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Find the Septic Leachfield
Q&A on how to find the drainfield

FAQs about how to find the septic system drainfield, soakaway bed, leach field, absorption bed.

This article series and video explains how to find the septic drainfield or leach field or soakaway bed.

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Q&A on how to Find the Septic System Drainfield

On 2018-07-07 by (mod) - swimming pool over the septic leaching field?

To be clear,

If the pool is atop the drainfield, that's a mistake that would interfere with its operation - as the pool blocks both transpiration/evaporation disposal of effluent and it blocks the absorption of necessary oxygen into the soil.

As the pool is hardly likely to cover the entire drainfield nor even most of it, such an obstruction wouldn't destroy or block the entire field but if it is over the field it's reducing its capacity and possibly life.

In the absence of a sign of failure in the septic system - as might be discovered by a septic inspection and loading/dye test, in my OPINION it'd be an error but not a show stopper.

Often by inspecting the property you can get an idea where the drain field is located just by eye; if not then some tracing of piping from the tank to a distribution box and D-box to drainfield lines can be done by any experienced plumber with a snake, pipe detecting equipment etc.

On 2018-07-06 by Anonymous

There was no heavy equipment used, no lines buried, nothing like that. The grass was removed and ground smoothed out. The pool is simply sitting on the ground.

On 2018-07-06 by (mod) - selling a house where the pool is on the drainfield

No surprise that a pool contractor may not be a septic expert.

But if they drove equipment over the drainfields or drove a pipe or buried a line or wire the work could have contacted or damaged a buried drain line, pipe, or septic drainfield.

On 2018-07-06 by Jeanette

A GC installed an above ground pool in my back yard 3 years ago. It is 18x18x5.

My septic tank is 20 + feet to the left of it. The contractor never mentioned anything about a drainfield. I am unclear where it is located. The grass seems to be alot greener straight out in front of it and a bit on the sides... this house was built in 1966 and the records of where any of this is, is lost.

I am in the process of selling my house, actually have a contract on it but now the buyers realtor is requesting that the drain field be located in case the pool is sitting on part of it. I have read on several sights that it will not hurt the lines as they are deep enough down... and I have read the opposite.

Like I said, it's been up for 3 years with zero problems. Is this a problem?

On 2018-06-23 by Tammy

I want to install a inground pool. How close can you be to the drainfield?

On 2017-08-22 by (mod) - sewage treatment plant requirements

Steve

I'm unclear what you have installed as a "sewage treatment plant" - the design requirements for an effluent disposal system or "drainfield" have to be matched to

- the daily wastewater flow for both blackwater (sewage) and graywater and the portion of wastewater handled by your graywater system

- the location and soil area already in use for the graywater disposal

- the soil percolation rate or absorption properties

- the site properties such as slope

- the site space and shape and location of required offsets for well, property lines, rivers, streams, etc.

So you really need an on-site septic engineer. An arbitrary remark like "trench 50mm poly pipe" leaves us with no useful idea.

On 2017-08-22 by Steve - sewage treatment plant for a 4 bed house

we have installed a sewage treatment plant for a 4 bed house and now need to design and install a drainage field.

the site is approx 10m wide and slopes uphill 120m at 500mm every 10m and slopes across the 10m line as well. we have a pumped system for the grey water. Ive been told to trench the 50mm poly pipe Can anyone help with th

On 2017-04-01 by (mod) - how many feet in 19 septic sections?

Angela, I don't think it's possible to answer your question from the information that you have provided.

However by visual inspection it might be possible to get the approximate dimensions of your drain field. You can search inspectapedia for how to find the septic tank or how to find the drain field for description of some of those visual Clues such as long shallow depressions that Mark the green lines or the shape of a raised septic area

On 2017-04-01 by Angela

My drain field / field lines drawing shows "19 sections". How many feet is that?

On 2017-02-08 by (mod) - distance drain field required to be from the house ?

Danny there is not a maximum distance, though there may be a minimum one, for septic tanks and fields, such as 10 ft.

On 2017-02-08 by Danny Torres

How far is the leech line / Drain field required to be from the house ?

On 2016-09-21 by Al

1926 home in New Buffalo Michigan is having septic backup - no drainage. Never been septic pumped.

Owners do not know location of septic tank. Different toilet drains must lead to separate septic tanks as two of three toilets are not backed up. No septic company in the area will help unless tank is located.

Please instruct how to locate tank. Much appreciated.

On 2016-08-09 by (mod) -

Anon

Please see https://inspectapedia.com/septic/Septic_Clearance_Distances.php found by searching InspectApedia.com for SEPTIC CLEARANCE DISTANCES

On 2016-08-09 by Anonymous

How far does a leach field have to be from a property line

On 2016-07-15 13:30:33.588412 by Anonymous

how do you find your drain field

Question: how far from the inspection tube should the septic chamber be located

(Mar 12, 2014) Septic Filling back up after 2month after pump out. said:
How do i locate my septic chamber about how far out from my 6 inch Inspect Tube should it be located?

I have taken a metal rod ( 5foot tall with T handle) an drove it into ground but nothing yet. any help would be great..... dan.blackburn23@yahoo.com

Reply:

Septic,

There is not a standard distance as septic tank location depends on site and soil properties, space available and other factors.

You could open the line and run in a snake until it touches the tank baffles and you'd then have an idea of the distance. You need to know that location anyway in order to pump out the tank.

But perhaps I've misunderstood what you're looking for as you say the tank was pumped

Question: how to find the septic tank

(Sept 2, 2014) Pat said:
I bought a camp that has been there since 1961.

It has a 1000 gallon septic tank, but I know it has never been pumped. I can see a spot on the blueprints as to where it is located, but how do I find the lid? It is covered over with dirt.

Reply:

Pat

In the More Reading links just above you'll find the ARTICLE INDEX to SEPTIC SYSTEMS where you will find this guide:

SEPTIC TANK, HOW TO FIND

for those details


...

Continue reading  at SEPTIC DRAINFIELD LOCATION r select a topic from closely-related articles below, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Septic Drainfield Location Articles

Suggested citation for this web page

SEPTIC DRAINFIELD LOCATION FAQs at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.


Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to SEPTIC SYSTEMS

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