January 9, 2012
Dear Ken: We live out in the country, and we notice that the first place the snow melts is over the leach field. We thought that putting a green house on that spot would be a good idea since it warmer than the rest of the yard. Is that a good idea? Mike
In a word, no. The snow melting is a reflection of the warmer-than-outside water temperatures flowing through the septic system. Usually, most of that septic tank output percolates into the ground. But sometimes the ground gets saturated, percolation is slower, and so the evaporation through the top of the leach field area helps disburse the moisture. If you were to put a green house on top, you would thwart that evaporation, and might ultimately interfere with the processing of your sewage. Also, there can be a slight odor emanating from the leach field. Admittedly, it isn't very strong and is usually dispersed in the wind, so you don't notice it. If you were to put a green house on top, it would concentrate those fumes and neither you nor your plants would like that stinky environment.
Once again, let me reiterate that the leach field area is best left alone. Don't build on it, drive on it, or interfere in any way with its operation. The only exception to this is planting of wild grass or even wildflowers. The more vegetation on top of the leach field the better the evaporation will ultimately be. Good idea in theory, but in practice and I don't think it would work out very well for you.
Dear Ken: About 1/3 of my basement is a dirt crawl space. I've heard that you can dig these out and put a window or door to the outside and make a new room. Would you think of that idea? Nick
This, again, is one of those ideas that looks good in theory, but in practice can be a nightmare. You'll have to get a structural engineer involved, because the project involves cutting foundation walls, which can affect the structural integrity of the house above. The engineer--and for that matter the city--will require you to excavate well inside the existing foundation walls, maybe 3 feet or more. That way you don't interfere with the vertical load of the main house structure. That will create a dirt shelf all the way around your new room, which of course, will cut down on the anticipated square footage by maybe up to 50%
The building codes also require minimum amounts of light and ventilation - -which means a window to the outside world. You'll have to cut that into the existing foundation with a concrete saw, which is very expensive and messy. Bottom line: one you investigate this I think you'll find the expense, the hassle, and the disruption to your family life, are not worth it.
In addition the added expense, which you have to recover when you sell your house, may vault the price of your house into the upper stratosphere of your neighborhood. If you need a bigger house because of your expanding family, it would be better to purchase another house in a different neighborhood.
Dear Ken: I very hard water, so I need a softener, but I'm wary of electronic non-salt options. On the other hand I don't want salt draining into my leach field or my yard. What are my options? Mark
I think the traditional sodium ion exchange system is still the best bet. The small amount of sodium in your new drinking water won't injure your septic tank or leach field. However there is a salty brine output from the softener that's produced when it recharges during the middle of the night. That line should be run outside into a rock- filled drywell situated well away from your water supply and your septic system.
Although not perfect, I think this is the best compromise to get you what you want. If you're anxious about getting too much sodium in your diet, you can put a reverse osmosis system under your kitchen sink to feed to cold water line and the ice maker. That way, your family, plants, and pets get good tasting water without extra salt.
