Help!! Septic trouble!

[sinnie]

I called out MrRooter today to pump my septic, first we had to find out where it was. turns out it is partially under a concrete patio slab. The man gave me 2 options to get the tank pumped:

1. Knock a hole in the lid with a crowbar, pump it, put plastic over it and cover it back up with the broken concrete/dirt.
2.) Cut the concrete, leaving an unsightly hole in my patio, to get at the tank properly. The tank is covered by approx. 24x36" over the main lid.

Is cutting a hole in the tank lid common practice?? I can't find anything about it online but he swears up and down he does it all the time for the last 10yrs.... Seems awfully dangerous in the long run to me??

 

[Ballvalve]

Sounds like the guy is a true hack. You never beat a hole in a septic tank, and unless its 40 years old has a ton of wire or rebar in it.

You MIGHT be able to cut a hole in the top if it gets you into the first chanber, you must be past the baffle, location of which is unknown, usually. I assume you have access to the second chamber..... then you can find the baffle.

Then you cover it with a new casting or 3/8" steel plate - plastic and junk? Call a dedicated septic pumper, not the rotorooter dingbat.

Cut the slab, reline the hole with 1/2" foam spacers, re form the edge, and cast it with a recessed handle or hook. I have the same situation in my walkway, and I bricked [sand set] over such a lid, and set a large brass cap with septic embossed into it.

If bothering to cut a hole, might as well be in the patio.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[sinnie]

Thanks... I kinda figured this. He really lost my support when he said he would use a "walmart shopping bag" to cover the opening. I am gonna call around.... I would like to avoid cutting the patio, so there has to be some other way. I can see cutting a hole and making a new lid, but he kept arguing that isn't necessary and no problems would arise from it.

 

[Ballvalve]

Search the news for a 4 year old found drowned in a septic tank yesterday.

Cutting the patio is best because one day you will need access to the inlet tee, which plugs or falls off when the rooter rooterman from hell rams his snake into it.