I am getting ready to have a gravity fed septic field installed for a 2 bedroom apartment over a garage on fifty acres. The soil has tested well and a great gently sloping site away from the house has been identified for the leach field. My septic contractor is saying that the best system to use is the EZ-flow infiltrator system (styrofoam peanuts instead of gravel). I realize this system is much easier to install for him but is it the best. I also asked him about the chambered systems. He stated that they were too easy to damage. I have researched the web but have found mixed opinions. Anyone have experience with these systems. Will they hold up over time as well as the tried and true gravel systems? Appreciate any and all input.
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Replies
Installed infiltrator chambers @ hunting camp in upstate Pa. Very easy to install and if you check website they are rated to drive over. We installed ourselves no experience very easy to do. Cost 3000.00 materials 600.00 for backhoe and operator. not sure about reliabilty long term its only been in 2 years and doesnt get everyday use. Read up alot about it pros and cons but our system designer and sewer enforcement officer both thought it was a good system they sell a lot of them in that area You can put filters in the tanks to avoid any clogging of drain field filters will clog and alert you of problem before solids reach drain field TJC
Thanks tjc877. I have heard quite a bit about the chambered systems and read about some very large projects. Our house will be an occasional use mountain getaway for hiking and hunting. I have an excavation contractor who does septic systems but he does not appear to be as familiar with chambered systems. As you stated they seem to be failry easy to install. Thanks for the input.
Thanks tjc877. I have heard quite a bit about the chambered systems and read about some very large projects. Our house will be an occasional use mountain getaway for hiking and hunting. I have an excavation contractor who does septic systems but he does not appear to be as familiar with chambered systems. As you stated they seem to be failry easy to install. Thanks for the input.
The infiltrators can be damaged
But, i doubt it is any easier than the peanuts.
The whole purpose is to increase the surface area of discharge. You can do it with peanuts or gravels. Or, you can use an infitration gallery.
peanuts
we wanted to use peanut pipes but they are not legal in pa I agree they seem easier to install and for vaction camping etc cant see them being a problem our system is way overdesigned for our use but thats what the township required
infiltrator damage
couldnt find any specs for ez flow but quik 4 chambers are rated for 16000 lbs per axle if covered with 12 inches of compacted soil not sure if i agree with that but seems it would support a car or p/u truck
I can't point at the thread but I think there was a thread a year of two back about the chamber systems, and several people reported that they failed.
My experience with these is as a designer and a regulator.
Most of the non-gravel systems will work well provided that the system is properly designed and installed. EZ Flow has the advantage, in my opinion, when the system needs to be installed on a sharp contour.
How well the non-gravel systems hold up over time, in comparison with gravel trenches or beds is still an open question in my mind. We've been using gravel for 100 years and the "manufactured" systems for 15 or 20. However, I don't know any data that indicates that the manufactured systems are likely to have a shorter useful life than gravel systems.
I am no familiar with the styrafoam system, but can comment on the plastic chamber system, because it is most common here.
The ONLY single instance I know of where one has failed was because of a careless equipment operator! Once completed, these can be driven over, but it is not recommended, because that compacts the soils over it and evaporation is a parrt of the design. When there is an intent to use the same space as a parking or driving space, we use concrete chambers and make the system a bit larger i the design.