Symptoms of lateral line problems can range from discoloration of grass over the system to a complete saturation of the drain field, appearing as a black swampy like water over the surface of the drain field. In a worst case scenario, waste water will sometimes back up into the home saturating the floors, walls and ceilings causing thousands of dollars in damage.
Symptoms of lateral line problems can be a result of heavy amounts of sludge the will result in a back up of sewage over the top of the septic tank. This condition will appear as a puddle with the diameter of the puddle expanding over a period of time as the water pressure builds up in the system.
The mechanics of a septic system and drain field are fairly simple, household waste water generated by the home flows out into the septic tank usually via gravity. The waste water will then go through a process known as digestion.
The digestion process is the result of bacteria, natural hydraulics and nutrient loads mixing together in the septic tank creating a biological process. The end result is a digested liquid effluent with a byproduct of water and carbon dioxide.
The digested liquid effluent flows out into the drain field where it will then leach into the drain field. After the effluent passes through the drain field and crushed gravel, the effluent is further processed through filtration by soil before it returns to the water table.
When septic tanks and drain fields are poorly maintained, symptoms of lateral line problems will arise creating failures in the system and a loss of system integrity.
Inspect your septic system on a regular basis and pay close attention to symptoms of lateral line problems. Early discovery will ensure the most cost effective corrective measure.