I wonder if the leachfield is operational when the soil is so saturated? Should I avoid laundry and excess flushing of the toilet? Thanks in advance!

-- Debbie in MO (risingwind@socket.net), May 07, 2002

Answers

Yep, my septic (even though it was cleaned out a year or so ago and I use septic helper) doesn't like when it's been raining and the field is saturated. It gurgles and moans. I don't do laundry as much when it's like this...

-- Gailann Schrader (gtschrader@aol.com), May 07, 2002.

If you can seperate your was water from your septic!! If you put a seerate drain sump or field in it would be better for your septic!!

-- Grizz Wondering the outskirts of DC!! (southerneagle@yahoo.com), May 07, 2002.

Usually, if you have a problem with a septic when it rains, it is because it was a small septic tank to begin with (depending upon the age of the house, many septics were not designed to be used with washing machines, dishwashers, garbage disposals, the extra toilet that someone puts in without permits (lol), etc.

Another thing you might be able to do is see if you can adjust some of the house drainage elsewhere (direct the gutter to a rainbarrel, for instance, or dig a bit of a drainage ditch for some of the water to go elsewhere (say a low spot on your property).

If you are using a non-toxic, biodegradable detergent, you could perhaps shunt your water elsewhere (like to the garden), but that is not legal in many places.

Sounds like a good time to wash the car in your raincoat!

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), May 07, 2002.

A garden hose fits int my outlet and with enough hose you can run it anywhere you want to. It is illegaal some places but the grey water are usually around after dark.

harry sc

-- hc mungo (toireh@sccoast.net), May 07, 2002.

I'm not having any problems with it yet, I just wonder if it could back up on me if the drainfield is so saturated that it cannot accept any more grey water? It is a large tank, 1000 gal. The whole system is less than 3 years old. There are only two of us.

-- Debbie in MO (risingwind@socket.net), May 07, 2002.

I wouldn't have my washer or gray water from any part of the house, kitchen sink, bathtub and sinks going into my septic. The septic is just for the toilet in our house. I think it saves on problems...but I do remember when our girls were home my poor husband was always down the basement with the "snake" unclogging the pipes....women what do we send down those pipes ???

-- Helena (windyacs@npacc.net), May 07, 2002.

When drain fields are saturated there will be problems with septic systems. All depends on where your water table is at the moment of, say, flush. Here in Florida many new septic tanks and drain fields are now put in above ground. You drive by some places here and it looks like a bunch of burial grounds! As far as grey water goes, I run the washer onto the ground, it's bad for septic tanks anyway. Kitchen sink water I send to the tank, wouldn't want that nasty, sometimes greasy and smelly water going in the yard. And those "septic helpers" are a waste of money.

-- Diana in FL (dvance4@juno.com), May 08, 2002.