Securing Septic Tank Lids
All septic systems have tank lids, which are accessible to anyone who comes onto the property. Well secured tank lids are esstential to the safety of your family, friends, and neighbors. Therefore, when we come out for your Monitoring and Maintenance (M&M) inspections, we will always check the tank lids to ensure they are secured properly and in good condition, with no visible cracks or damage.
If a tank lid is not secured properly, people can accidently fall in. The average septic tank is about 6 feet deep, plus the risers, which can add up to an additional 36 inches (unless your tanks are Department of Transportation (DOT) grade, in which case they could be much deeper). In addition to trying to make a potential 9 foot climb, the methane gas that builds up in the tanks can easily render someone unconscious. Falling into a tank is pretty rare, but it does happen, and serious injury and deaths have occurred.
Sometimes the screws that secure the lids can, and do, go missing for various reasons. If we notice a tank lid is missing screws, we will let you know. Replacement scews can be purchased at HD Fowler in Gorst, or Ferguson's in Silverdale (click here for contact information). We are only at your property once or twice a year, if you have an M&M contract, and not at all if you have a gravity system, therefore it is vital that you check your lids regularly.
In addition to missing screws, lids can, and will, crack during the lifetime of the system. Acme recommends the fiberglass lids, due to their durability over the plastic lids under the UV rays from the sun, and basic wear and tear. It's important to replace cracked lids as soon as they are noticed. You can also find replacement lids at HD Fowler or Fergusons.
It's also a good idea to teach children that tank lids should not be played on, or around. Jumping, driving or parking on tank lids is also not recommended (unless you have DOT grade tanks), as the added pressure can cause lids to crack suddenly. The pressure from vehicles could also cause the septic tanks to crack underground (if they aren't DOT grade).