taxhoncho Posted April 26, 2006 Posted April 26, 2006 My front lawn is basically the "roof" of my septic field. I never gave much thought to the weight of my riding mower, but as I think about getting a larger tractor I had a frightening thought. What is the weight limit of my septic field? Maybe it is a good thing I cannot afford a compact utility tractor, because I would not want to mow the grass one day and wind up in a septic field sink hole! [:0] :D
HubbardRA Posted April 26, 2006 Posted April 26, 2006 Richard, The septic field that lies in your front yard is basically a series of perforated pipes that lets the liquids from your sewer leech into the soil. Since these are relatively small pipes, usually around 4 inches diameter, it would take a huge piece of equipment to collapse them. A compact tractor should not be a problem. The only thing that you would have to watch is the septic tank. This is a tank that occupies an area of no more than 4' x 6' and is buried underground and collects the solid waste . With enough weight, you can collapse a septic tank. Again, I would not worry too much about a compact tractor, unless you have a very old metal septic tank that is mostly rusted away. My brother had to replace his because his foot went thru it when he walked on top of it. All I would do is find out where the septic "tank" is and not drive directly over it, if you are worried about collapsing it.
johnmonkey Posted April 26, 2006 Posted April 26, 2006 When I was stationed down on Cape Hatteras (USCG)in the early 80's there was a first class cook that parked his car on top of his septic tank lid.... we got a rescue call from him to pull his car out of tank. The front end broke through the lid and was dipping down in to the nasty stuff. Boy I wish I had a camera!!!JH
RenegadeJ Posted April 26, 2006 Posted April 26, 2006 I mow over my septic tank and leech fields all the time with my B series tractors. No problem. I have even driven my pickup over the septic tank and haven't fell through yet. However several years ago my brother was using his dump truck to move some dirt around his property and the dump truck fell through the septic tank. At that time he had a small Oliver dozer which he chained to the dump truck to pull it out, but then the dozer fell into the dry well. He was in deep doo doo.
taxhoncho Posted April 26, 2006 Author Posted April 26, 2006 quote:Originally posted by HubbardRA Richard, The septic field that lies in your front yard is basically a series of perforated pipes that lets the liquids from your sewer leech into the soil. Since these are relatively small pipes, usually around 4 inches diameter, it would take a huge piece of equipment to collapse them. A compact tractor should not be a problem. Good to know. I had a general idea that the field is a series of pipes, but I had no idea what diameter or how much weight they could hold. quote:The only thing that you would have to watch is the septic tank. This is a tank that occupies an area of no more than 4' x 6' and is buried underground and collects the solid waste . With enough weight, you can collapse a septic tank. Again, I would not worry too much about a compact tractor, unless you have a very old metal septic tank that is mostly rusted away. My brother had to replace his because his foot went thru it when he walked on top of it. All I would do is find out where the septic "tank" is and not drive directly over it, if you are worried about collapsing it. Well, that is the whole point. I know where the tank is, both because I have seen where the septic guys empty it and because there is a big flat rock they put over the opening as a kind of "manhole cover". I currently drive the little garden tractor right over the rock with no problem. If if bought a heavy tractor, I would worry that I would have to avoid that whole area and then go back and mow it "by hand". I'd rather rent a Bobcat for a day the 1 or 2 times a year I need to do heavy work than have to avoid driving my mower over a chunk of the front lawn every week for half the year. Especially since I don't know exactly how big the tank is, but the septic guy remarked that we had a bigger tank than he expected the last time he pumped it out.
2burning Posted April 26, 2006 Posted April 26, 2006 We had a neighbor that kept parking his cars on top of his tank, the concrete cover finally gave way.
MrSteele Posted April 27, 2006 Posted April 27, 2006 How new is your septic tank and drain field? Of late, as in maybe the last four or five years, a new system of a single drain line, equal to the square footage of the old multiple drain lines has been used down here in the sunny south. The square footage of stone in the multiple lines can be added together, then a single line installed to do the same 'work' for draining septic liquids. This single line is ptotected by a heavy plastic cover, almost like a long arch pipe. That jewel will cave in easily! I killed my father in law's a couple of years ago with my 2 wheeled garden tractor.
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