If you have a choice between Ex Flow pipe (13" Triangular) and chambers (Quick4 Plus) which is better. Some are saying that dirt goes inside of the chamber through the side louvres since they don't use gravel or fabric over the chambers? Some of ditches will be 6' deep which might also be unsafe to get into. Dirt - Madison 4-8%, 30-45 mpi, 36"+, DOH "A".

If roots get in the ez flow can you run a large snake through it with out damaging it? I'm also worried about the bio-mat building up on the styrofoam and stocking casing around the styrofoam?

 

Everything else equal I'd probably pick the chambers. In my county they are mainly used when space is an issue as their use allows a 20% reduction in leach field length versus a traditional gravel or EZflow system. And, around here the chambers are more expensive so most people need to have a reason to go that route.

As for the EZflow system developing a biomat problem it is possible. It's also possible with a traditional gravel and perforated pipe type leach field. A auger or jetter could be run down inside EZFlow but as with anything care must be taken or you could damage the pipe.

I've never seen a chamber system fail so I can't tell you if dirt gets in them or not. I just know they work. With the chambers some dirt and even roots inside is not an issue like it is with a perforated pipe, traditional leach field.

I have five lines of Infiltrator chambers at my house. It's a difficult site with marginal soils on the side of a hill with the lines right next to a forest (roots). Not an easy place for any septic and the Infiltrators have been going for 13 years without any hint of trouble.

 

I'm not really getting a lot of opinions about this subject, is there a better site on-line where I might get more professional plumbers opinions, $5000 is a lot of money and I want to make sure if the rumours of some chambers failing are true.

Thanks, for your reply Pilot Dane.

 

Unfortunately it's an area most people just don't care much about until something goes wrong and they have to spend money. Most homeowners look at the pretty house and worry about paint color but don't care about how the sausage is made... or where it goes after it's been eaten.

The major industry trade show where you might have learned more was in late February but that would have been a grand in travel cost and admission. The next best option is to call installers and septic people in your area and talk to as many people as possible. It would probably give you the best information as they would be more knowledgeable about the soils in your area and any potential problems. I'm sorta close but the soil in my county is very different than 30 miles away so local knowledge does count for something.

Oh, and no I don't know of another forum that discusses such things. Homeowners at best only know what they've got so they couldn't offer any useful comparison. I think installers and people who service both types of systems are your best bet. Worst case call some beyond your area. It's the spring busy season so just be mindful that most are very busy working and they often aren't keen to talk at length. But if you call the ones in your area when you're having a couple days of nasty rainy weather they might not be able to work and would have more free time to talk at length.

 

My personnel opinion is I would not use any of those products.

Whats there now?? Is there an issues?

Gravel fields are best and should be laid out correctly for future service. When the field is laid out and the end of each run a clean out should be installed. This will allow the line to be jetted if needed and sucked out at the clean out. This will restore the field and allow it to be treated with peroxide if and when needed.

How deep will the D box be? This will need to be accessed.

Additionally what about the tank? If a new tank is going in a two chamber type system with aeration in the second chamber is best and will keep the feild from clogging with biomat. It make it aerobic instead of anarobic.

Also the other best course of action is to have two feilds with a bull run valve. Switch between fields yearly and it will be the last money spend of a septic system period. In your lifetime and several others..

Also another consideration is seepage pits. This is what I have. These are good and a viable option for aeration if you have a single chamber tank as I do.

Read my novel here.. Post back with any questions..


http://www.doityourself.com/forum/we...lp-advice.html

 

I have a gravel bed now that's 46 years old, 1 chamber tank. Had it low pressured jetted and one leach line was destroyed from the pressure and the other 2 line had to many roots for the jetter to pass through. Now I have only 200' of the 300' required. I would like to go back to the gravel bed however I refuse to lay my new lines in the root zones of the yard (tired of roots) and the only area I have with no root is to small to fit 300'. I've been told I can put 195' of chambers or Ez-flow which will fit in this area. I'm thinking about going with the Ez flow pipe with the styrofoam installing a lint filter for the washing machine since the county wont let me have a gray water system and putting a 6" filter in the septic tank. I believe I will have a D box with 2 lateral lines and I want to see if they can put a clean out at the end of each line.

I also thought about keeping the old field with a bull run valve but I really think 46 years the pipe is probably not worth trying to keep (not sure what type pipe it is) and the new line to be best would have to go through one of the old lines to get out of the root zone.

I also thought about adding an aerator in the septic tank when I have more money in a couple of years and adding an additional filter tank that I will add on the 4" pvc between the tank and field. I thought about cutting a 30" hdpe pipe in half and trying to make some what of a wall baffle in the tank at the out line to help prevent sludge from leaving the tank since I only have a 1 chamber system, but I haven't design this yet or done a lot of research on this topic yet.

Thanks lawrosa for the links, I never thought of a lint filter at the washing machine. I don't mind cleaning filters to help save my future system.

 

If you have a root problem then you need to either have to remove the trees or shrubs or I'd go with the chambers. The EZflow is just as susceptible to roots as a traditional gravel bed.

If there is a way to save your current field I would do it. Switch to the new system for a year or two then alternate once or twice a year. The roots won't go away and they will probably get worse but if it's biomat clogging the rest of the lines then they will slowly recover.

 

What do people think about introducing Copper Sulfate into Leach Field drain tiles that are prone to being clogged by roots ?

I've been sprinkling a liberal amount of Copper Sulfate (a few ounces) at the bottom of areas where I've had to excavate and replace some tiles to clear them of roots (that have traveled underground more than 50'); and I'm hoping to use it has an annual root control inside the replacement pipe to discourage a new invasion.

 

There are chemicals specifically for killing roots and some foam to get into as many nooks and crannies as possible. I think they work best on drain lines but the treatment needs to be repeated at regular intervals as the roots will grow back. A leach field is sort of a different monster. You're dealing with perforated pipe so the chemical may no make it where you want it and the pipe is only a small portion of the system.