sink holes septic tanks or man hole, had you found anything of value inside?

[prospexican]

well a relative bought a 2.6 acre property in california, ci was invited to prospect on the property but, we got late to the place, i left Nevada early but they were busy in LA, so we had to travel for over an hr to that place, i was rushing with my fisher 2 box machine, after locating many metal pipes without any digging because of good experience, i found an isolate big target wish acording to my experience will b between 4 to 5 feet maximum and after performing a few other test with a least 3 different machines, we desired to dig, soil was soft and use only shovels, dig for about 3.5 to 4 feet and found a flat concrete floor or base, then start to expand the hole and found some kind a hadle to open a exagon type cover, that cover was about 1 ft wide, then another handle it was 2 handles on the cover, we hit the concret a few times to try to notice if it sound hollow but did not, then start to get dark on us and start to joint a pizza and some dinner, then i went on google to search for sink hole images and found a picture of something similar, at that point we desire not to open that cover, but i still thinking if it will be anything of value in there, or just crap lol. well i hope to hear some advise from experts, the home was built in 1954. hope to hear from you folks.

 

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[CA Gold Hunter]

Sounds like you found the lid to an old concrete septic tank.

 

[prospexican]

hi Ca gold hunter, will it be anything of value in there? or just leave it along?

 

[redbull]

Throw up some pics of it.
Is a home still on the property?
If yes is there a new septic tank on the property? Or is it connected to sewer system now?
If it is located a ways from the home or original foundation odds are its a old septic tank. As correct me if I'm wrong cisterns were usually placed relatively close to the homes while septic were generally placed further out.
Either way I'd pop it open if anything to inspect it's condition. If it's deteriorating badly it'll could be hazardous eventually.
Up here in iowa usually a backhoe is used when they find old septic tanks (if they are mainly dried up) then fill dirt is overlapped on top of the collapsed tank.
Also be careful, I've seen old rural wells that were capped with cement lids instead of being properly collapsed/filled. Last thing you want to do is bang around on a 50+ yr old well top and not realize it lol.

 

[prospexican]

The one i found is like 3 to 3.5 feet away from the main room, meaning master bedroom in back yard, i will try to post some pictures tomorrow, it is been weeks since i dont post puctures, and cant remember how to do it. Thank you so much for the answer and will keep posting updates.

 

[CA Gold Hunter]

Probly just some old poo in there would be my guess but ya never know. It could have been filled in also. Up here your supposed to either fill the old tank with concrete or jack hammer it up and can fill over it by code. I'd pop the lid and just see. Did he have a septic inspection done on the house when he bought it? If not you guys might have found the existing tank and might as well call a guy out if its in use to have it checked out since you already got the hole dug.

 

[prospexican]

 

[prospexican]

 

[CA Gold Hunter]

yep definitely looks like a septic tank to me.

 

[prospexican]

the last pick is my 10x14 ace-250 coil, the very last pic was the cuts or directions i took w my 2 box fisher machine b4 digging.

 

[redbull]

Id find out if the house is hooked to a sewer line or not. If it's still septic tank I'd be having your relatives find out if a new septic tank was ever installed (could be still used which if it is a septic tank) and it's that close to the house it'll be a costly pain in the ass getting rid of it at a later date if a new septic system needs installed.
From the pics it definitely looks like a septic tank. As for collapsing it or filling it in. In iowa if it is not completely dry they will make you pump it out, if it's a metal one it has to be dug up. And they do actually come out and verify it is done properly.

 

[prospexican]

Well, we have not any history of the property, we dont know since when a septic will b required, meaning what yr, most likelly we are goint to have eto open it on the next visit. Good thing we cover it.

 

[CA Gold Hunter]

If he didn't have a septic inspection it might have gotten hooked to city sewer. A friend of mine had a job that had an issue with an old concrete septic. The house was tied into the city and the old tank was abandoned but right next to the house. He was supposed to build an extra room out and the new foundation wall crossed over the old septic, the city ended up letting him break it up and fill over it. I'm pretty sure he had the option to fill it with concrete too but that would have cost more I believe.

 

[prospexican]

Yea Ca gold he did not have an inspection done regarding septic, he even ask me if it has to b service or clean periodically but i could not answer acurate, but st least it is good to know, and probably is been filled cus i hit the upper concret to try to figute if it is hollow and it sound solid.

 

[CA Gold Hunter]

I'd pop it open just to check, they are pretty thick so it might sound solid and its not or its full. He should check the documents he got when he bought the place, it should tell him if he's hooked to city sewer or not. He would probably be getting charged for using city sewer as well so that would be another indicator if he is using a septic or not. They gotta be pumped every so often and there is some stuff you can do to keep them healthy. Hopefully he's on sewer though, not sure about his area but bad septics can become a headache. The town I live in has gotten so strict that the house I bought had an ob-longed lid and was fiberglass. Inspector said I can put a brace in for around a hundred bucks, city said nope and had to spend 5k to get the tank pulled and replaced. They are nailing some people next to "water ways" which could be a ditch next to your house and making them install sand filtration septics that can cost upwards of 40k and have a maintenance fee every month, its borderline draconian lol.

 

[prospexican]

All right Ca gold hunter, we are going to check the documentation for the home purchase and see what kind a service the home has and try to figure if it has sewer service or a septic thank, but definitive might gave it open and see, i just cant imagine about the smell lol, hope and i dont have to smell it. Lol, well i have him check the documents, and next time i go there i will try to pop it open if it is out of service. Thanks again, at least i been learning about septic tanks. [emoji4][emoji106]