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What is the Life Expectancy of a Septic Drainfield ? InspectAPedia®  -     What is the Life Expectancy of a Septic Drainfield ? How long should a leachfield last? Cause of septic drainfield failures Definitions of septic failure for each component

This chapter discusses What is the Life Expectancy of a Septic Drainfield ? How long should a leachfield last? - among the types of septic system failure in the drain field, leach field, seepage bed, or similar component. We list the causes of each type of septic component failure, and list the septic component failure criteria or in other words what conditions are defined as "failure"?

How can you distinguish between a blocked pipe, a septic tank that needs pumping, and a clogged drainfield that needs replacement? This is an important question as it distinguishes between relatively low cost maintenance or repair task and a costly septic leach field replacement.

We also discuss what can be planted over and near a septic drainfield and what should be avoided. Also see Drainfield Location: how to find the septic drain field or leaching bed.

© Copyright 2010 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved.

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DRAINFIELD LIFE - What destroys or shortens the life of the absorption system?

I've seen drain fields still working fine after 25 years and others which failed in the first week of occupancy of a new home. In a properly designed septic absorption field the level of usage of the system, site characteristics such as slope, rock, groundwater level, and soil percolation rate have all been considered.

Barring foul ups such as we discuss in this document, such a field may last from 10 to 20 years. But it's easy to ruin or shorten the life of a drainfield/leaching bed.

For a better view of the probable life of a specific drainfield at a specific property you'd want to know

• the installation details of the drainfield
• the level of usage of the drainfield - how much wastewater it has had to handle
• soil conditions under and around the drainfield, surface runoff, groundwater and so on
• the maintenance history of the septic tank - when has it been pumped and what conditions were observed
• the results of any recent septic drainfield inspections and tests

For a more detailed understanding of how these factors work to affect the probable life of a particular leach field or soakaway bed (synonyms), review the definition of what constitutes a septic system failure - at SEPTIC FAILURE CRITERIA - and review the causes of septic field failure discussed at Field Failure Causes

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Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME
SEPTIC SYSTEM ARTICLES
HOME BUYERS GUIDE to SEPTIC SYSTEMS
HOME SELLERS GUIDE TO SEPTIC INSPECT
SEPTIC AUTHORITIES
SEPTIC BOOKS
SEPTIC CONSULTANTS
SEPTIC DRAINFIELD INSPECTION & TEST
  SEPTIC FIELD FAILURE CAUSES
  DISPOSAL CLOGGING FAILURES
  DISPOSAL vs TREATMENT
  SEPTIC DRAINFIELD LIFE
  SEPTIC FAILURE CRITERIA
  SOIL CONDITIONS
  PLANTS OVER SEPTICS
  SEPTIC FAILURE LAWSUIT
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECTION & TEST GUIDE
SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK
SEPTIC TANK PUMPING SCHEDULE
SEPTIC TANK PUMPING PROCEDURE
SEPTIC TANK INSPECTION PROCEDURE
SEPTIC TREATMENTS & CHEMICALS
SEPTIC BOOKS REFERENCES CODES
SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT
TOILET ALTERNATIVES
VIDEO GUIDES: Septic Videos
VIDEO GUIDES - InspectAPedia.com
WASTEWATER TREATMENT BASICS
WATER, WELLS, WATER TANKS: TESTING GUIDE
WHAT CAN GO INTO TOILETS & DRAINS?

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

• The Septic System Information Website home page for this topic
• Septic Systems Inspection, Testing, & Maintenance- online textbook. Detailed how to inspect, maintain, repair information
• The Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems
• Septic Tank Pumping Guide: When, Why, How to pump the septic tank
• Tank Location - How to Find the Septic Tank, how deep will the cover be, how to document its location
• Drainfield Layout: septic drainfield or leaching bed shape and placement considerations
• Drainfield Location: how to find the septic drain field or leaching bed
• Home & Outdoor Living Water Requirements
• Septic Tank Capacity vs Usage in Daily Gallons of Wastewater Flow, calculating required septic tank size, calculating septic tank volume from size measurements
• How Big Should the Leach Field Be? - table of soil percolation rate vs. field size
• Septic System Drainfield Absorption System Biomat Formation - what leads to drain field clogging and expensive drainfield repairs
• Table of Required Septic & Well Clearances: Distances Between Septic System & Wells, Streams, Trees, etc.

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