Septic tank question
John D99
10 - 12 inchs to uncover the two inspection / maintenance holes, whcih are
about 20 inches in diameter.
My question: is there any problem in not re-filling the holes so I can have
easy access next time I want to check the tank to see if it needs a
pump-out?
Can I expect a lot of odor in the hot months if I don't cover the thing with
dirt?
Eric in North TX
I would just fill it with sand, that way you could easily dig it out
if you need access, without the potential for odor and liability.
Liability might take the form of a curious child (we lost one locally
to an uncovered septic tank), or someone falling due to the hole in
the yard.
EXT
Brick around the tank lids up to just under the soil level. Keep the
original lids in place and add a precast sidewalk slab as a new lid over the
bricked up opening. Cover with some loose soil untill you need access again.
bob haller
>
> - Show quoted text -
there are height extensions for this need
John D99
<gfre...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:o8an35tjv1t4u7fg6...@4ax.com...
> My septic guy says one problem with that is rain water will flood the
> tank putting pressure on the leach field. He also suggests using
> regular spray foam insulation on the edges of the hole before you drop
> the lid in. That will break loose easier than the bond you get with
> dirt in the gap..
Yeah, Iwas thinking of callking around the lids - that foam is a better
idea.
Even if backfilled with dirt, the concrete lids are uneven and are bound to
allow water to seep in during rains when the soil gets saturated.
This thing has turned into a real pita. I have a fence panel lying over the
holes now, for appearance and safety, but it's not going to stop rain
infiltration.
Hustlin' Hank
Keep the lids in place and buy extenders to sit around them that
extend past ground level. The extenders have lids on them that may
have to be purchased separately. The lids underground (the ones you
already have) will remain in place and the other lids will cover the
extender holes.
Water wil not flood your leach field. If that was the case, your leach
field would get flodded every time it rains, from ground water.
You may get an occasional smell whent he wind blows right, but not
enough to cause you to go inside.
Call you local Pre-cast supplier and they will help you out.
Hank
Frank
way there is no problem with access. When we first moved into new house
septic came up and we needed a new drain field installed. A switcher
box was put in where I can switch drain fields when needed but it was
buried. I dug it up myself when needed and went to local concrete
company and bought ring and cap. Sometimes there is a slight odor but
it is in back yard and you have to be near to smell it. There is no
secondary cap over the box such as you would have with your tank so I
doubt there would be any odor. I have none from mine at the tank.
Rudy
extend past ground level. The extenders have lids on them that may
have to be purchased separately. The lids underground (the ones you
already have) will remain in place <<
The 12" extensions sit flush in/on the existing tank opening and the normal
"cap" fits them fine..no need for two "lids".
I used two for my tank. They told me there were 8" (and 24's) extensions
also available.
If you just want to go with what's there already, cover the "naked" caps
with a piece of sheet plastic and throw some wood chips/mulch over top for
decor purposes. I incorporated this method into a rock mulch covered
landscape feature, effectively 'hiding' the caps.
Stormin Mormon
Some kind of board over the top of the hole in the ground?
Maybe a big tractor tire, with a flower planter, or
something like that.
--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
"Eric in North TX" <tin...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1527723b-da42-49ee...@n4g2000vba.googlegroups.com...
John D99
"Stormin Mormon" <cayoung61**spamblock##@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:h1gsnk$lrg$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
> Seems like the holes ought to have a hatch, or cover plate?
The setup I have, the 20" holes are covered by 22" concrete lids with a bent
rebar loop so they can levered up to move. The lids are maybe 70 pds each,
and don't form any soprt seal that stops water or gas.
harry k
> tank putting pressure on the leach field. He also suggests using
> regular spray foam insulation on the edges of the hole before you drop
> the lid in. That will break loose easier than the bond you get with
> dirt in the gap..
OMG! That septic tank guy needs to find another job!
1. Rain water can't 'flood' it unless there is drainage from a large
area running into the hole.
2. Concrete tank lids do not seal themselves to the tank.
3. Concrete lids do not fit down into a recess, they sit on top of
the tank.
