The Best Size Machine for Septic Fields

Trencher

• The typical septic field has trenches where seep pipe gets laid. This design requires trenching machinery. One of the better pieces of trenching equipment is the heavy-duty ride-on trencher. The machine digs a 21-inch wide trench at a depth between ground level and 4-feet. The machine can quickly run the required septic field trench and you can install the gravel and leach pipe easily.

Backhoe

• The most common type of machine used to dig out a septic field and the components of the septic system is the backhoe. Whether it is the best machine to use can be disputed, but the backhoe performs all the work required to install a septic field. You can get a backhoe with different width blades, but the best size blade to use is one measuring 2 feet wide. That is the width you need to gain access to the bottom of the trench to install the gravel and pipes.

Plow

• After you have installed all the septic system components you need to cover the pieces up or backfill the trenches. The best machine to use for this is a plow or backfill blade. Most trenchers, like the one mentioned in section 1, come with a backfill blade or plow. The blade is mounted to the front of the tractor and can easily be used as a trencher and backfill blade.

Front Loader

• Like the backhoe, the most common piece of machinery used to backfill the septic system trenches is the front loader. The machine can be attached to the same tractor the backhoe uses and allows you to backfill the trenches. Along with backfilling the trenches, the front loader allows you to move any unused dirt from the septic field. Since you install gravel, pipes and septic system components into the trenches, you will have excess dirt after backfilling. You want to relocate this dirt to another location. Unlike the backfill blade or plow, the front loader can pick up this dirt and carry it to the desired location.