Ronbo
Silver Member
Use a thin rod like an old whip cb antanne to probe down and find the septic tank top. Then you are not searching blindly with a shovel.
Ron
Ron
septic tank
- Thread starter forgeblast
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forgeblast
Elite Member
I wish i could do that, you go down two inches (and thats a large estimate) and you hit something solid. Rock, and gravel grow in pa like crazy. I pulled 8 bread loaf sized pieces of rock just from the holes i dug.
I was using a piece of 1/4 rod to probe but i would hit a rock and dig and in the end it was just easier to shovel.
I was using a piece of 1/4 rod to probe but i would hit a rock and dig and in the end it was just easier to shovel.
DaveOmak
Platinum Member
Forgeblast, I would think,(?) when the tank and lid were put in, they would not have put rock where the lids were.
Your septic service should have what they call a "mouse". It is a transmitter that you put into the cleanout on a fishing line. They are about 2 inches long. Flush the toilet and let it go. Then use the receiver, like a metal detector, and locate the mouse. Flush again and keep lotating the mouse until you think you are at or near the tank. Maybe you can rent one or borrow one from the septic service you will use. Maybe they will locate it for nothing so you can dig the lid and the they can pump the tank. Worth a try next spring when it thaws. My local guy uses a rock bar to locate the tanks. The tanks are usually only down 1-2 feet. Good luck on your project. Dave
Your septic service should have what they call a "mouse". It is a transmitter that you put into the cleanout on a fishing line. They are about 2 inches long. Flush the toilet and let it go. Then use the receiver, like a metal detector, and locate the mouse. Flush again and keep lotating the mouse until you think you are at or near the tank. Maybe you can rent one or borrow one from the septic service you will use. Maybe they will locate it for nothing so you can dig the lid and the they can pump the tank. Worth a try next spring when it thaws. My local guy uses a rock bar to locate the tanks. The tanks are usually only down 1-2 feet. Good luck on your project. Dave
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forgeblast
Elite Member
Thats what they wanted the extra money for. we bough the house from someone and closed in feburary with a foot of snow on the ground. They left a ceramic cat to mark the spot.....I thought i marked it, but we had a lot of lanscaping done, and where i thought it was isnt where it is. this time when i find it i am going to put in gravel and a birdbath.
he built the house himself, and needless to say he was good at some things not all. all of our land has rock, we are sitting on glacial till. We have a walk out basement so the tank has to be lower, which means the lid is under the grass somewhere.
he built the house himself, and needless to say he was good at some things not all. all of our land has rock, we are sitting on glacial till. We have a walk out basement so the tank has to be lower, which means the lid is under the grass somewhere.
dave1949
Super Star Member
Next Spring, after you find the tank, you could put a riser on it. This will bring the access up to ground level and your digging days should be over. Anyplace that sells new septic tanks will have these. Under $100.
Dave.
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forgeblast
Elite Member
Appreciate it dave, I will do that, i just googled it, i think that would work great for us.
brin
Super Member
forgeblast - I don't know about your local codes but here in Georgia when a septic tank is installed the Septic company has to file a drawing showing exactly where the septic is located on the property as well as all the drain field ..the county inspector then checks the drawing and the installation and approves it ...the drawing is then recorded at the county health department in our case... You might try calling your planning and zoning office or local health dept and see if that is the case where you are..
DaveOmak
Platinum Member
Bob,
BRAVO, where have the rest of us been? GREAT POINT. Dave
BRAVO, where have the rest of us been? GREAT POINT. Dave
jinman
Rest in Peace
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I have found that around my septic tank risers I often see fireants and sometimes spiders or insects. We purchased insecticidal cattle ear tags from Tractor Supply and put them around the risers using zip-ties. These tags are impregnated with permethrin and have been 100% effective in repelling ants and other insects attracted to the risers. We change them once per year. They are also good for putting into electrical breaker boxes and other locations that fireants like to infest. You folks in the northern states don't see this problem, but it is particularly frustrating in the south.
