Off topic: replacing septic tank.

We had our septic tank emptied yesterday. The top sits about two feet deep in our sandy soil. It's made of fiberglass, or at least the top is. When uncovering it, a couple of smallish holes were found. The biggest about three inches diameter. The guy was able to pump it out through the hole. He never uncovered the lid. He said the tank should be replaced and gave me the names and number of four local people who do such work.

I guess my question is: Do you really think that we need to replace the whole tank? It probably won't need to be emptied again in our lifetime. (we're 64) It's been ten years since it was last emptied and was only about a foot deep in sludge. It's a 750 gallon tank. I'm thinking we could just cover up the holes with something and cover it up again. Why pay a couple thousand dollars to replace the whole tank? And, if we do just cover it up, what should we do about the two or three small holes? Patch them somehow, or just lay something over the holes and bury them? I suspect the holes were caused by the guy digging around to find the lid, so I doubt there are any more holes.

What do you think? Thanks!

if they knocked a couple holes in the fiberglass lid, head on over to napa or your boat supply and get fiberglass resing, hardener and either a roll of fiberglass woven cloth or matte and repair it yourself.

I would patch the holes and forget
about. Sounds like a sloppy operator
found your tank by feel thinking it
would be concrete. Alot if companies
are in the business of selling you
something new.

I scurfed the lid on ours with the mower. I went to
the shed and got the reinforcing mesh and roofing
tar. I fixed it like I do stock tanks and it has been
fine for years.

A month ago or so there was a guy who posted
here he had done the same thing. He hadn't fixed it
right away and now has flies living a full life cycle in
there. I believe he said the maggots plug up the
leech/lateral field every so often. I'd fill those holes
today.

Not only did you get some good responses, they all said the same thing! I agree.

Thanks Guys. You confirmed what I was thinking. I don't want to spend a thousand bucks or more to replace the tank when I can patch a two or three very small holes.

Should I lay something across the hole first? Like a thin sheet of metal? Then cover it all up with fiberglass?

scarf around the hole with 80 grit then use cloth not matt for first layer. use resin around the hole
then put cloth on and work resin around edges. let harden then cover whole thing with resin. go in layers
to make it stronger.

Before you cover it take a 100 ft tape and measure from the center of the lid to two corners of your house. Draw a diagram above your outdoor cellar exit door, with the two dimensions on lines from the corners to the tank opening. This will save a lot of wear and tear next time. I agree with patching it.

Ten years ago, when we had it pumped last, drew a map with landmarks and measured how far it was from the corner of the house, and noted that it was in an exactly line from the back garage door to the neighbors fence corner, and straight back from our front gate. I went to that spot and started digging it out myself the evening before the service guy came. I came right down on the end of the tank. At least two feet below the surface. I dug out a, roughly, 2.5 foot diameter hole and left it for the service guy to finish digging out. He said he never found the lid but sucked it out through a hole that he "found." Well, I can see through the hole and immediately under that that hole I can see an upright, wide PVC pipe, maybe three inches or so diameter. I figure I put him right on or near, the lid, he just didn't dig out far enough. Wouldn't that upright pipe (is that what they call a riser?) be right under the lid?

If it is fiberglass I'd as the others say to go get a fiberglass repair kit with the fiberglass mat in it.

I did a hood on a old JD lawn mower and that stuff was really nice to work with once you got the hardener ration figured out.

Home Depot has fiberglass resin and cloth, if you have one near by . You could probably mix up some cement and patch the hole. If it's fiber glass it should last a long time in the ground. I have mine pumped every 3-4 years. You don't want solids to get in your leach field and plugging things up. Stan

The riser you saw, was it under the lid? If so it was probably part of the outlet plumbing, not what is used for pumping it out.

While you have it uncovered, you might want to incorporate the hole he pumped it out through, and glass in a short piece of 6" PVC up to ground level and sit a cap on it. That way it won't have to be dug up again.

I'm surprised they will dig it up! Last time my mom's was pumped, she called out a pump service, he asked where the clean out was, she told him there wasn't one he had to dig it up. He handed her a bill for a service call, told her he doesn't dig them up, call him back when it was open!

