Septic drain field repair and install

[GeoHorn]

Anyone ever make a septic-drain-field repair? Mine is 25 yrs old and become “sluggish” due to small roots that have managed to plug all the holes in the plastic 4” pipes that make up that field.

Instead of digging it all up and removing it and installing All-New …. I’m thinking ..”Why not just dig trenches alonside the existing (plugged) pipes….. And lay New perforated pipes alongside the old…. re-connect the main drain line to the New pIpes…. OR…simply install al “jumper” or connector…to the originals for the new pipes to gain access to the effluent..?

I’m on private land. No neighbors.

Any suggestions on this?

BTW… I’ll be installing a “sister” system at the other end of my home for those “guest rooms” that still served by an 80 yr old system that needs updating. It’s a completely Separate system… but will require new tank and drain field.
It’s been suggested to simply Combine the two tanks to drain to a single drain field.

Any thoughts on that idea?

 

[#40Fan]

Do you know if you have a distribution box or is the feed to the field all PVC?

If you could easily connect the two fields, that would probably be the easier route to go since you'd already have to dig up one area.

Do you plan to go back with the same 4" lines or upgrade to the chambers?

 

[dirtydeed]

so, your system has an actual tank and leach field with perf pipe?

Not sure what your local requirements are but, a couple of possible "fixes".
1) jet the lines to cut the infiltrating roots, treat with copper sulfate. may need to do an injection lift (terralift) of leach field (they shoot styrofoam balls into the leach field to create pore space)
2) dig a secondary pit as large and deep as you can, fill with large stone, and pipe the effluent to it. Think of it as a dry well. I've done this in the past for a property with a "cesspool" system. Obviously, it depends on your soil type.
3) as you say, combine the 2 systems and install a new, larger drain field.