This article will cover . A sand mound is a mandatory form of wastewater treatment system designed for properties with complicated types of soil. The soil that these properties have filters too quickly or too slowly. These chaotic percolation rates are not ideal for normal septic systems that are installed underneath the ground. To help the soil filter well, the wastewater system should have additional filters. This is made possible through the sand mound system. This system is in the form of a mound because it is actually raised above the ground to make room for the filters below. It is a dilemma for many homeowners to fit in sand mounds into their landscape design.
It also an extra labor of love to pay more attention to the sand mound system because it is more exposed to the elements. The construction fiber that lines the system should always be intact especially before the cold months. This fabric is responsible for maintaining the heat inside the system to make sure the bacteria’s metabolism is kept high. Another issue that you have to prevent in sand mounds is damage or havoc. This is when the entire sand mound system goes crazy because of a number of factors. Below are some of them:
• Invasion of hardwood roots. The hardwood plants that you have in your property need an immediate source of water and nutrients. That is why their roots seek out your sand mound. As these roots grow into and invade your sand mound, the wastewater treatment system is halted. Its components are also damaged because the roots penetrate small gaps and produce cracks.
• Use of harsh cleaning chemicals. Homeowners consider cleaning to be a tedious effort that is made easier by strong acids and bases. However, these compounds kill the resident bacteria that decompose the solid waste materials. If the bacteria die off, your wastewater won’t be treated. This leads to clogging and ultimately, system failure.
• Irregular pump outs. If you don’t adhere to your septic expert’s pump out schedule, the sludge will accumulate in the sand mound tank and clog everything. The sludge will be pushed into the filters and this will lead to damage.
• Improper waste disposal. When you dump non-biodegradable materials into your drains and toilets, your sand mound system will experience havoc. The plastic, paints, and grease cannot be degraded by bacteria. They just stay in the sand mound and block the flow of wastewater treatment. The clogging brought about by these substances will definitely damage the sand mound system.
• Accumulation of calcium sulfoaluminate or ettringite. The precursor to this event is the anaerobic digestion of the resident thiocillus bacteria. The process produces hydrogen sulfide gas that gathers in the headspace above the water line. Here, the gas reacts with oxygen. The interaction results to sulfuric acid that forms calcium sulfoaluminate. The white ettringite can be found on the concrete reinforcement of the sand mound system. It corrodes the cement layer and exposes the metal components of the system. The metal components are damaged. The cracks allow sediments to enter the system. The unwanted substances damage the sand mound because they are not supposed to be inside the system at all.
You should know how calcium can wreak havoc in a sand mound system because calcium sulfoaluminate is the worst possible sign of deterioration you can spot. If you have this formation in your sand mound, you are in danger of losing your wastewater treatment system. An efficient, well-maintained aeration system will prevent the ettringite from forming. The additional oxygen introduced into the sand mound will block the hydrogen sulfide gas from occupying the headspace above the water line. Hydrogen sulfide will not be able to interact with oxygen in the headspace to produce sulfuric acid. Work with your septic expert so that you could have a long lasting sand mound system even in this constantly fluctuating weather.