Sadly, she paid him!
tank diagram

I'd just patch the hole like others have said but a piece of plastic bucket or jug and some duct tape would probably outlast both of us after it's covered with dirt. Fiberglass would be the 'cat's meow'. 8)

Agree with 37chief, fiberglass and screen patch. Then back fill it.

do not know your state but in WI no way in H could you replace the tank with out a full blown permit with state and county involvement H we have to have them pumped every three years. patch it up and keep your mouth shut

Something wrong with your 'service' guy. The pros always want to see the service cover/lid, and take it off. There is apparently something there that gives them an idea of what's going on. Find the access lid. Repair the fibreglass with an easy to do patch. Get another guy to look at it - NOT your BIL , or Fred from the pub! Best. ;^)

I would like to add something. If it is a fiberglass lid then fix it as other have said. Now I had one of the old hand layied and built cisterns. I came home one night and there was a HUGE hole in the lawn. The thing had collapsed. Had a 1000 gallon cement tank installed as a "repair", and have been fine since. Pump every three years. Add a 5lb. bag of sugar once or twice a year. Thing of beauty. Now up at the folks farm they had a metal tank from the 1940s. Do you have any idea who in their right mind could think a steel tank and water with poo is going to work? It took till the early 70s but that tank finally caved in. One back hoe latter and a nice cement tank. If you can figure out what the rest of your tank is made of that might tell you were you need to go. The bad news is there are a lot of areas in the country where they want you to install fields that could service a truck stop! Costs in the $10.ooo area! See if you can find out who casts tanks and burial vaults in your area and they can tell you who will do just a little under the table work. Not totally illegal,,,, you can "repair" parts of your system and most of the time get away with it. You can also install a burial vault on your property. wink wink Have seen quite a few. Two neighbors over built onto their house a "mother in law extension" They had to put in a full field and WOW did it ever cost. When everything was done the mother in law croaked not even six months later. Just my thoughts and what I have seen.

I live in Wisconsin every 3 years it's got
to be inspected . Problem is tank went in
early 50 ' s lid is 4 foot by 6 foot
fortunately they put horseshoes in the lid
for lifting points. It's been dug more in
this century than last. After its pumped
and inspected I put the lid back on and
cover it with a blue tarp I've got
pictures of its location and when I dig it
I go with the loader till I see blue and
then shovel. If you're not inspected and
everything works I would patch but I'm
willing to bet someday it's going to be
everybody will be inspected.
The sad thing is there is only me and I
can't help but wonder why would it have to
be inspected with so little use.

(quoted from post at 19:39:00 08/05/16) do not know your state but in WI no way in H could you replace the tank with out a full blown permit with state and county involvement H we have to have them pumped every three years. patch it up and keep your mouth shut

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ou got that right! Even more expensive here, where is old lateral line system, it would have to be replaced with aerobic system!!!$$$$
If yours is the old lateral line system, you need to seal it up to keep oxygen out or else the bacteria that makes those work cannot thrive. Anaerobic type.

How the heck did it get a hole in it in the first place?

(quoted from post at 16:39:00 08/05/16) do not know your state but in WI no way in H could you replace the tank with out a full blown permit with state and county involvement H we have to have them pumped every three years. patch it up and keep your mouth shut

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Same here in Iowa. Just patch it and be quiet. VERY, very quiet.

(quoted from post at 05:21:09 08/06/16)

(quoted from post at 16:39:00 08/05/16) do not know your state but in WI no way in H could you replace the tank with out a full blown permit with state and county involvement H we have to have them pumped every three years. patch it up and keep your mouth shut

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Same here in Iowa. Just patch it and be quiet. VERY, very quiet.

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I doubt that there is anything illegal with patching above the water line. Could be, but I don't think that kenster needs to think that he is doing anything shady.

The guy at the top of the recommended list to install a new tank, when I told him there were just a few small holes, said" just lay some window screen fabric and tar paper over it and cover it up."

I'm still going the fiberglass repair route.