Harry K
Perry525
http://www.thestuccocompany.com/maintenance/Septic-tank-question-379454-.htm
:
John D99 wrote:
> I've got a standard concrete septic tank setup. I recently dug down
> about
> 10 - 12 inches to uncover the two inspection / maintenance holes, which
> are
> about 20 inches in diameter.
> My question: is there any problem in not re-filling the holes so I can
> have
> easy access next time I want to check the tank to see if it needs a
> pump-out?
> Can I expect a lot of odor in the hot months if I don't cover the thing
> with
> dirt?
You should always keep easy access to your septic tank.
It is a good idea to check the height of the compacted solids in the tank
around late summer. You do this by opening the septic and pushing a pole
down through the floating scum until you feel the soft top of the solids.
When the solids are twelve inches below the bottom of the outlet T the
tank needs to be emptied.
Doing this avoids any surprises and you can see how that 55 grams of
toilet that you leave every day gradually fills the tank - it takes years
to fill.
Provided you only use it for human waste.
Always make sure the lids are in place, always make sure that rain and
surface water cannot get into the top of the tank - water getting into the
top of a tank will make it smell
Perry
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Perry
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aemeijers
No, but they do get jammed in place. Molding concrete is not like
machining steel or hardwood- you don't get exact dimensions after it cures.
>
> 3. Concrete lids do not fit down into a recess, they sit on top of
> the tank.
??? They must make tanks different in your part of the world. Around
here the lids are are tapered on the edge, round lid or square, and fit
in like a cork. Edge of the hole is tapered to match.
>
> Harry K
They do sell retrofit kits that you mastic down to the top of tank
instead of the lids, and include a plastic lid and an access tunnel
leading up to surface, with room to place a foam plug if you live in
frost country. Top is a flush plastic manhole, rated to walk on (but
probably not drive on), that you simply open and reach down to get to
the inspection and pumping ports. Some people swear by them, and if I
lived in a house with lots of people and septic, I'd probably look into
it. But being here by myself, odds are this tank will go 15 years
without needing pumping.
--
aem sends...
Rudy
3. Concrete lids do not fit down into a recess, they sit on top of
the tank.
I guess it depends on who makes the tank/lids. Mine in Tucson AZ had
tapered edges on the lids that fit DOWN into formed recesses in the top of
the tank and formed a FLAT surface across the top.
harry k
> On Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:06:34 -0700 (PDT), harry k
>
> <turnkey4...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >> My septic guy says one problem with that is rain water will flood the
> >> tank putting pressure on the leach field. He also suggests using
> >> regular spray foam insulation on the edges of the hole before you drop
> >> the lid in. That will break loose easier than the bond you get with
> >> dirt in the gap..
>
> >OMG! That septic tank guy needs to find another job!
>
> believe him
>
> >1. Rain water can't 'flood' it unless there is drainage from a large
> >area running into the hole.
>
>
>
>
> >2. Concrete tank lids do not seal themselves to the tank.
>
>
>
>
> >3. Concrete lids do not fit down into a recess, they sit on top of
> >the tank.
>
> a matching tapered hole. The sand in our soil will seal that puppy so
> tight you need an 8' 4x4 and a decent fulcrum to pop it out.
>
> Maybe this is just a Florida problem but we got 2.5" of rain in about
> an hour in a half last night and that wasn't even a storm, just a
> summer shower. If you had an open hole in the ground around your
> septic clean out (or anywhere else in the yard) it would certainly be
> full to the top with water in minutes.
That the guy is a pro does not mean that he is 'right'. I have had
septic tank pumpers claim that the 90 degree el that terminates into
the tank is a 'bad thing'.
Another reason the surface water cannot 'flood the field' is that it
can't run into the tank to begin with. If the tank is functioning
correctly, it is already full to the top. It would also have to work
its way through any unsealed cracks in teh lid seal which could pass
some small amount of water.
Bottom line - he is full of the stuff in the tank.
Harry K
willshak
> I've got a standard concrete septic tank setup. I recently dug down about
> 10 - 12 inchs to uncover the two inspection / maintenance holes, whcih are
> about 20 inches in diameter.
