When installing septic tanks, you want them to be to last. Reliable and effective septic tanks require thought and care to be put into each aspect of the system, including the types of stone used. Ashcraft Sand & Gravel, Cleves, Ohio’s top choice for local sand and gravel, provides the quality stone used by responsible septic installers across the Tri-State area.

When considering what gravel to choose for your leach field, it’s important to have an understanding of the role gravel plays within your septic system.

Conventional septic systems work through a process of drainage. A holed pipe leads from the septic tank to a leach field, also known as a drain field. The waste from the septic tank is then slowly diffused into the soil away from the home or business over time. The drainage pipe is surrounded by gravel, then topped with a covering to keep the soil from sifting through the gravel. Finally, a layer of soil is placed on top.

Although crushed stone is often used for construction, septic leach fields perform much better when they’re built using very clean, washed pea gravel. The pea gravel should be of uniform size for equal distribution and to keep the sewage from inundating the soil too quickly.

The size of the gravel is important. The best gravel for use in drain fields is washed gravel that’s between ¾ and 2 ½ inches large. This size is ideal for allowing the correct amount of waste to enter the soil at any given time.

The best gravel for your septic project may differ depending on the condition of the septic environment. Ashcraft’s Sand & Gravel’s sand and gravel experts are always ready to discuss your gravel options, providing for every condition, from gravel driveways to septic systems. To learn more about how Ashcraft’s gravel suppliers help Ohio residents and businesses with construction projects of all types and sizes, visit their website or call (513) 367-5700.