Hello,

Son and wife have bought a 30 year old house.

Backyard is quite nice, and level.

Question: we have (just) noticed that the septic pit that one pumps out
occasionally, the outflow of which goes to the D box and leaching field
distribution pipes, has a concrete cover that is about 1 or 2 inches above
the soil line, and shows as it's uncovered.

Quite surprised, as ours, and I always thought all of them, had the cover
below the soil line.

a. Is it a requirement to be below the soil ?

b. What might have happened ? Could it be that they just didn't dig deep
enough to have the cover end up below the soil line ? Or,...?

c. If, for safety reasons, we want to have it below the soil, and covered,
what's the best approach ?
Would hate to have to have a contractor go back there with a crane to lift
it out, dig deeper, and reinstall.

What's the best approach to all of this ?
(just put a big flower pot over it ? !!)

Thanks,
Bob

Robert11 wrote:
Hello,

Son and wife have bought a 30 year old house.

Backyard is quite nice, and level.

Question: we have (just) noticed that the septic pit that one pumps out
occasionally, the outflow of which goes to the D box and leaching field
distribution pipes, has a concrete cover that is about 1 or 2 inches above
the soil line, and shows as it's uncovered.

Quite surprised, as ours, and I always thought all of them, had the cover
below the soil line.

a. Is it a requirement to be below the soil ?

b. What might have happened ? Could it be that they just didn't dig deep
enough to have the cover end up below the soil line ? Or,...?

c. If, for safety reasons, we want to have it below the soil, and covered,
what's the best approach ?
Would hate to have to have a contractor go back there with a crane to lift
it out, dig deeper, and reinstall.

What's the best approach to all of this ?
(just put a big flower pot over it ? !!)

Thanks,
Bob


Mines above ground. It was buried but to pump out, we had a concrete
ring installed above it, with a cover. This means there is still a
second cover below the ring.

I had to have a second drain field installed with a distribution box
that was covered. When I had to switch back to old field, I dug to find
box and installed a concrete ring with cover above ground.

If you have to have septic guys stomping around your yard to find these
things, service will cost a lot more.

On Oct 17, 8:33�am, Frank frankdotlogullo@comcastperiodnet wrote:
Robert11 wrote:
Hello,

Son and wife have bought a 30 year old house.

Backyard is quite nice, and level.

Question: �we have (just) noticed that the septic pit that one pumps out
occasionally, the outflow of which goes to the D box and leaching field
distribution pipes, has a concrete cover that is about 1 or 2 inches above
the soil line, and shows as it's uncovered.

Quite surprised, as ours, and I always thought all of them, had the cover
below the soil line.

a. �Is it a requirement to be below the soil ?

b. �What might have happened ? �Could it be that they just didn't dig deep
enough to have the cover end up below the soil line ? �Or,...?

c. �If, for safety reasons, we want to have it below the soil, and covered,
what's the best approach ?
Would hate to have to have a contractor go back there with a crane to lift
it out, dig deeper, and reinstall.

What's the best approach to all of this ?
(just put a big flower pot over it ? �!!)

Thanks,
Bob

Mines above ground. It was buried but to pump out, we had a concrete
ring installed above it, with a cover. This means there is still a
second cover below the ring.

I had to have a second drain field installed with a distribution box
that was covered. �When I had to switch back to old field, I dug to find
� box and installed a concrete ring with cover above ground.

If you have to have septic guys stomping around your yard to find these
things, service will cost a lot more.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

my father in law was required to fnd his, i helped with some
explorator digging

"Robert11" wrote:
-snip-
Backyard is quite nice, and level.

Question: we have (just) noticed that the septic pit that one pumps out
occasionally, the outflow of which goes to the D box and leaching field
distribution pipes, has a concrete cover that is about 1 or 2 inches above
the soil line, and shows as it's uncovered.
-snip-
a. Is it a requirement to be below the soil ?

Local codes might require it.

b. What might have happened ? Could it be that they just didn't dig deep
enough to have the cover end up below the soil line ? Or,...?

Someone re-graded to make the yard 'nice and level'? They got tired
of digging it up every year to be pumped or unclogged? . . .


c. If, for safety reasons, we want to have it below the soil, and covered,
what's the best approach ?

What safety? The most likely cause of problems would be someone
driving a vehicle over it. Seeing that cover ought to serve as a
warning.

Would hate to have to have a contractor go back there with a crane to lift
it out, dig deeper, and reinstall.

What's the best approach to all of this ?
(just put a big flower pot over it ? !!)


I'd go with the flower pot myself. It locates the thing and makes
maintenance easy. The only downside [other than esthetics] to not
having a soil cap *might* be in extreme climates where freezing could
become an issue. I'm in upstate NY. My septic is within the shade
thrown by my house on the north side. There is no soil covering the
cap- and very little covering the rest of my concrete tank. We have
had a few snowless, cold winters and I've never had a freezing
problem. There seems to be enough heat thrown off by decomp, and
warm water being added to keep things from freezing.


Jim

On Oct 17, 12:38 pm, "Robert11" wrote:
Hello,

Son and wife have bought a 30 year old house.

Backyard is quite nice, and level.

Question: we have (just) noticed that the septic pit that one pumps out
occasionally, the outflow of which goes to the D box and leaching field
distribution pipes, has a concrete cover that is about 1 or 2 inches above
the soil line, and shows as it's uncovered.

Quite surprised, as ours, and I always thought all of them, had the cover
below the soil line.

a. Is it a requirement to be below the soil ?

b. What might have happened ? Could it be that they just didn't dig deep
enough to have the cover end up below the soil line ? Or,...?

c. If, for safety reasons, we want to have it below the soil, and covered,
what's the best approach ?
Would hate to have to have a contractor go back there with a crane to lift
it out, dig deeper, and reinstall.

What's the best approach to all of this ?
(just put a big flower pot over it ? !!)

Thanks,
Bob

Its best to have these things on view or under something that is easy
to move. Being able to see if something is working properly, must be
good.
As far as your septic tank is concerned it produces its own heat with
the anaerobic process, however, as it gets colder in winter, the
process stalls and picks up again in the warmer days of spring and
summer.
Try to keep the septic as warm as possible as used properly and kept
warm it will go for years before it needs emptying.
Occasionally lift the inspection cover over the input T and check the
hight of the solids in the tank, you will probably find that the level
rises during the winter and drops back during the summer.
The way to check it, get a 10 foot pole and lower it down the T you
will be able to feel the top of the sludge.
The tank needs to be emptied when the solids are 12 inches below the
bottom of the outlet T.
Perry

On Fri, 17 Oct 2008 07:38:04 -0400, "Robert11"
wrote:

Hello,

Son and wife have bought a 30 year old house.

Backyard is quite nice, and level.

Question: we have (just) noticed that the septic pit that one pumps out
occasionally, the outflow of which goes to the D box and leaching field
distribution pipes, has a concrete cover that is about 1 or 2 inches above
the soil line, and shows as it's uncovered.

Quite surprised, as ours, and I always thought all of them, had the cover
below the soil line.

a. Is it a requirement to be below the soil ?

b. What might have happened ? Could it be that they just didn't dig deep
enough to have the cover end up below the soil line ? Or,...?

c. If, for safety reasons, we want to have it below the soil, and covered,
what's the best approach ?
Would hate to have to have a contractor go back there with a crane to lift
it out, dig deeper, and reinstall.

What's the best approach to all of this ?
(just put a big flower pot over it ? !!)

Thanks,
Bob


If it's broke fix it; otherwise, the flower pot would work.