Dropping trees near septic/ how to locate septic feild

[Welderman85]

Sorry if I posted this in the wrong spot. I have a few trees I would like to take down but I'm unsure how to locate where my drain feild is. I know were the tank is but no clue on the rest. How can I locate it. Thank you

 

[old CB]

Quite often you can see it according to the plant growth above ground. Look for an area that has taller, thicker grass than elsewhere, due to the nutrient-rich effluent coming from the drain field.

I work in the mountains, so it's also that one level spot apart from the steep ground around it. Might be less of an identifier in Michigan.

Unless you're dropping massive trees that will fall with a mighty thump, it should not be an issue, as your leach field should be about 4' deep, below the frost line. Here, we're mainly concerned with repeated heavy wheeled traffic. An occasional trip across should not mean too much, but heavy traffic could be a problem.

Soils here are generally quite coarse, therefore stable. If you have clay soils, and saturated, then your situation might be different.

 

[Plowmaster]

Sorry if I posted this in the wrong spot. I have a few trees I would like to take down but I'm unsure how to locate where my drain feild is. I know were the tank is but no clue on the rest. How can I locate it. Thank you

A 4ft piece of 5/16 rod.weld a 12 in T across top then start probing

 

[ArtB]

How old is the house?
In many areas, in the last 70 years or so septic system builders have been required to post as-built plan with local health dept. or building dept who supposedly keep them on file. .

Check with your local health or building dept.

Other than that, pretty much SOL unless you can afford ground penetrating radar or ground scanning sonar.

Of course, if it were me and did not know where the septic field was, would just drop the trees and grind the stumps. Repair any septic damage. Some jurisdictions frown on DIY septic repair.

edit - The probe method suggested might work in sandy soil without rocks, otherwise no way to tell if a rock or a septic tile or pipe.

 

[ArtB]

PS: this will not work in MI where you get summer rain. Here in PNW where the last half of July and August are pretty dry, in my own yard if we do not artificially water it, I can SEE the color stripes in the yard that show exactly where the septic lines are.

 

[Haironyourchest]

There may or may not be vent stacks sticking up, or the remains of them. You would have to strim the area to find them I suppose. There is a way of telling trees that allows them to fall slowly, with little or no impact, but it's complicated to explain. Basically you need to force pull them with a come along, and leave a tall hinge that will bend rather than break. And steap the stem above the cut with a ratchet strap to prevent barber chair

 

[Deleted member 117362]

If in Michigan and it has snowed, look where snow melted first.

 

[Section VIII]

If you know where the tank is, then the drain field is normally straight out from the tank in a direction downhill (if different) and away from the house.

Additionally, the drain field should be a certain distance away from the house and/or any bodies of water, creeks, streams, etc....

Here in DE, that distance is a minimum of 50 feet.

Ideally, the drain field is not under trees.

 

[CacaoBoy]

The tank should have at least one, and perhaps two, access ports. Open them and look in. You should be able to figure out which is the inlet side and which is the outlet side. While there is no guarantee that the outlet will make a straight run to the leach field, it is likely, and that should give you a rough idea of the location of the leach field. Take a look at these pages for information on estimating the size of the leach field and tips for locating:
https://inspectapedia.com/septic/Septic-Drainfield-Size.php
https://inspectapedia.com/septic/Septic_Drainfield_Location_Visual.php

 

[chipper1]

Sorry if I posted this in the wrong spot. I have a few trees I would like to take down but I'm unsure how to locate where my drain feild is. I know were the tank is but no clue on the rest. How can I locate it. Thank you

Not sure if I've said welcome to AS before, but welcome .
Where are you at here in the mitten, I'm just east of GR.
Most times as long as you're not spearing the ground with branches you shouldn't have a problem.
As was stated above you can usually get info from the heath dept and if they don't have anything about where it is they should know who installed it, and they may have it in their records as to how it's laid out.

 

[Welderman85]

Not sure if I've said welcome to AS before, but welcome .
Where are you at here in the mitten, I'm just east of GR.
Most times as long as you're not spearing the ground with branches you shouldn't have a problem.
As was stated above you can usually get info from the heath dept and if they don't have anything about where it is they should know who installed it, and they may have it in their records as to how it's laid out.

Thank you I'm in chesaning

 

[CatMan Fetters]

Look and see where your stink pipe exits the house then start probing 8 to 12 feet out from your outside wall ,you should be able to find your tank.

 

[Welderman85]

The tank is about 10 feet from the back of the house. I think the feild starts 20 feet from th house. There is probably a 50-75 feet by 75-100 area with no trees and the grass grows really fast in that spot. And farther out than that has alot of trees. I will have to check with the county and try and find records or an as build. I took a photo but it wont let me load it the file is to large. I will try again tomorrow

 

[chipper1]

The tank is about 10 feet from the back of the house. I think the feild starts 20 feet from th house. There is probably a 50-75 feet by 75-100 area with no trees and the grass grows really fast in that spot. And farther out than that has alot of trees. I will have to check with the county and try and find records or an as build. I took a photo but it wont let me load it the file is to large. I will try again tomorrow

Take a screen shot of the picture and then you'll be able to load it.

Thank you I'm in chesaning

Cool, I'll be up there for a GTG this May.

 

[Welderman85]

Take a screen shot of the picture and then you'll be able to load it.

Cool, I'll be up there for a GTG this May.

That's a great Idea thank you

 

[Welderman85]

Don't mind my messy yard lol. The pipe in the back on the right hand side is water. The back of the cement is 20 feet from the house.and the septic tank is to the left of the kids picnic table.

 

[chipper1]

Gotta clean those logs off the patio .
Looks like you have a lot of room back there to drop trees, what ones are you wanting to take down.

 

[Welderman85]

Lol I was thinking that when I posted it. My dogs have 7 acres and one always poops on my porch. Theres two red maples. On the wood line I want to drop and theres 5 trees by where i park my car hauler i would like to take a few of those down also..

 

[Flint Mitch]

Thank you I'm in chesaning

Corunna here, were neighbors!

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

 

[chipper1]

Lol I was thinking that when I posted it. My dogs have 7 acres and one always poops on my porch. Theres two red maples. On the wood line I want to drop and theres 5 trees by where i park my car hauler i would like to take a few of those down also..

Isn't that how it is. I like our dog, it lives at the neighbors house, they feed it, clean up the crap, take it to the vet and to doggie daycare, and it stays in their yard because of the electric fence, whenever I want to pet it I walk over there and pet it, and the kids do the same, it's the perfect dog .
I wouldn't doubt the drain-field is off to the left half of the picture. Most times they will be opposite of the well, so if the well is to the right it would be to the left, or maybe the well is in the front, but it won't be near the well. I think dropping any of the trees in the picture away from the house and the opening to the left you should be just fine.