SB: Septics..

["Andy Higgs" <wntrblt@telusplanet.net>]

Not strictly anything to do with straw but I thought that this might help
out another septic field owner.

Our house has a modern septic field, installed about six years ago.  The
previous owner used a 3" plastic waste pipe as the vent from the holding
tank.  However some mornings the vent was making the garden smell a bit
"pungent" shall we say so.

It is possible to buy vent stack filters from various resellers, and most
seem to be filled with activated charcoal.  After looking at a few options I
decided to try and build a filter of my own.

I went to the local hardware store and bought about three square feet of
plastic screen mesh.  I rolled it up into a tube less than three inches in
diameter (three feet long) and sealed the bottom with a piece of twisted
wire from a coat hanger.  For $6 I bought a bag of charcoal briquettes for a
BBQ.  Some of the little nuggets I crushed, others I didn't.  I filled the
mesh tube, lowered it into the vent pipe and secured it with a couple of
other 3" pipe fittings.  Total cost $18 Canadian.

It has been installed now for a month and the vent has been completely odor
free.  I don't know how long the charcoal will last however I have enough to
refill the mesh tube about three times.  I am lucky that I was able to drop
the mesh tube into the vent.  If you have a much smaller diameter tube I am
sure you could make something that sits on top.  Have a look around at your
local recycling depot.

A pretty cheap fix.

Regds

Andy


Andy Higgs
(wntrblt@telusplanet.net)
In fragrant Harvie Heights, Alberta, Canada




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