient Waste Flow
Waste should flow efficiently from the house to the septic drain field. Waste stagnating in any part of the system reduces overall septic efficiency. For example, waste that stays longer than necessary in the tank can cause effluent overflow and backup.
Here are tips for efficient waste flow:
- Use the right pipe sizes.
- Place the tank inlet and outlet at the right height.
- Install the tank higher than the drainfield to ensure the waste flows from the tank to the drainfield via gravity.
- Install a septic pump if gravity cannot facilitate the waste flow.
- Ensure the septic drip lines gently slope to keep waste flowing.
You will get these and more if you use an experienced septic contractor for system design and installation.
Efficient Waste Treatment and Disposal
Lastly, the design must ensure the system treats and disposes of waste efficiently, which is the basic function of a septic system. Here are some design tips for such a system:
- Ensure the septic tank and drainfield match. For example, if the field is relatively small and cannot handle the tank's waste, effluent will stay on the drainfield for long and contaminate the environment.
- Ensure the drainfield is porous enough to absorb the waste it receives.
- Ensure the drainfield trenches are wide enough to handle the waste from the drip lines.
- Make the ground slope away from the drainfield so surface runoff doesn't flood the field and interfere with waste absorption.
Again, the above is the minimum you can expect from a professional septic contractor. Hopefully, you will get an efficient septic system that will serve you for many years. Remember to maintain your septic system properly so it doesn't lose efficiency.
Contact local septic system services today to learn more.