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Topic:   Septic tank - 1599 visits (1 today, 3 this week)

Rick Hurst
Member



Posts: 3785
From:Rockwall, TX
Registered: Oct 2003

posted December 14, 2005 08:21 PM            

Does the cover for a septic tank have to visible on the surface of the ground or is acceptable to covered with soil?

We do not inspect septic systems and recommend they be inspected by a septic tank service company, but curious about the cover lid.

Rick

Jerry Peck
Member




Posts: 7912
From:Pembroke Pines, FL
Registered: Feb 2003

posted December 14, 2005 08:31 PM            

ALL which I've ever seen dug up were buried.

That is because the lid is down on the tank, which is down far enough to create the proper drainage slope for the sewer pipe.

I guess one could make a tank which has a raised up area for the lids, just never seen one and don't know why they would do it.

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Jerry Peck
South Florida

Gunnar Alquist
Member



Posts: 1023
From:Santa Rosa, CA
Registered: Jan 2001

posted December 14, 2005 11:04 PM            

Around here they use "risers" which are large plastic or fiberglass tubes with plastic or fiberglass lids at grade level. One at each cover. Not always, but maybe 10% of the time. It does make it easier to pump. Probably more difficult to inspect, though.

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If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?
Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)

John Ghent
Member


Posts: 354
From:Trumbull, CT
Registered: Aug 2001

posted December 15, 2005 03:45 AM            

The only septic tanks with exposed lids are those installed in paved areas like driveways or parking areas. All others are burried and to clean them the covers need to be dug up. Sometimes a pump up septic system has a concrete cap at grade to access the pump chamber without digging.

RANDY NICHOLAS
Member


Posts: 63
From:MANSFIELD, TEXAS
Registered: Dec 2003

posted December 17, 2005 01:00 PM            

I do a lot of rural inspections (septic systems). I look for clean-outs, depressions in the ground for the tanks, and look for the latteral lines. you can see them easily from the roof. I walk the area, hoping not to get muddy feet, and smell for odors. at my house, i had to have the tanks pumped out after 20 years of use. I located the covers (18 inches below the surface) had the tanks pumped, then cut the bottom out of a 5 gallon bucket placed it over the 8" access cover, then marked it with a concrete stone for future use, if needed. I tell the buyers of my experience.

neal lewis
Member


Posts: 649
From:Ridgewood, N.J.
Registered: Jun 2001

posted December 17, 2005 03:48 PM         

Very common in these parts to have an exposed, bolted down iron cover at grade level right in the yard for the newer systems.

Randy, 20 years and only one pumping needed? What kind of diet are you on.

Bill Wieczorek
Member


Posts: 214
From:Ingleside,Il
Registered: Aug 2004

posted December 18, 2005 09:59 AM            

Does the cover for a septic tank have to visible on the surface of the ground or is acceptable to covered with soil?

The rules in Illinois have changed at least in our area. The tanks were 12-24 inches below the ground in the past. The new tanks have a dome top and must be be visable. Since we don't inspect them it poses no issue for me. The county sanitary department checks each when a home is sold, they look for signs of leakage, wet ground around the tank things like that.

RANDY NICHOLAS
Member


Posts: 63
From:MANSFIELD, TEXAS
Registered: Dec 2003

posted December 19, 2005 12:42 PM            

Neal, my diet is primarly liquid (beer & wine), just kidding. We compost most of the kitchen stuff. I live is a sandy clay soil area (good drainage), the lateral lines extend 400 feet. The reason I had it pumped:
MY wife and I traveled the country for 8 years doing Tennant FINISH-OUTS, Office-Max, Petsmarts, and other Retail Outlets. My step kids lived in our house during that time. PARTY, PARTY, PARTY... The septic system WILL NOT DIGEST CONDOMS... I pulled out a bunch that filled a 2 gallon bucket, then called the s____ crew to do the proper job.

RANDY NICHOLAS
bigdoghomeinspections.com

Al Roden
Member


Posts: 422
From:Victoria, Texas
Registered: Mar 2003

posted December 22, 2005 09:58 AM            

I like this one (if I uploaded the photo correctly) - they poured a concrete access on top of the tank with a drain line concreted in just below the surface. And then they put in an electric pump to pump the contents of the tank into the adjacent field - it saved time and money calling a pump truck I guess.