Perc Test
We are dependent on land and soil as the foundation for building our houses, growing our plants, providing us well water, and also for managing waste from our septic systems. Permeability of soil affects many decisions about a home’s drainage system, septic system, well system and building construction. Permeability relates to the soils ability to move water or air. To understand the permeability of the soil of land in Catlett VA, perc tests are conducted to determine how fast or slow water passes through the soil.
Soils high in clay have a low permeability or slow rate of drainage, which creates challenges for septic systems. When it comes to septic systems, well draining soils are important to treat and move waste water away from the home. If there are high quantities of clay in the soil, that usually is a signal of low permeability. Gravel and sand mixed in the soil have higher permeability. As with many things, the mix or balance is important. Soils with extremely high permeability can be a problem too, because they would allow effluent from the septic system to drain too fast to the lower levels of the ground without filtering out the bacteria first.
The drain field has the hugely important job of absorbing hundreds of thousands of gallons of septic effluent – or liquid waste from toilets, sinks, tubs and showers – over many years. The drain field does the important work of removing contaminants from the liquid and disposing of the wastewater before it reaches the groundwater and possibly nearby ponds and streams in Catlett VA. Perc testing assures that you have a drain field that is optimized to do support your household’s sewage for many years to come.