Every time we get a heavy rain I get water coming from the leach bed back into the septic tank. Is there a check valve that can be installed to prevent this from happening or any other suggestions? I have been told that a curtain drain would help, but that is costly.

You got a hard pan that is holding water or a saturated field. You can install a 4" backwater valve as the pipe exits the tank but I have never heard of anyone doing this. Is the leech field large enough?

After we moved in the neighbor said that his land is labeled "swamp land" down at the couthouse. My first call was to the Health Department to see if a drain curtain was required. They said no and the contractor that put the leach bed in actually went 1000' instead of the required 900'. I will tell you that the ground is mostly clay and does not drain very well. Is a backwater valve the same thing as a check valve? I am thinking that the only solution may be the curtain drain. I know they make checkvalves but the problem I see is that there is not a whole lot of pressure from either side to activate the valve.

You are going to have to develop a higher leech field with a sump pump system and lots and lots of fill brought in. swamp land will always be a problem. I am surprised it was even allowed to be installed

Hey not sure if you are still monitoring this - was wondering if you found a solution to your issue. I have a raised field ISF but same problem... and its costing me lost of $$$

Yes, you could install a check valve,(see image) to prevent The filter bed from backing up. However, when the check valve closed it would make your septic tank a closed system that would fill up and back into your home.
If your drainfield's so loaded that it can no longer percolate then it's time to move and install a new drain field or perhaps consider a Hoot System Good luck, Tom

I install septics. How old is the drain field. When / what time of year was it perked? Check vaulve is really a no no. It hides the real problem(s) 101 standard septic system. Solids into septic tank(s) solids sink to bottom, bacteria breaks it up and luqidfies it and heads to drain field. On the way right before the bed there will be a distrubutation box of 1 inlet to 3 or more outlets and up to five on res. Systems. A failure of septics is this. Tank(s) were sized to small and the raito of people flushing (solids)over loads the tank soilds don't break up in time and this lets solids clog drain field. The distrubation box is not LEVEL to use the whole drain field and part of the field is inactive. The drain field is too deep. ( 70% evaportation 30% sasturation) Standard field is in my area is 3'deep of 2b clean stone the pipe is centered in it. The top of the stone field must have a cover before backfill ( old days was straw new is spec. cloth ) If it's a new system / backfill is real important on grade runnoff, Did one of the pipes get crushed when backfilled? Is your system stone and is there a grinder pump if the bed is higher than sewer line out of house. A perfect system means actually don't need to pump out every year or three or ever.. Townships here are starting to require pumpimg every 3 years so major failure of field can be avoided. Today an engineered system permit is almost half the cost if installtion. Chack downspouts to maybe by pass field to surface water is around and away from field. Most all calls of systems problems is in the rainy winter months. Hope it helps

Lets look at this sensibly. When a septic tank and drain field are correctly installed, the drain field is below the exit pipe level from the septic tank, and indeed the pipe are angled down at 1 in 200, not flat, but almost. Therefore, it is impossible for the liquid from the drain field to run uphill into the septic tank.

However, when the ground is totally waterlogged due to heavy rain, or water running down from higher ground, then this water can rise up the connecting pipe to ground level, where it will either pond or run away downhill.

A drain field should not be installed, in a location where the ground water can rise within three feet of the lowest part of the pipe.

If your ground is waterlogged, then the solution is either bring in loads of earth and raise the drainfield above ground level, so it always drains, or bye pass the drain field at times of the year when the ground is waterlogged, and use a mechanical system, you can buy an add on liquid processor, called a"Baby Bio" this piece of kit, will process the liquid from the septic tank and discharge clean water. It does require electricity to run the internal pump and it will require annual maintenance.

Perry,
You're responding to a three year old thread. Look for the date in 6the upper left hand corner before you post. Thanks. Tom

Hey... it come in very useful for me.. thanks perry!

