Drain field

[Toddppm]

How big of a tree would you or could you drop on a drainfield?
We've done it before several times with smaller trees but I looked at a large Oak today about 30" dbh with most of the top dead as a doornail leaning away from the drop zone. 1 large live branch if we cut off the back side will take alot of weight off and then we should be able to pull it back into the field.
I'm thinking if the ground is not saturated when we do it , should be ok? No real big limbs that come out perpendicular that would punch into the ground.

Anybody ever drop big trunks onto alturnamats?

 

[pdqdl]

Discuss your concerns with the customer.

Then price it for being careful, and another price for crashing it on the ground.

 

[clearance]

Depends, find out where the septic tank is, thats most important. I have installed septic fields. They are like a manifold, the tank being the start, then they branch out. As long as it is away from the tank, and the start, I figure it should be ok.

 

[Toddppm]

The tank is not in the area, it pumps up to the field. This is a higher area than the rest of the yard, so no drainage problems and pretty flat.

 

[clearance]

The tank is not in the area, it pumps up to the field. This is a higher area than the rest of the yard, so no drainage problems and pretty flat.

A pump up system has a pipe from the pump to the distribution box. Which is in the field.Septic fields are not in the highest places, they are usually in the lower places, like water shi runs downhill as well.

 

[Toddppm]

When you got money they pump it wherever it's needs to go! Yes I figured there's a distribution box somewhere at the house end but this tree is in the middle of the area. I doubt the homeowner has any clue about the system or has an installation map. I can probably check with the county though.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Is is ta built up leaching field? I've been told that they are just big piles of gravel that are pretty durable. I asked a plumber who does a few mound systems a year and he said that he would not have a problem dropping a big tree on the edge of one.

 

[Toddppm]

The house was built in 1988 , I'm not sure but it looks like it's probably a conventional system as I didn't see any mounds or filters? Not sure they had too many alternatives back that far?
If it's conventional from what I've seen it's not much more than a perf pipe surrounded by 2 sq. ft. of gravel a couple feet down too?

 

[M.Green - SVTS]

Insurance

Hello,

If you have any doubts about the job I wouldn't take it. Leechfields (Drain field) is a touchy thing they aren't all built the same. Some are further under ground then others.

Make sure you are insured if you do decide to take the job on. It would be unfortunate for you while helping someone out to end up paying a fortune to fix something you broke. Also make sure your insurance covers removal, and large removal. A lot of arborists that I know personally went with insurance which is half handyman and half tree pruning. If they were to drop a tree I am almost 100% positive the insurance company wouldn't cover the costs if something happened.

Good Luck

 

[LTREES]

It all drains down hill from the tank. Can you see a lid to the tank? If so, lift the lid up and see where the top of the tank is (usually 3' lower than ground level) if the yard is fairly flat, you know the field is 3' + down. if that be the scenario, no problem. I'd let the owner decide, inform and give a price both ways.

LT...

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

A lot of arborists that I know personally went with insurance which is half handyman and half tree pruning.

I've heard of a few going with landscraper liability, pound foolish to me.

I shopped around and found that West Bend Mutual has a very comprehensive policy that includes spray programs and Errors and Omissions.

 

[Jon E]

Not an arborist, but I am a professional engineer and I specialize in septic drain fields and other wastewater work. I would be worried about a mound system, but a conventional subsurface system should be able to handle that instantaneous shock of compaction without any damage. The hazard would be a limb puncturing the field.

Not sure I'd want to see a big west coast monster dropped on a drainfield, but the oak the original poster mentioned should be OK. The longer you leave the bole, the more spread out the impact - better to flop a 50' snag than a 10' chunk, in other words.

 

[M.Green - SVTS]

It all drains down hill from the tank. Can you see a lid to the tank? If so, lift the lid up and see where the top of the tank is (usually 3' lower than ground level) if the yard is fairly flat, you know the field is 3' + down. if that be the scenario, no problem. I'd let the owner decide, inform and give a price both ways.

LT...

Very informative I like that. I'll keep that in mind the next time I come across an issue.

 

[Dadatwins]

I would think more danger of a limb piercing a line than the overall weight of the tree landing in the zone. Have seen limbs go down 2+ feet on a drop, really depends on the shape of the tree ie: lot of heavy limbs and brush or minimal brush and mostly trunk wood.

