I couldn't find the paperwork for the people who came out to do it last time, so I just opened the phone book and looked to see who was licensed and bonded, and then called the first number I found. I asked if there was any way I could get it done that same week, and the nice man I was talking to said he had an opening on Wednesday. Little did I know what an enlightening experience I was about to have.
Here's what I learned:
1. I learned where my septic tank is. I had an idea, but now I know.
2. I learned that I could have found my tank myself instead of paying them to find it. I thought they had special equipment to find it, though, so I figured I'd let the experts.
3. I learned that the "special" equipment they had was a stick. That's right. A long skinny piece of metal with handles on it that they poked in the ground in the general area where the tank was supposed to be.
4. I learned it costs $95/hour for someone else to dig up my septic tank.
5. I learned I should just get my own stick.
6. I learned my septic tank is about two feet deeper than normal, and that I should have dug it up myself. (Refer to #1...I didn't know where it was before, but now I do. Next time? I'm digging it up myself. And by digging it up myself I mean that J will be digging it up.)
7. I learned that for $70ish I can buy cement "risers" to bring the lid of my septic tank up to a normal depth so we don't have to dig so much. (And by "I can buy" I mean J can buy. This chore definitely falls under his job description as the man of the house.)
8. I learned that our septic tank is OLD. Which means it only has one compartment. "New" septic tanks (those built after 1977) have two compartments. One for the solids and one for the liquids.
9. I learned that you should not use the garbage disposal if you have a septic tank. Because "the *&^% eats itself up, but food just floats on top." (**I didn't want the visual, either, but if I had to suffer, you can share the burden with me.)
10. I learned that we were "definitely overdue (for a tank pumping) but not in a bad situation yet. You could have probably gone another year before the *&^% backed up into your shower."
11. I learned that when we have kids, even though some diaper wipes say they are septic tank friendly, they are not. And they "clog up my machinery and that's irritating."
12. I learned that our septic tank guy, though crude, is somewhat thoughtful. When I invited him to step inside as I wrote the check (because I had to close the door so the cats wouldn't get outside), he told me he would stay on the front porch because he didn't want to "get *&^% all over your house - and I'm covered in it."
13. And last, but not least, I learned that my septic tank was clean and clear and J and I could "*&^% our brains out."
Every day is a learning opportunity, and on that day, I learned a lot.
2. I learned that I could have found my tank myself instead of paying them to find it. I thought they had special equipment to find it, though, so I figured I'd let the experts.
3. I learned that the "special" equipment they had was a stick. That's right. A long skinny piece of metal with handles on it that they poked in the ground in the general area where the tank was supposed to be.
4. I learned it costs $95/hour for someone else to dig up my septic tank.
5. I learned I should just get my own stick.
6. I learned my septic tank is about two feet deeper than normal, and that I should have dug it up myself. (Refer to #1...I didn't know where it was before, but now I do. Next time? I'm digging it up myself. And by digging it up myself I mean that J will be digging it up.)
7. I learned that for $70ish I can buy cement "risers" to bring the lid of my septic tank up to a normal depth so we don't have to dig so much. (And by "I can buy" I mean J can buy. This chore definitely falls under his job description as the man of the house.)
8. I learned that our septic tank is OLD. Which means it only has one compartment. "New" septic tanks (those built after 1977) have two compartments. One for the solids and one for the liquids.
9. I learned that you should not use the garbage disposal if you have a septic tank. Because "the *&^% eats itself up, but food just floats on top." (**I didn't want the visual, either, but if I had to suffer, you can share the burden with me.)
10. I learned that we were "definitely overdue (for a tank pumping) but not in a bad situation yet. You could have probably gone another year before the *&^% backed up into your shower."
11. I learned that when we have kids, even though some diaper wipes say they are septic tank friendly, they are not. And they "clog up my machinery and that's irritating."
12. I learned that our septic tank guy, though crude, is somewhat thoughtful. When I invited him to step inside as I wrote the check (because I had to close the door so the cats wouldn't get outside), he told me he would stay on the front porch because he didn't want to "get *&^% all over your house - and I'm covered in it."
13. And last, but not least, I learned that my septic tank was clean and clear and J and I could "*&^% our brains out."
Every day is a learning opportunity, and on that day, I learned a lot.
2 comments:
So excited to see you're blogging again. That's a lot to learn in one day. Thanks for the chuckle.
Wow. That is a big lesson there. =) lol. One reason to be glad for apartment living! lol
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