How to Design Septic Systems
Septic systems are very basic in design and function. While reliable and for the most part maintenance-free, proper planning and installation are crucial to the overall efficiency and life span of your septic system. By minimizing the number of errors at the design phase, you can drastically reduce the number of potential costly and nasty problems later. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Level
- Pad and pencil
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Instructions
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Have a percolation test completed on your property. This test, also known as a perc test, must be completed by a licensed professional. The results will be needed to plan your system as well as to obtain the permit to build the septic system. The perc test gauges the ability of your soil to absorb water. The better the absorption rate, the less field line your system will require. A low absorption rate will require a higher amount of field line or the installation of an alternate system. Field lines are attached to your septic tank and evenly disperse the water from the tank so it can be absorbed into the soil.
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Determine the size of septic tank you need for your household. In many areas, the minimum size tank allowed for a residence is 1,000 gallons, so check your local codes for any such restrictions or guidelines. The size tank you install will determine how often the tank needs to be cleaned (pumped) out. If you have four people living in your home and you install a 1,000 gallon tank, you will need to empty the take on average every 2.6 years. With a 1,500 gallon tank, the cleaning time would expand to every 4.2 years, on average.
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Choose the best location for the tank and field lines. Preferably the tank will be slightly downhill from the house and the field lines slightly downhill from the septic tank. If this is not possible, it will be necessary for you to install a septic pump. For a gravity flow system, choose a flat area away from any ground water or vehicle traffic. The area will need to be large enough to accommodate the amount of field line required for your system. When planning, remember the field lines must be a minimum of six feet apart. The septic tank itself should be a minimum of ten feet from the home.
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Plan the route for the piping to travel from your home to the septic tank, and from the septic tank to the field lines. Approximately ten feet in front of the field lines you will need to install a distribution box. This box, normally made of concrete, will receive the waste water from the septic tank, then disperse it evenly between the field lines.
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Tips & Warnings
For later reference, you should always mark or map the location of all components of your septic system. If maintenance work is ever required, you can save a great deal of time by knowing exactly where to find the septic tank as well as the distribution box.
References
- Photo Credit house plan business documents image by scalesy from Fotolia.com
