October 2019 – Remodeling

Drainage Installation with a French drain is usually used in your yard, lawn or garden to mitigate drainage problems. In situations where land is at or near the bottom of a slope, these problems often occur. The water then settles (especially in poorly draining soil) and for much of the year can produce a swampy yard that is often unusable. A French drainage system is a simple, time-tested technique that can solve these problems frequently. A French drain is traditionally a plain, partially or completely gravel-filled trench that allows the water to accumulate and run down its slope to a more appropriate area. The more modern interpretation of a French drain involves using either a rigid or corrugated (perforated) drainage pipe to be placed in the trench and then surrounded by gravel and landscape fabric. This will mean that for a longer period of time, the drainage system will be more efficient.

If you have selected a French drain as the right choice for your drainage issues, consider the following tips:

Choose a place to hold your trench as far away as possible from obstructions.
Make sure that your drainage water has no negative effects on the adjacent property.
Make sure that no utility lines or tubes are at risk of being cut in the process before digging. Contact your local utility company and make sure there are any overhead cables for you.

The best results for drainage installation can be achieved by making the trench between 8 and 12 inches wide instead of 6 inches, depending on the volume of water to be spread. A wider trench can store and move a large volume of water more efficiently.

It’s best to have a plan to place your excess soil once the trench has been dug. Since you’re going to replace most of the old soil with piping and gravel, you’re going to have some extra soil to find a home for. Try to locate any low spots that might benefit from a little fill and plan accordingly on the property.

Your drain’s slope should be at least 1 percent, which means 1 foot per 100 feet. Hammering in two stakes at each end of the intended trench is a good technique to ensure you remain with the right pitch. Connect and pull a cord between the stakes. Hang on the string a line rate and change to the stage. First, determine the amount of fall from one end to the other and lower the string by the number of inches that is necessary. The slope you need will now be duplicated by your set. Just use the string as a reference as you go and dig below the string a good length.

Drainage Installation — French Drain Installation

Line the bottom with landscape fabric when your trench has been dug. Lay open the fabric so that the surplus runs up to the top on both sides of the trench. Make sure it’s the sort that allows water to pass through. Using a fabric surface will extend the drain’s active life by helping to prevent the process from being blocked by roots and silt.

Until laying the drainage pipe, put a minimum of 2 inches of gravel in the trench. Getting the perforated holes in the pipe facing down is critical. Then cover the tube with gravel, leaving at least 2 inches of gravel over the pipe, so that it is completely surrounded.

To enclose the tube in gravel and shield it from silt and roots, fold the excess fabric over.

Covering the enclosed drain with either more gravel (up the ground level) or simply adding a layer of gravel, followed by sand and topsoil, is acceptable.

It is possible to dig by hand, using only shovels, depending on the size of the trench you will need to dig, as well as the type of soil you will be dealing with. It’s surprising how quickly the trench can be dug with the aid of a few mates. Some ways to dig are to lease a trenching tool and hire someone with a backhoe to dig the trench. Feel free to ask experts like Tyler Sprinkler for the tools, drainage supplies and advice you need.

Septic Inspection & Maintenance

Septic Services / Phillip Obrien

According to the U.S. EPA, about 25% of U.S. residential properties use septic systems to spread sewage and gray water, meaning that nearly four billion gallons of wastewater are distributed under the ground every day.

That’s plenty of water, and if not cared for properly, your septic system can become part of your area’s broader pollution problem, contaminating rivers, drainage, and even drinking water. This is why getting a septic inspection is so important.

Therefore, the most important thing you need to know about your septic system is that frequent inspection and maintenance of your septic system is necessary to prevent ecological problems or more expensive repairs.

In comparison to a conventional city sewer network, septic systems are the responsibility of the property owner to manage rather than that of the government. If and when you go to sell your property, you will have to show your septic system maintenance records and pay for a system inspection.

This means keeping up with septic tank repairs and inspections is smart, as this will save you time, money and hassle when it comes to selling your home or business.

Furthermore, while most municipal sewer systems can allow almost unlimited use of water, septic systems perform much better with low-flow toilets, faucets, and other appliances, and “rest” periods should be provided, ideally for best performance each night. This means that if you run your household on a conventional septic system, delaying dishwasher or other household tasks until overnight may not be the best choice. Replacing older toilets and showerheads with new, low-flow varieties may also be a good idea.

Septic systems are an environmentally friendly, affordable option for many properties with proper maintenance and septic inspections. We will ensure that your septic system is in accordance with your local codes, meets EPA requirements and operates properly as long as you own your home or business.

Warning Signs or Need for a Septic Inspection

Many homeowners and property owners believe that a little draino or roto visit from a plumber will easily fix slow drain sinks or bathrooms. That may be true, but if you’re working on a septic system, it’s important to know that slow drainage can be a sign of septic system trouble or malfunction, particularly if you find this symptom in more than one sink, bath, or drain at home. If more than one of these in your home or business is draining slowly, your septic tank may be backing up or it may impact the outflow tubing.

Sewage Slow drainage may be the first sign of a septic problem, but in some cases, the septic tank problems can skip straight to back up. When you see sludge in your bathtubs, water coming up from your sinks or other septic system backup signs, this is a common indication that your septic system is in desperate need of septic tank pumping or repair.

It’s advisable to keep an eye on their septic system drain field and walk semi-frequently through that section of your property to test for problems. It is a good idea to call for a pumping or septic inspection if you begin to notice standing water, unseasonable humidity or any kind of smell in your yard or drain field. If your drain field does not work properly, your septic tank or drain pipe may also be in trouble.

In your home septic systems, gross smells are very clean and hygienic for your entire family if they work properly. Your house shouldn’t smell bad plumbing, nor should you notice sewage odors in your yard. When you start smelling your septic system in your bathroom, kitchen, or anywhere else that you’ve got a drain in your house, it’s a sign that your septic system doesn’t work properly.

If in your home or business you see or smell any of these warning signs, call Waco Septic Pumping or similar reputable business. Septic specialists are available to assist with any septic system or maintenance situation and are happy to answer any septic questions you may have.

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