Speaking of Drain Field.

DR Darren · Mar 14, 2009

has anyone recently but in a new septic system using the new Infiltrator product? i was wondering if it was actually cheaper then a regular septic system as they claim to install and has there been any problems?

Anonymous-0 · Mar 14, 2009

cheeper not really easyer yes better ?

twopop · Mar 14, 2009

check out ring industries easy flow

JOB · Mar 14, 2009

If we are talking about the same product, they come in 4 foot lenghts and the sides on some are higher than others, I think. They are easier to install because you don't have any rock to fool with. You need a 3 foot wide trench, the product is 30 inches wide. I feel the conventional drainfield is better because you have all the bottom area, plus the side wall right up to the top of your pipe. The equation for sizing with the infilitator might take that into consideration. The instructor from the university of Minnesota swears by the infiltator product. As for problems, haven't heard of any, but I have'nt heard everything.

KCTractors · Mar 14, 2009

With that system, you can not drive anything other than a small lawn mower over the drain field because you will collapse the drain field. I replaced our system two years ago and I went with the stone filled drenches, just my opinion.

DR Darren · Mar 14, 2009

i was wondering about the drving over it, their website claims that 12 inch of dirt and your good to go.

what kinda information did you come across?

JOB · Mar 14, 2009

I seen pictures of it being driven over with some pretty big equipment and not much cover. Once your drain field has been installed you should not be driving over it anyway, compacts the soil, Your drain field becomes sacred ground after it has been installed.

glennster · Mar 14, 2009

looks pretty interesting. here is a link
infiltrator system

pat sublett · Mar 14, 2009

I installed the system about 10 years ago. 12inches below grade and you can drive anything over it. I have never had any problem with mine and I live in a very low perc area. If I ever install another system I will use it again.

DR Darren · Mar 14, 2009

at that time, how did teh price compare if you can remeber? and was the drain field smaller then a regular drain field woudl have been?

DWF · Mar 14, 2009

I am a septic installer in Minn. and use this system. In our area we use mostly pressure systems (mounds). You strap the pre drilled pipe to the top of the chamber. I use a T-190 bobcat to cover the system. You can cross over from the side, but they tell you not to run length wise.
As far as the cost, it is no cheaper. We have rock readily available here. I think if you had to haul rock a long way the price with chambers could be cheaper. It is a little less labor intense with the chambers.
DWF

DR Darren · Mar 14, 2009

just curious, how could it not be cheaper? it just seems if u dont have to haul in a rock product and u use less linear feet of a drainage field. just trying to make sense of it. how can it not be cheaper?

MN Scott · Mar 14, 2009

I had a Infiltrator drain field installed last October. MN requires any septic system over 30 years old to be replaced. So I had to pony up the $7500 and install a new system and abandon by old working system to avoid $500 a month fine from MPCA. Since it was installed late I was not able to establish grass. It is on a slope and the other day a hole dropped in 15 ft. from the end of one of the runs. I'am going to have the installer look at it monday. For what it cost this better not be a sign of things to come with this system!

DR Darren · Mar 14, 2009

how many linear feet was your drain field?

MN Scott · Mar 14, 2009

300 Ft. 3 100ft runs. I was afraid it would freeze with no sod cover, but no trouble with frost this year at least. I pulled the caps off the stand pipes today and water did not make it to the second run yet so it has a lot of capacity. I think the Infiltrator materials themselves were close to $3000, pretty pricey plastic if you ask me.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 14, 2009

A bit of advice for you. If your state regulations will allow it, USE STONE, USE STONE, USE STONE. The oldest way is the best way.

buickanddeere · Mar 15, 2009

This is the time to add a grey water system.
Water softener discharge, washing machines, dish washers, bath tubs and sinks overload septic systems with too much water. And kill the bacteria with salt, chlorine and soap.

david - or · Mar 15, 2009

Most pro installers use infiltrators or their polyethylene bead cousins. The reason is the enormous savings in labor over using rock. Whether you use a pro or do it yourself you will not save money with these products. But using them is a LOT less work.

I dug my own septic system back in 2002. I used traditional 1.5 inch drain rock both because I wanted to farm over the top of the system and I feared the many gophers and ground squirrels would invade and inhabit the hollow infiltrators in the bottom two trenches in my serial system. (Code required more capacity than I would likely ever use.) I thought handling rock would be no problem because I'd recently bought a backhoe.

Boy, was I wrong! An inexperienced operator cannot achieve the proper grade with the backhoe alone. Drain rock is one of the hardest materials to move with hand tools, especially the big stuff I was using. A shovel just bounces off.

I can remember reflecting upon the meaning of the words "idiot stick" as I hand shoveled 3000 pounds of rock back into the loader bucket in the hot August sun. (I'd slipped with the machine and dumped too much at the end of a trench.)

The county health inspector was really impressed with my system (after I'd spent almost a month building it). He said hardly anyone used rock any more. I had, by that time, painfully learned the reason for this.

jim in N M · Mar 15, 2009

I built my home in 2000 and used the infiltrators. The tank Co. said they wouldn't use them,They also had their own gravel yard. My code called for eighty ft. for a three bedroom house,I used two fifty ft. runs six ft. apart. You can run a sixteen ton truck over them if they are two ft. or more below grade. I also used the same system for my gray water I ran twenty four ft. for that and never have had any trouble with either one. I also must say ,I live in a good perk area....Any questions my e-mail is open.....Jim in N M

DWF · Mar 15, 2009

Where we are, rock is readily available, so you don't have the high cost of hauling, only the high cost of rock. If you have to haul a long distance you could probably save some hauling by using chambers. I think the chambers are less labor intensive. Here you still need the same treatment area either way, so there is no savings that way.
DWF

DR Darren · Mar 15, 2009

i am going to put in a Brac system.

DR Darren · Mar 15, 2009

wanted to say thanks to everyone, its nice when everyone feels free and open to voice THEIR opinion and give you a chance to learn differnt ways of doing things to give u an open choice.

True meaning of being in america.

MN Scott · Mar 15, 2009

In MN all water has to go thru the septic tank. Thats the reason my old system was condemed, grey water had its own drain feild.

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