Arrggg, Shop/house on hold

[Scott Coffelt]

I have asked the GC to set up a meeting with them prior to the July 15 deadline so we can have a nice discussion, review all the facts and try to come up with something that will suit both. In general I am OK with delays, just venting really.

I am totally pleased with the septic design on the house, kep in mind that I want this to be something we basically ignore (or I mean forget its there basically). No pools for me, we have a water treatment plant about 5 miles from my home and it stinks. The mound system we'll have will be real nice, no skimping on it.

[Dev Emch]

Scott....

There is no private "fire and forget" septic solution. Every solution needs some sort of periodic maintainence.

A leach field is designed to get rid of water. You **DONT** want solids entering the field as this can clog it up in a hurry. A typical leach field will eventually fail because the drainage gravel in the bottom has been coated with septic plaque thereby preventing water from leaching downwards. As this plaque is biological, letting the field settle out for a few years will break it down and you can reuse the real estate. This is the logic behind having two leach field spaces.

The first stage in your system is the vault or septic tank. The current format for this is a 1000 gallon tank with a baffle dividing the two 500 gallon sections. Here, your solids settle out and are broken down by biological action into septic sludge. Depending on how many family members you have and what you municipal regulations require, this 1000 gallon tank needs to be pumped about once every 2 to 4 years. If it fills up and this septic sludge is allowed to exit the tank, it will begin to cause problems within your leach field.

In those systems that reuse waste water for garden use, please bear in mind that you cannot allow potty water to mix with say shower water or laundry water. These two sources have to be kept separate. This can reduce the load on your leach field significantly but your tank pumping schdule remains about the same.

The innovator system has now become mandated by code in our area. The big advantage is that you can install one of these systems for significantly less money. It also has the advantage of working more effectively. The older leach field designs often had huge excavation bills and had the ability to clog up and fail do to fine silt working its way into the stone fields.

Regardless of which system you use, bear in mind that you have to dispose of a given volume of solids per time unit. Even with biological septic concentration, you still have to call the honey wagen! So if anyone has any schemes to eliminate the honey wagen, please let us know about them. THANKS

Dev

[Chris Padilla]

Hang it there, Scott! Patience, persistance, and maybe even some vigilance are the keys here!

I think it was Teddy Roosevelt who said, "Talk softly...carry a big stick." Your "big stick" will be all the info you gather between now and the next hearing.

[Scott Coffelt]

Thanks, I know there is basic maintenance that does incur. My comment was more for the fact that I am not interested in a pool design. Thanks for the detailed response.

[Ken Garlock]

Hi Martin, you forgot to mention that you have a 1 or 2 hp (?) electric motor that runs 24/7. Just another thing to go wrong.

My soil would not support a standard septic system, but either an aerobic or dose system were options. I went with the dose system. I still have the leach field, but the second tank of the two tank system as a pump like a sump pump that only puts water in the leach field when the tank reaches a designated level. I already have two leach fields and I switch between them on January 1, and July 1. The dose system cost a whole $500 more than an aerobic. It has already paid for the extra cost by not needing the "required inspections" and ca ca.

[Martin Shupe]

Hi Martin, you forgot to mention that you have a 1 or 2 hp (?) electric motor that runs 24/7. Just another thing to go wrong.

My soil would not support a standard septic system, but either an aerobic or dose system were options. I went with the dose system. I still have the leach field, but the second tank of the two tank system as a pump like a sump pump that only puts water in the leach field when the tank reaches a designated level. I already have two leach fields and I switch between them on January 1, and July 1. The dose system cost a whole $500 more than an aerobic. It has already paid for the extra cost by not needing the "required inspections" and ca ca.

Ken, I'll be the first to admit I don't know much about how it all works. Not sure what you mean by a dose system, but if I could skip the inspection cost, that sounds great! Mine has 4 tanks (and 4 concrete lids, well disguised in my wife's flower bed), and a timer that you can set to tell it when to spray the grey water on the lawn. I have to put a couple chlorine tabs in the last tank every two weeks or so. That's about the extent of my knowledge. I picked it over the "traditional" field, because I didn't want them killing my pecan trees with a huge septic field.

[Dev Emch]

Nothing like building a real woodworking shop to force one to learn all the new stuff!

First of all, what is meant by a drose system? What is meant by a pool system?

Martin...

Let me get this straight. In your system, the potty water and *other* water are not isolated at the point of collection and actually enter into this four tank affair? At the end, you use Clorine pills and then use the excess water to water your plantings? This one is new to me.

As far as the field killing off your trees. The innovator system is installed in a series of back hoe dug ditches which is what I love about this system. As I recall, the ditches are dug 36 inches deep and the width of a standard back hoe bucket. Unlike the older designs which required one to dig a swimming pool sized hole. I also know how many feet of ditch I need and I can have some degree of freedom in how I lay out that ditch. You must be living in a real pecan forrest.

[Jim Andrew]

Welcome to the world of planning and zoning. My experience with the board is that you have to be a certified communist to qualify for the board. Forget
property rights.

[Martin Shupe]

Nothing like building a real woodworking shop to force one to learn all the new stuff!

First of all, what is meant by a drose system? What is meant by a pool system?

Martin...

Let me get this straight. In your system, the potty water and *other* water are not isolated at the point of collection and actually enter into this four tank affair? At the end, you use Clorine pills and then use the excess water to water your plantings? This one is new to me.

As far as the field killing off your trees. The innovator system is installed in a series of back hoe dug ditches which is what I love about this system. As I recall, the ditches are dug 36 inches deep and the width of a standard back hoe bucket. Unlike the older designs which required one to dig a swimming pool sized hole. I also know how many feet of ditch I need and I can have some degree of freedom in how I lay out that ditch. You must be living in a real pecan forrest.

Dev,

Everything goes into one side of the buried 4 cell cement tank. The bacteria do their thing, mix in a little air, put a couple chlorine pills in the last tank, and at the end of the cycle you get "grey water". I would not drink it, but safe enough to sprinkle your lawn. If the grey water starts to smell, something is wrong with the system. It does need to be sucked out once every four years. That's the extent of my knowledge. We have 3 full baths, and 3 sprinkler heads. No septic field, but the tank is about 5 by 16 feet, buried in the ground right behind the house.

My yard had 23 trees, we took down 4 to build the house. I will take down 4 more when I build the hangar/shop. The community is built on an old orchard, parts of which are still being used commercially.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I agree John. Here in Dallas the planning folks and permit offices are filled with people who have no clue. You hear many different stories depending on who you talk to and building anything other than cookie cutter houses can be tricky. I also agree with the idea of a ramrodder on your team. I like having the shop close by the house too!

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!