>
Just 12" deep? I wish mine were 12" deep rather than 36". Fortunately, I
only have to uncover it every few years.
I have some triangular measurements taken from parts of the house to the
center of the cleanout hole location so I always know where to dig.
> My question: is there any problem in not re-filling the holes so I can have
> easy access next time I want to check the tank to see if it needs a
> pump-out?
>
> Can I expect a lot of odor in the hot months if I don't cover the thing with
> dirt?
>
>
>
>
>
>
--
Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @
willshak
> tank putting pressure on the leach field. He also suggests using
> regular spray foam insulation on the edges of the hole before you drop
> the lid in. That will break loose easier than the bond you get with
> dirt in the gap..
>
The tank is completely enclosed, so there is very little water that can
get in, and any rain that does get in would be around the cleanout
cover, which would be no more than some dripping. With all that rain, it
would probably be less than one flush of the toilet.
There would be much more rainwater flooding the septic fields, though..
willshak
My cleanout holes and lids are tapered.so that the lids drop in and are
flush with the top of the tanks. I have two tanks, one is 'brown water'
and the other 'grey water'.
harry k
> On Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:53:49 -0700 (PDT), harry k
>
> <turnkey4...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >Another reason the surface water cannot 'flood the field' is that it
> >can't run into the tank to begin with. If the tank is functioning
> >correctly, it is already full to the top.
>
> the tank, that is lower than the input pipe,
Correct if you are referring to the _liquid_ level. The 'cake' floats
on top. Would water running onto the top of the cake penetrate it?
Dunno but the pumpers have to stir that up in order to suck it up.
Still leaves the problem of enough water making its way through small
cracks to 'flood the the field'. Then someone else already mentioned
the _fact_ that if ground water is entering the tank, the field is
already flooded.
Harry K
harry k
>
> - Show quoted text -
Yeah. I forgot that there are precast tanks. The ones I have been
associated with were the 'poured in place' type where the lids do just
sit flat on top.
Harry K
harry k
> on 6/19/2009 11:07 AM (ET) gfretw...@aol.com wrote the following:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:45:24 -0600, "John D99" <J...@quantum.com>
>
> - Show quoted text -
Yep! The guy is full of it.
Harry K
dpb
...
> Correct if you are referring to the _liquid_ level. The 'cake' floats
> on top. Would water running onto the top of the cake penetrate it?
> Dunno but the pumpers have to stir that up in order to suck it up.
Yes, but even if it didn't it would flow out the drain--it can't/won't
"stand" above an opening unless it is blocked.
And, there are two (at least) compartments--the exit is separated from
the inlet side by a baffle that reaches to the top so the solids are
retained there leaving essentially only liquid in the outlet chamber.
Otherwise the drain field would get clogged w/ solids almost immediately.
> Still leaves the problem of enough water making its way through small
> cracks to 'flood the the field'. Then someone else already mentioned
> the _fact_ that if ground water is entering the tank, the field is
> already flooded.
Doesn't necessarily follow (depends on relative amounts of input versus
perc capacity of the field) but certainly large quantities of
groundwater should be prevented from entering the tank.
--
willshak
> business when I have internet experts.
>
We're not trying to sell you a cleanout.
Rudy
> only have to uncover it every few years.
Nextime you dig down, Put down some extensions
Stormin Mormon
find, later. Ring of copper wire, so you can find it with a
metal detector. Near the surface.
--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
"Rudy" <NoS...@no-onehome.net> wrote in message
news:hIV%l.13977$AL2....@newsfe10.iad...
harry k
So explain just how "larged quantities" can enter the tank dthrough
very small unsealed openings. Seepage or maybe even drips are about
all you can get.
Harry K
aemeijers
So like several of us said- if he doesn't wanna shovel next time, add a
prefabricated or improvised manhole with a lid, over the
inspection/cleanout holes. Include freeze protection as needed by local
climate. Several ways to do it, depending on local code requirements.
Not rocket surgery, just a glorified outhouse.
--
aem sends...