This article will cover how French drains can help your raised mound systems. Every property is made unique. There are properties with soil that has normal percolation rate while some don’t. If you belong to those properties with normal percolation rates, then you must have a conventional septic system that is built underneath your property. However, if you belong to the special homeowners whose soil in their properties filter too slowly or too quickly, then you should have a raised mound system to treat your wastewater. A raised mound system is literally raised above the ground to make room for additional filters that will help treat your wastewater. It’s an efficient way to help maintain your property’s health and sanitation. Raised mound systems are specialized systems of wastewater treatment. With this, it is understood that it needs special care. Aside from the regular pump outs, you should be able to do the following to maintain your raised mound system’s optimal condition:
1) Remove heavy structures and vehicles over or near your raised mound system. Their heavy weight results to soil compaction that damages the raised mound components. Leaks, backups, overflows, and flooding take place because of the cracks.
2) Clear your raised mound system of tree roots. These invasive roots penetrate the raised mound components. The result is damage and clogging, which will eventually lead to failure if not corrected immediately.
3) Do not dump non-biodegradable materials and grease into your drains, toilets, and sinks. These cannot be broken down by the raised mound’s resident bacteria. They just stay in the tank and get pushed into the filters and soil absorption area, clogging everything.
4) Do not pour harsh chemicals into your toilets, sinks, and drains. These compounds easily kill off the raised mound’s resident bacteria. Without bacteria in your raised mound, there can be no wastewater treatment.
5) Minimize water consumption. It is common for many households to use water too much. To save time, you use the dishwasher and the washing machine at the same time. This adds too much water into your raised mound. When there is too much water, the solid waste particles cannot be broken down as quickly as before. The solid waste particles are just pushed into the filters and soil absorption area, clogging everything. The same thing happens when heavy rains occur.
The excessive water load that your raised mound experiences is a terrible problem. The raised mound system that helps your special soil perform filtration now needs help in reducing excess water load. This is where the French drain enters the picture. French drains are also known as soakaways. Knowing how French drains can help your raised mound systems will help you appreciate how a simple system can make a complicated form of septic system work more efficiently.
If you install a French drain around your raised mound system, your excess water load problem will be instantly resolved. The French drain catches the wastewater overflow in your raised mound’s tank. The wastewater stagnates for some time, allowing some of the anaerobic bacteria to continue breaking down the solid waste particles in the wastewater. After that, gravity powers the gradual flow of the effluent that passes through a layer of durable media. The slime that grows in this durable media helps breakdown more of the solid waste particles. When the effluent disperses into the soil absorption area, the latent bacteria there will purify the effluent. The resulting water is clear, clean, and potable. It can be reused by the time it reaches the water table.
The French drain is a very efficient component in your property. It can help waterproof your home and prevent your raised mound system from failing. You can add this simple structure into your landscape without hurting its design. With the help of your landscape architect, arborist, septic expert, and drain expert, your will have a French drain that will turn your property into the best investment decision you have ever made.