Summer is all about spending time in the great outdoors, but the heat can actually stress out many hidden parts of your home, including your septic drain field. This busy component of your septic system works hard to treat wastewater, and the combination of hot temperatures and increased water usage can create issues if you’re not cautious. Here are some simple tips for maintaining a healthy drain field so that you can avoid messy backups and costly repairs during the summer months.

Water Wisdom: Mindfully Using Water Inside Your Home

If you’re flooding the system with too much water too quickly, the soil in the drain field can become waterlogged, and it won’t work correctly. Instead of washing all your laundry in a single day, try to spread it out throughout the week. Also, keep an eye on long showers and have leaky faucets fixed immediately.

Outside Protection: Drain Field Area

The space on top of your drain field might seem like a place for a vegetable garden or a makeshift parking area, but it’s important to tread lightly. The soil must be allowed to breathe in order for natural filtration to take place. The soil can become compacted by driving vehicles or using heavy equipment, which may disrupt proper air and water flow and lead to damage to the drain field later. Also, avoid planting deep-rooted trees or shrubs over or near this area, as their roots could infiltrate the pipes and cause blockages.

Surface Water Smarts: Where Should Rain Go?

Summer storms can bring heavy rain, and even though your lawn might welcome the rainfall, you don’t want that amount of extra surface water pooling over your drain field. Too much water can inundate the soil, making it more difficult for the drain field to filter the wastewater. Ensure that water runoff from your roof or driveway is moving away from the drain field area when it rains. A solution is to have your yard properly soil graded so that water flows away from the house, or to install diversions like swales or French drains. If you consistently see standing water collecting over your drain field after a rainy period, the system isn’t draining properly and is becoming overloaded.

Even if you are diligent about conserving water and careful about what you put down the drains, it’s a good idea to have your septic system, including the drain field, inspected professionally. A professional can evaluate the overall health of your system, look for early warning signs on the drain field, such as slow-draining sinks and toilets, and soggy areas, and offer suggestions for maintenance. The earlier you catch small problems, the less likely they are to become expensive repairs. If you smell anything unusual, experience slow drainage, or have wet patches in your yard, don’t wait to call our team at Straight Flush Septic in Winston-Salem, NC. Have us perform drain field repairs.