Thursday, March 13, 2008

%&^%#&($^@^%)

I think the title says it all.

There is an old Mexican proverb, I can't remember exactly how it goes but it's something like this:

"Life is like a water fountain. For every cup of happiness you draw you also draw a cup of sorrow."

Well guess what, the past couple of days I got a couple cups of happiness - remember the blooming Crocus and the wood replacement board? Well last night and today I got my cups of sorrow.

Here's the back-story.

About a year and a half ago we put in a new, state-of-the-art septic infiltration system. I can not recommend this system highly enough! Any one needing to put in, or replace, a lateral septic field needs to go with this system. It's from Infiltrator Systems Inc (listed in the links section).

This is basically what it looks like. You can see it better if you go to their web site.















This side view shows you how ours is installed.

We did not need to go with a double application, like in the above picture, but we did install one chamber more than we needed - just in case.

This is the scar left behind. It isn't all that bad and will be smoothed out this year (the guy who installed it suggests we leave the scare alone for at least a year).

The best part is that it only took about 1 hour to dig the trench; one hour to lay and assemble the chambers and connecting pipe; and about 20 minutes to backfill.

In the middle of this pic you can see a muddy patch with a clump of leaves in the center.

Early evening yesterday I walked past the spot and noticed a 'funky' smell. I turned around and coming from this spot was a little spring of dirty water.

%&^%#&($^@^%)

So I checked the site for trouble shooting and new it couldn't be the septic tank its self. But there in the literature was a statement about drought conditions and lots of rain. So, we think that all the rain we had last summer and fall, plus all the snow this winter, has caused chamber system shifted and knock the connection pipe out of kilter.

The strongest evidence to this is the fact that the little spring is right above the pipe’s location, not above the chambers or tank.

So, guess what I get to do tomorrow!!

To top it off I will leave you with this pic - the first blooming WEED of the year.

Isn't it nice....




AAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!


We have so many friends, and family, ask why we do not apply weed killer to the yard. If we did this we would have no yard! Right now, green is green. When the weeds are mowed they look nice too. Besides, the grass is making a comeback in some spots.

We just figure "why redo the lawn at this point when there is still so much landscaping to do".

Oh well...I guess I've got my two cups of sorrow. The next cup should be happiness.

Cheers!
Larry ~

8 comments:

Sandy said...

The only weed killer I would put down is a natural one -- corn gluten. It smothers weeds and, I think, grubs. I don't put down salt in the winter, either. Use kitty litter...

Sorry about the septic pipe.

Jennifer said...

Have fun with that...

We have the same philosophy on weeds... they LOOK green!

Larry said...

Corn gluten eh...I'll have to take a look at that. With all the pets and critters in the yard we are careful about what we use. We don't use salt either!

Larry said...

May have to wait on the 'fun' for a few days. We are suppose to get rain later for several days. Don't want to make matters worse!

Joanne said...

Oh no! Sorry to hear about the septic issues.

Honestly, as starved as I am for green right now, even the dandelion looks good.

Larry said...

Well, it keeps me busy and out of trouble.

I know what you mean about needing the green...I am so wanting things to green up. Can't wait.

Ethan@OneProjectCloser said...

Sorry to hear about your septic problems. No chance the company has some kind of warranty or something? I aspire for a nice lawn but a green weed looks better than bare dirt

Ethan@OneProjectCloser

Larry said...

Hey Ethan - Yup there is a warranty, but not on the part that failed.

I talked to the guy that helped install it and he said that in cases like ours this does happen.

We have an unusual septic tank from the 50's that is still good, but the connecting pipe was not able to be 'in-line' the chambers. We had to stub it off the tank by a about a foot and than drop a pipe down at a 45 degree angle to the chambers. The angle joint is what we believe has fail. Once it stop raining I will be able to dig it up.