Diana,
Your leach field is so loaded it can't function. Go read the answers posted to your complaint. Goods luck, Tom

speedball1 is correct, the drain field is not working, however, it is not that the water is rising from the drainfield, it is that the people in the home are continually flushing the toilet and using water and adding to the problem!

to whom all it may concern... as far as septic savior they are full of s**t. there is nothing in the world that you can flush down your toilet and restore a failed system. g.r.t. septic savior claims will remove petrolium not!! Its "GREASE REMOVAL TECHNOLOGY" ya... in other words a fancy way of saying dawn dish soap... hahaha.anyway... let me be the 1 to tell the world with all my 3 decades of experience in "SEPTIC PRODUCTS" yes it is good 2 start taking care of septic when its installed however if you bypass all grey water washing machine bleach number 1 killer of good bacteria ,kitchen sink, or have a grease trap for the kitchen sink that's the best thing you can do 2 prolong the life.furthermore.. yes a septic works on bacteria that produces enzymes 2 liquefy solids.if you have 1 or 2 people using septic you will prob never have a problem.if you have a larger family using it is a good idea 2 use a bacteria additive 2 help build up the good bacteria that the septic needs in order 2 survive.america have you heard of home depot,lowe's ect... liquid enzymes are the best nothing 2 disolve.septic savior is garbage.their products donot work.why? Because it has 1% bacteria and the rest is filler including all purpose flour,sugar,and cornmeal all of that makes up the weight... that's why it does not work.water disolveable bags ha ha.. open your tank lid and see with your eyeballs them floating on top.they end up eventually in your drain lines clogging the preforated holes and guess what? The final destination is the drain field causing you more problems than you could only imagine.by the way septic savior and f.b.k. products is the same company.beware of the septic insurance they try and sell you.its fraud it does not exsist people.read the fine print it states it only covers interior fixtures leading up to the main line of your home.nothing from the main line to your drainfield.the sad thing about it is people are billed 20 dollars a month autopay on creditcard only.. s**t by the time you pay 20 $ a month for a few years you could have called a plumber 10x.if your leachbed/drainfield.. samething is backing up into your tank im afraid you need 2 call a septic tank company local 2 you and have it replaced.yes i know they are not cheap but that's the "ONLY"solution 2 fix it.sorry people.thats just the raw truth.rid-x has a lot of filler too.what i suggest is that you call your local waste water treatment plant and speak to superintendent ask he/she what uses as far as enzymes because you have to understand every state has different type of soil/perculation in the ground.for instance red clay soil "NO PERK".to close i feel sorry for people that 1 have to be ripped off by septic savior,f.b.k and believe me the list goes on... miller-plante ez flow,flush-it ect look it up online do your homework america.its 2011 no reason you cant. If you don't have access 2 computer go to the local library... friends house whatever you have 2 do. But don't fall victim.if any 1 calls your home trying 2 sell you filler for $199.00 for a 5 yr supply tell them you have city sewer and they will never call again. Ahhhhhhhhh i feel better knowing that if this post saves 1 person from being ripped off.. well it was worth the 10 min it took me 2 write this... good luck!!

Once more Kelly.
Look for the date in the upper left hand corner before you post.
AND LOSE THE CAPS!! We don't like to be yelled at.
And what's with you picking up on these dead threads. We need answers to the current questions not old dead ones. So, do you think , in the future, you can stick with current traffic? Cheers, Tom

When we flush we get a gurgling up through ou kitchen sink our washroom is on the second story why is this happening and we had our tank emptied two months ago

Your drainage from the kitchen sink is connected to the main sewage line to the septic tank, there will be a number of water tight connections along these pipes.
The water in your waste and sewage pipes cannot go down as long as the pipes and septic tank are full, the septic tank cannot go down if the drain field is full of liquid.
You should carefully open the septic tank, if as I suspect it is full, then you will have a rush of water and sewage flying into the air as the pressure is released.
An alternative, it to choose a point along the drain field and dig down, this will release the pressure more slowly.