Do you smell a foul odor in your yard? Is the drain water backing up before passing through the pipes? Is it moving too slowly? If yes, it’s time for a leachline replacement Clovis. But do you know what a leach line is? What does it do? How does it work? When does it need replacement? These are some questions that arise in people’s minds and it’s important to clear these doubts.
Leach line: An essential part of the septic system
The leach line is a critical part of the home sewage system. The functioning of the whole system depends on it. When the leach line fails to function properly, the sewer stops functioning properly. The latter’s smooth operation depends on the health of the leach line. Plumbers in Fresno CA always check the leach line when they come for sewer inspections.
Leach lines are pipes carrying your home effluents from the septic tank into the ground. It is different from sewer pipes. They carry liquid waste from the sink or toilet to the septic tank. You could say these lines are the final piece of the puzzle in the sewer system. Different leach lines or pipes spread out from the septic tank and fan out in different directions. They carry the waste effluents and dump them in the soil. The liquid effluent trickles down from the leach pipes. Thus ends the disposal of sink and toilet waste from your house into the soil.
The leach lines are basically PVC pipes in most cases. These pipes are perforated and kept covered in sand or gravel so that the liquid effluents trickle down to the ground as much as possible. When these pipes are damaged or corroded, they stop working at their right potential and you see the first signs of drainage problems in your house.
How would you know if your leach line is leaking?
When you see your sink or commode getting clogged up, your first thought is to push it down with a plunger! And if the problem persists, you may think that the sewer pipe is stuck. Which is usually the case as well. But it still doesn’t indicate if the leach lines need repair or not. There are ways to know if it’s the leach line that’s causing waterlogging. Signs that tell you if the leach line needs the immediate attention of plumbers in Fresno CA.
Here are some signs that point to a leach line failure:
- Disproportionate plant growth in the yard. If you observe longer grasses or more plants in one part of the yard than others, it could be a sign of leach line failure.
- Slow drainage. If the water takes forever to move along the drain pipes, it could mean a problem in the leach lines.
- Standing water in the yard. Do you see standing water in the yard lately? Observe closely if the mud is also mushy. It may indicate a leak in the leach pipes.
- Foul odor outside. Are you exposed to a foul odor when you go out? Or is the odor coming from the sink or toilet? It could very well be a sign of a leach line problem.
- Water backup. Is the water backing up too frequently in the house? Check for a leach line issue immediately.
What should you do to repair leach lines?
The leach lines can last for anywhere between 15-30 years. If they are maintained properly, they last even longer. However, after a certain point of time, no amount of repairs work, and replacement is the only option. You’ll need to call professional plumbers in Fresno CA to deal with the replacement as it would need specialized equipment.
Here’s how they repair leach lines:
- Take apart existing components: After inspection and confirmation of leach line failure, plumbers usually take apart the existing components of the leach line. Some plumbers carry out minor repairs within the existing line.
- Distribution box installation: A distribution box is connected to the septic tank to take in all the effluents from the septic tank. A trench is dug to eliminate the sewage water through pipes radiating out of the distribution box.
- Plastic septic chamber placement: Now plastic septic chambers are placed over the leach lines to prevent the spread of smell and infection.
- Trench filling: The dugout trenches are covered with sand, dirt, and gravel to let the effluents pass into the soil.
Key Takeaway
The leach line is a significant part of the sewage system. It is a set of pipes that drain out of the septic tank to dump the liquid effluents into the ground. Although they last for years before they need a full replacement, they do need inspection at regular intervals. Uncontrolled weed growth in the backyard, regular backing up of water, and the presence of foul odor in the air outside are telling signs of leach line problems. Make sure you call good plumbers when you need a leachline replacement Clovis as it’s not a DIY job!
