Eliminate The Sight Of Your Septic Tank The Right Way With These 5 Tips

Posted on: 8 June 2015

Septic tanks in the backyard, especially if they are in the garden or in a highly-used area of the yard, can be a huge eyesore. If you use the area for entertaining, then your guests see it every time that they are over. To help avoid unsightly items while keeping your septic tank safe and secure, here are five tips to follow:

1. Avoid Planting Trees Close to the Tank.

The last thing you want to do is plant trees to cover up the septic tank, as this is only going to cause septic problems. The roots from the trees will start to grow toward the septic piping and the tank itself. Eventually, the roots could pierce it and create an extremely huge mess – not to mention a costly one. Trees should be at least 25 feet away from the outside edge of the drain field.

2. Consider a Potted Plant.

Instead of trees, you could opt for a large potted plant. This can be particularly helpful in hiding the access cap or hatch. Since the plant would be in a pot, you don't have to worry about the roots infiltrating the pipes or the tank.

3. Try to Avoid Grass Coverings.

Although the first thing that comes to mind may be to cover the area with grass, this isn't a good idea. This is because there needs to be relatively easy access to the tank at all times for maintenance, repairs and septic tank pumping. Grass would act as a long-lasting cover that would restrict this needed access.

4. Consider a Rock Feature.

Even though you can't use grass as a covering, you can use solid items to cover the area. You just need something that isn't permanent and can easily be removed whenever necessary. The easiest would probably be a collection of beautiful, small rocks. These rocks could be real or they could be fake. You can place them strategically and creatively to create an incredibly stunning feature.

5. Be Careful with Fencing.

When it comes to using fencing to cover the septic area, things can become a bit tricky. You have to place the fencing carefully in order to avoid any type of damage to the septic system pipes or the tank itself. If you do decide to go with fencing, you must be careful not to go too deep into the ground. Therefore, you probably won't want to install too tall of a fence that would require deeper in-ground stability.

As you can see, there are plenty of ways in which you can "hide" your septic tank and still enjoy the area around it. If you're uncertain as to whether you can use a certain item or feature, contact a septic professional for more information.

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