Clogged Septic Drain Field

Here are ways to unclog your drain without damaging your septic and plumbing system.

Clogged septic drain field.

A septic drain field that goes untreated for a number of years or has certain types of materials like grease and oil constantly flushed into it will eventually clog. A clogged drain field means one of a few things might have happened. Clogged drain fields are common and most often the issue can be resolved with the use of liquid shock being poured down the drain toilet or distribution box and over the area that covers your drain field. Chemical or biological treatments purported to benefit your septic tank will not open a clogged septic system drain field.

Septic odors may also indicate a system failure or an imminent failure. Septic flow liquid shock treatment for clogged drain field helps to loosen the soil surrounding your drain field. Gurgling burping drains may indicate a septic field failure though partial drain blockages and vent system defects see plumbing drain noise diagnosis. Sludge from the septic tank might have flowed into the drain field the small holes in the drain field might have gotten clogged or the sludge layer has overflowed the baffle layer in the septic system.

Septic or sewer odors are not always noticed when a drainfield has failed nor when drains are clogged. This is commonly seen in septic systems that are more than 20 years old. Does anyone have experience with a solution that might work for me. Pour hot water to soften clog and remove it from your drain.

Over time leach fields can build up sludge or tree roots can grow into them to form clogs which causes your septic tank to back up or leak into your yard. Septic system treatments containing enzymes or beneficial organisms won t harm the septic system but can only clear soap and grease deposits in drain pipes not the leach bed itself. Some chemicals can kill roots and others dissolve some grease clogs in pipes but overuse of chemical cleaners can actually kill the bacteria essential for drain field function. To repair the septic drain field you will need to unclog the septic tank as well as take corrective steps to prevent the septic drain field from becoming clogged again.

While a clogged drain field cannot be snaked out and cleared like a drain pipe you can. A septic leach field also known as a drain field disperses wastewater from your septic tank and removes contaminants before it soaks deeper into the soil. The septic tank was replaced in 2003 and tied into the existing clogged leach field by the previous owner. It is often possible to clean and renew a clogged septic leach field instead of replacing the drain field lines.

Septic field lines can fail to drain when heavy solids accumulate and block perforations in the lines.