Septic tank question

[flyinlow]

You go thru life trying not to step in **** ,but now I have.  Our 25 year old concrete tank has started to cave in. A two foot hole in the top opened last weekend. Getting estimates now.

Plastic or concrete?   My wife ,the Tide Queen , won't stop using it so I thought plastic might hold up better ?

Waiting on estimates, one of the three does not want to use plastic. Was considering trying it myself if the county will let me . I have friends with backhoes, they said the would help if I do the dirty work. Too much for a DIY'er ?

[skip68]

Man if it was me I think I'd be having someone else do it.     
Depending on price and how much time you can afford to be without a system is the real answer.  If you've got a rv to use for a few days that would help.  Unless you're putting in the new system and then tie into it.   Are you thinking about doing new leach lines also?   

[Hard Charger]

if you think the vent stinks wait until you dive into a pool of crap in the tank.

it needs to be perfectly level and at a specific height and directional orientation in relation to your leach field and drain coming from the house.
but you might save 1k taking it out yourself.

[JB400]

If you got the room, I'd say heck with digging out the old tank, and just dig a new hole for a new tank and a new system.  Todays' septic systems are a lot better.  Odds are, your old system is probably packed full of tree roots and what not.  A collapsing tank is the probably just the first sign of your problems.

[69rtse4spd]

Depends on your state or county, if plastic or concrete is used. If your out where no one will see or care use plastic, but resale down the road my be a factor. This goes back to first statement. You can put them in yourself, it takes time, look them up on internet.     

[stripedelete]

I'm in Ohio too.   Can't buy a tank without a permit from the county health department.   It's not uncommon for them to force you into an entirely different system.  I.e.  your lots now too small for current leach field or your area fails a perk test, therefore you have to go to mound system.  Etc Etc

You used to be able to sneak one in over weekend, but, not anymore.  Hopefully your county is "behind the times".

[flyinlow]

Last guy working up an estimate suggested leaving the old tank in place an putting the new one in just down hill of it toward the distribution box. Sounded like a good idea.

Was planning on reusing the leach field. It is working well.

Local supply will sell the plastic 1500 gal. tank to me loaded on my trailer will fittings and riser  for about $1400

So far they are talking two days without a drains in the house.   

At least the system is still working , baffles in place and not leaking. Capped the hole with plywood and rubber roofing so the dogs won't fall in and speed a little mulch on top until its fixed. Told my wife if she falls in ,she is on her own.

[J.Bond]

On septic here as well. Has anyone suggested repairing the top. The last thing you need is to have the county, make you change everything.

Just thinking, call in a honey truck, advise them that you need it cleaned to do a repair. Once cleaned out remove the debris of the existing collapse. Frame up concrete form around the top. Place new or reasonable good firm piece of plywood over the hole, and apply 3 to 4 inches of new concrete. It may not be as bad as you think. 



I have read stories of people just using plywood to seal a hole, but it all ways ends in someone falling in.

[hawkeye]

On septic here as well. Has anyone suggested repairing the top. The last thing you need is to have the county, make you change everything.

Just thinking, call in a honey truck, advise them that you need it cleaned to do a repair. Once cleaned out remove the debris of the existing collapse. Frame up concrete form around the top. Place new or reasonable good firm piece of plywood over the hole, and apply 3 to 4 inches of new concrete. It may not be as bad as you think.  



I have read stories of people just using plywood to seal a hole, but it all ways ends in someone falling in.

You are 57, if the patch last 20 years you won't care anymore.

[flyinlow]

    That idea might work. Only problem I could see would be that about 16 square feet of concrete and rebar are laying on the sludge on the bottom off the tank. How would you have it pumped out for servicing?

[J.Bond]

Did both sides collapse, primary and secondary?

A pic might help..

sixteen square feet??? 4 ft x 4 ft.? Really, it may not be as dramatic as it sounds, if there is re bar attached, there is a good chance, the mess may come out pretty much connected together. No telling till it's cleaned out. I'm sure your septic pump guy can get around it. After all, it's a vacuum

[69rtse4spd]

The last lid I worked on only had 3/8 rebar in it. You could do as some say, pump it out, clean out concrete junk, then just put new top on. Dig down to old top, about one foot all around, measure top, take whats left of old top off, clean up real good, then just put preassembled top back on. You can make up the form & pour the top before you take & clean the old one off. When you pour the new top set some anchors in it to use eye bolts to lift it on.   

[stripedelete]

The last lid I worked on only had 3/8 rebar in it. You could do as some say, pump it out, clean out concrete junk, then just put new top on. Dig down to old top, about one foot all around, measure top, take whats left of old top off, clean up real good, then just put preassembled top back on. You can make up the form & pour the top before you take & clean the old one off. When you pour the new top set some anchors in it to use eye bolts to lift it on.   

Excellent Suggestion!

[skip68]

I agree 

[Old Moparz]

I like the idea of repairing the tank. 

You could find a local precast company to see if you can even have a new top made that can be set right on the old tank. The only problem I can think of off hand is that the rest of the tank may be in poor condition. Concrete roof slabs on underground structures can be designed to withstand heavy loads but typically a septic tank in a residential application will not be.

Is there a chance that someone ran over this tank with a vehicle at some point?

My guess is the tank may not have rebar cast into it at all, it's probably wire mesh that isn't even galvanized. Once the concrete absorbs moisture the wire mesh, or even rebar, will start to rust.