 

[BlackenedTimber]

Not an arborist, but I am a professional engineer and I specialize in septic drain fields and other wastewater work. I would be worried about a mound system, but a conventional subsurface system should be able to handle that instantaneous shock of compaction without any damage. The hazard would be a limb puncturing the field.

Not sure I'd want to see a big west coast monster dropped on a drainfield, but the oak the original poster mentioned should be OK. The longer you leave the bole, the more spread out the impact - better to flop a 50' snag than a 10' chunk, in other words.

I am not a professional engineer (though both of my parents are...) and I do not have any experience designing or building septic systems, but I do have experience felling trees around septic systems.

I would definately DISAGREE with the above quote, simply because, depending on where you face and backcut the standing trunk, and the length of the piece that you are backpulling and dropping, we all know here that the likelyhood that whole piece is going to land 100% parallel to the ground surface, evenly distributing it's weight across the lawn's surface, is just about :censored:ing ZERO. It is much more likely that the end of the trunk will hit the lawn first, then the hinge wood will fail, and the rest of the log will proceed to meet the lawn. If you drop a longer, rather than shorter spar, all you are doing is increasing the weight, and thereby the pressure, that will be applied to the lawn then you fell the tree.

However, if you are deeling with a standard subsurface septic system, which it sounds like you are, you prolly got perf pipe and gravel, 2+ feet down. Your not gonna damage that, unless your bombing 15 foot sections from 100 feet up. I think your OK with your plan to remove the counterhung limb, backpull, and fell. If you have insurance, go for it. If you dont have insurance, move on Bro.

thats my two cents, and now its time for bed.

 

[Hddnis]

It will not always be downhill from the tank. Pump systems with a distribution manifold are common in my area.

I've worked around drain fields and tanks many times and never had a problem. It does really help to know where all the system components are.

If you can leave the top of the tree intact it softens the impact substantially. If you are dropping a spar then set branches, tires, or whatever you can use to absorb the energy.




Mr. HE

 

[Mike PA]

This thread contains a lot of crap, so to speak. There is too much generallity laced in this thread - things buried at X feet, flows from X to X, big pieces vs. little pieces... My point is that there is so much variability in septic systems that you need to see them to evaluate them. Some are forced systems and can be located anyplace. Some are gravity systems and will be located downhill. Some tanks are buried at 2", some are buried at three feet.

You need to try to figure out what will happen when you drop the tree. Will it land flat? Are limbs likely to piece the ground and possibly the piping? Can you determine where the laterals are based on vegetation (now can be a good time to look, because the septic water may be a little warmer, causing the ground to thaw quicker and the grass to green sooner)? What level of risk is HO willing to assume? A lot to think about and consider. Good luck.

 

[LTREES]

This thread contains a lot of crap, so to speak. There is too much generallity laced in this thread - things buried at X feet, flows from X to X, big pieces vs. little pieces... My point is that there is so much variability in septic systems that you need to see them to evaluate them. Some are forced systems and can be located anyplace. Some are gravity systems and will be located downhill. Some tanks are buried at 2", some are buried at three feet.

You need to try to figure out what will happen when you drop the tree. Will it land flat? Are limbs likely to piece the ground and possibly the piping? Can you determine where the laterals are based on vegetation (now can be a good time to look, because the septic water may be a little warmer, causing the ground to thaw quicker and the grass to green sooner)? What level of risk is HO willing to assume? A lot to think about and consider. Good luck.

I think that sums it up. Everyone telling their expirences and avising on what to look for. End result is formed in a question after the fact. DID IT BREAK ?

It could be or it could be .

LT...

 

[squad143]

If you have insurance, go for it. If you dont have insurance, move on Bro.

With that kind of thinking, you won't have insurance (or be able to afford it) for very long.

 

[Toddppm]

This is a big ole Oak and it will leave a mark but the branches are all growing upward from the trunk and are dead on the side that will hit first. I think it will land much softer with everything attached than bombing the bare trunk, that I won't do. It doesn't have to be dropped but it would speed things up treemendously.

We did a job a while ago where the neighbors were being completely anal about being anywhere near their house, making noise or just breathing air near them. Both houses were at the top of a hill that ran away down the back and were about 50 ft. apart. We dropped one tree trunk up the hill to save some time and apparently it shook the neighbors house a little , those freaks came running out like it was the end of the world.

I appreciate all the replies even the ones that question me having the correct insurance