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I need to replace my old steel septic tank which is housed under an elavated patio six feet high and enclosed by a natural stone retaining wall on three sides, the fourth side being the foundation of the house. Compacted earth fills around the sides of the tank.The patio floor is natural random slate about a half inch thick layed right on what looks to be the compacted earth and the joints filled with mortar.Patio dimensions are 10’X 17′. Terrain difficulties dictated this design which worked beautifully for the previous owner since the 1960’s. I might not be able to get a 1000 gal. cement tank in and have considered a plastic tank rated at 300 lbs. per sq. foot after installation which meets town codes here in Warwick, NY. Problem is the company that makes the tank does not recommend installation as above and will not warrant the tank. They seem to have a problem with people on the patio load specially with the slate. There will be no vehicular traffic at all. Any advise appreciated.
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One option is to build a septic tank in place. Concrete floor, block walls plastered or tared on the inside, and a reinforced concrete lid. With people on top I would want an engineer's stamp on the plans.
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What about replacing the slate with a deck with joists that span over a plastic tank. Or a poured reinforced concrete slab over the tank. A slab could be topped off with slate set in mortar if that is the finished look you want.
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I need to replace my old steel septic tank which is housed under an elavated patio six feet high and enclosed by a natural stone retaining wall on three sides, the fourth side being the foundation of the house. Compacted earth fills around the sides of the tank.The patio floor is natural random slate about a half inch thick layed right on what looks to be the compacted earth and the joints filled with mortar.Patio dimensions are 10'X 17'. Terrain difficulties dictated this design which worked beautifully for the previous owner since the 1960's. I might not be able to get a 1000 gal. cement tank in and have considered a plastic tank rated at 300 lbs. per sq. foot after installation which meets town codes here in Warwick, NY. Problem is the company that makes the tank does not recommend installation as above and will not warrant the tank. They seem to have a problem with people on the patio load specially with the slate. There will be no vehicular traffic at all. Any advise appreciated.
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IMHO, any septic tank that cannot handle dirt and a 1/2" thick slate on a patio above it is too weak to go in the ground anywhere. Look for other suppliers of plastic or fiberglass tanks.