I need some advice regarding a deck footing in what I think is an unsual situation. Here goes….. The deck will be about 12 x 20, with the 20 length attached to the house. My framing plan is rather typical, however one of my posts will land on top of a unused cistern that was installed when the house was built in the 1920s. I am unsure how to deal with this situation. Any advice would be appreciated. THanks
Matt
Replies
Matt,
How big (area) is the cistern?
How far from the edges will your post footer land?
SamT
Fill the cisten with concrete(g), or place footings on each side of it and span it with a grade beam (use plenty of steel in ftgs & beam).
Dave
Could be worse.
There was an addition here that excavation revealed an old unknown septic tank directly under where the new 40' stone chimney was to go. Too solid to pump. Owner was intent on saving a tree, so no hoe. Fortunately I wasn't one of the shovel guys. Anyhow, it got busted through to find something solid beneath. LOTS of concrete solved the problem, one wheel barrow at a time.
Span it, fill it, or set your post through it.
PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
Might want to look at your local codes.
around here, if you know of an unused cistern, and you pull a permit for something or another, they make you fill it with non-organic fill.
First we'd need to know the size, shape, location, and condition of the cistern. Some digging and photography would help. Mebbe turn the old cistern into an in-deck hot tub? ;-)
-- J.S.