THE DRAINFIELD FAILURE
A failing drainfield is more than just a septic issue—it's a financial and logistical crisis. When the system stops working, the cost of excavation, removal, and replacement can quickly escalate into a significant property expense.
Why Drainfields Fail
Drainfields don't fail overnight. Over time, soil conditions, buildup, water saturation, or design problems can reduce the drainfeilds ability to absorb and treat wastewater. Understanding what causes these problems is the first step toward finding the right solution.
1. Soil Saturation
2. Clogging
3. Poor Design
The soil in your drainfeild is almost always saturated; some soils with a low drainage rate can become so saturated they will no longer allow more wastewater to come through. In some cases, you can overload the system by using too much water that your system can't handle. Then it will not have time to drain, causing a drainfield failure.
Your drainfeild overtime forms this layer at the bottom called a bio-mat. The bio-mat is a beneficial layer that helps treat incoming wastewater. In some cases, the system can be overloaded, and the bio-mat grows and becomes too thick, not allowing wastewater to come through, ultimately failing your drainfeild.
Poor design followed by inadequate testing and site evaluations can lead to your drain field failing as well. During testing, you find out what soil you have in your drainfield. If you identify this soil incorrectly, you can get an improper drainage rate when sizing your system, creating the possibility that your drainfield is too small for your home, causing a drainfield failure.
SludgeHammer: The Solution
Your standard drainfield takes dirty wastewater from the septic tank and treats it in the earth's soil using aerobic treatment. Now, this has worked for generations; it still has its problems and failures as listed above. SludgeHammer has been used for over 25 years and was founded by Dr Dan Wickham. SludgeHammer is a advanced biological treatment system designed to improve the treatment of wastewater within a septic system. Instead of just adding good bacteria to your septic tank, SludgeHammer introduces oxygen into the treatment process to create the aerobic environment inside of your septic tank instead of in your drainfeild. By improving the quality of wastewater leaving your septic tank, SludgeHammer can help reduce the biological loading placed on the drainfeild and improve soil conditions where wastewater is absorbed. Not only can this help fix a failing drainfield, but it can also improve the lifespan drastically.
SludgeHammer Process
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Drainfeild Evaluation
Installation Process
System Restoration
Not every drainfeild can be a candidate for SludgeHammer. Some systems may be failing due to other issues like unsuitable soils, broken drainfeild components, or improper sizing. Every drainfield will be evaluated to ensure success.
Once the drainfield is declared suitable, SludgeHammer will be installed. Once tank capacity is too far above proper operating levels, SludgeHammer will be turned on.
After SludgeHammer is operating, it will begin the process of treating wastewater to send into the drainfield. In the time that it takes for your tank to fill up, it gives your drainfield a rest period. In this time, the bio-mat in the drainfield has time to break down and become usable once again. With the drainfield restored and as new, cleaner wastewater is coming through, your system will be up and running again.
Installation Protocol
We follow a rigorous, step-by-step installation process designed for maximum efficiency and technical precision.
Septic tank pump out.
When you have a failing system the frist thing that we want to have done is ensuring the septic tank is pumped and cleaned out for proper instalation.
Drainfeild evaluation
The drainfeild is then inspected to ensure no other issues are present before installing SludgeHammer
SludgeHammer Instalation
The aerobic treatment system is then installed in your tank with access risers to provide future access, and an air pump will be installed either by the tank or in a suitable location provided by the homeowner.
System Operation
Once SludgeHammer has been fully installed, your tank will then be filled with water to ensure safe operating levels, and air pumps will be turned on to start aerobic treatment. There is an included bacterial bag that is placed inside the SludgeHammer unit and will need to be replaced annually.
Direct Contact
Ready to discuss your septic system? Whether you're planning a new installation or troubleshooting a failing drainfield, we are here to provide expert solutions.