In the past, there were no regulations for this in Hungary. Before there was a sewage system, my father dug a big pit, lined it with bricks to allow the wastewater to seep into the ground, and planted a willow tree. In the first few years, we had to pump it out, but after that, we never had to do it again because the willow tree absorbed everything.
I just wanted to say that I've been watching your videos now for a while and I love every one of them. Not only great content but great camera work and editing. This one especially caught my attention because the thumbnail I saw was of the plastic things you used in the leach field in which you called them Infiltrators, well a lot of people call them that but in fact the company that manufactures them is actually named Infiltrator and have been in business for about 30 years and started in Winchester Kentucky and I know this because I have worked there for the past 10 years and still do. They sell the shit out of those things and have many different shapes and sizes and Infiltrator also sells plastic septic tanks too and they are all made of recycled plastic that is ground up and then used in the Manurfacturing of them they are made on huge plastic injection molding machines and are sold all around the world.
7:55 It's 'hard' to tell what mineral you found, but in general: gold ore is found with quartz(clear) and iron(black or rusty.) Try soaking the specimen in oxalic acid (use proper PPE) or citric acid (safer but less effective option.) Afterwards: rinse, then soak in baking soda/water solution for a few days to neutralize the acid. Any gold that comes loose during this process will sink to the bottom, so don't dump it during the rinse phase. Oxalic acid can be reused but might need sediment removed, otherwise it can be used to remove iron stains from a toilet or something. Edit: Vinegar soak or Dawn dish soap + heavy brushing is the more reasonable method.
I love your "digging" videos. I was a ground man most of my working career and still miss the good old days of working in the dirt. Thank you. Makes me feel like I was there with you.
@@roybdaman A good ground man is worth his weight in gold . I’m just now learning how to estimate yardage by just looking at it.. definitely an acquired skill from experience .
What you are saying is “ Take your time do it right and you automatically hurry up and finish” always refer back to rule one when you get in a hurry. You 2 do good in all you do, I am always impressed.
I live on 4 acres and I have a septic tank that I've had for 40 years,never had to have it cleaned out. Works great and the leach lines go about 20 yards into the back of my house. The way yall built yours will last forever. Nice work,great video!
@@gregorybarth930 As long as people do not flush wipes and other crap down the septic system. Oil is something that can clog up the system. I watch all of those septic shorts and they pump out tanks yet they never once tell you how much solid is in the tank. There is a test they can do to find out if you need to pump it or not. They have those crust busters which they blend their tanks before pumping them out. I am pretty sure that if you blend the tank and let it settle for a couple of days before dumping water back in you will find that the tank clears up a bit better. Old septic systems tend to not dump water from washing machines down them. For example my place I have my washing machine daylight drain along with a laundry room sink. I have heard that doing a black water and gray water system can further extend the life of the systems. Though I do wonder if the leech field should be level or should it drain away. The problem with leech fields is that the water that carries down to the fields tend to carry stuff with it. This is why leech fields fill up and become saturated and can no longer accept water. If the leech field fill up one row at a time you could have a leech field that last 100s of years. Though I would put a 4 way fitting on each of the fields so that way the main line runs down the center and then to the right and left. I would also add some clean outs so that you can see down in to the fields. That is what the flat top is for. For you to cut out and add a fitting. There is paperwork that comes with each one of those fitting that explain how to properly install them. These leech field plastic things not only work great for septic systems they work good for french drains and being able to dump a lot of water in other places. Just do not add them near your leech field. You do not want to saturate it.
The whole point of the first chamber in a septic is to break down solids that then settle into sludge. It does not matter how effective your drain field is... the tank will still fill with sludge. That's how they work. You should def have it pumped or eventually it will stop functioning as it should. Even if it's been 40 years, you will extend the life even more by having it pumped
Don't do 90 bends, use 45 or 30s if it blocks you will never be able to clear the blockages, straighter runs as well on the main feed pipe. Good wishes, keep on working it looks amazing.
I’m pretty sure those were long turn 90’s so they should be able to clean them out if needed. You’re right though, most of the companies that I sold fittings to did two 45’s in order the make the corner a little more gradual.
I have to say again how awesome I think your editing is. I think your viewers take for granted they're great every time, but I'm sure it takes you some time. And I just wanted to say We Appreciate Your efforts! The angles you get and interesting perspectives you splice together make it so enjoyable to watch. So, thanks Courtney!!😅
What a great system! And as an ex Caterpillar Sales Manager - that's one gifted operator! (And the guys who 'placed' that big tank sure made it look easy! You're so lucky to have found such qualified suppliers and helpers! Congratulations on your new system - this is going to change a lot! You'll have so much time on your hands... what's that??? A sister for Ollie you say?
@@AmbitionStrikeshe’s going to be a great operator one of these days and those days will be coming before you know it! It seems like yesterday when my daughter was that big and she will be 25 next year on February 14th.
Those risers are a must have. My folks were skeptical when I installed them on their tank last time I had to dig for the lids for pumping it out. Unscrew lids, use tractor to lift tank lids, done. So easy.
I’ve been installing septic tanks (on and off) in the land of -40 winters since the 80s, and I’m astonished that burying the lids is common practice. I can’t imagine not having risers.
@8:00 Riley explains, not in so many words, exactly how and why apprenticeships work. Classroom training is one thing and it's good for a lot of folks. Apprenticeship, in-depth on-the-job training, puts a newbie with an experienced hand and gets them lots of exposure not just to practice but also philosophy, the rationale that underpins the practice. Put understanding and practice together and you have skill.
My only experience with putting in a septic system was as a teenager back in 1972. A neighbor of a friend was asking for people to help shovel the dirt back in as there was no money left for renting heavy equipment. That was a large field of those stones you talked about, multiple legs to it. Never was quite sure who the homeowner was, just spent a couple of hours with a few other people shoveling the dirt back in. Just thinking about being that young and working that hard makes my arms and shoulders ache. Think I need a nap ... 😴
That is a serious drain field. I had no idea something elaborate as that would be required to service your setup. Carol, (Courtney's mom) is going to be very comfortable in her new tiny home. You guys are awesome.
those chambers were such a game changer when they were introduced. In ancient days I spent some miserable heat-wave days raking dusty gravel and laying even dustier straw around perforated pipe.
Shoutout to Andy’s little homestead the operator knows what he’s talking about it’s a great channel been following for a few years everyone should check him out
Big Hi to Oliver and his Mom and Dad. Big congrats on the Flush Potty. Life keeps getting better. Pets also like them when thirsty. Keep the lid down. Thanks for the nice video. Ron PTL USA
No matter what you film you guy’s always have my undivided attention! You are both very captivating but Oliver is still the star! Great job on the passing inspection. Courtney’s reaction was priceless 🤣🙏🙏🙏Blessing’s
First time seeing a septic tank and plastic leeching field. Done concrete, brick/plaster, plastic tanks, with no rock or plastic leech field. Once filled, pumped out. Interesting how it holds up with weight, rain seepage and runoff, tree roots. You have solutions for gray and black matter. Created a lawn play area for Ollie.
On one hand, I really like the projects these guys are working on and get finished regardless the effort and the cost. On the other hand, the footprint and the irreversible destruction to previously pristine nature done to accommodate a single family is just staggering. Maybe, it's just my European perspective, where there is no wild nature left.
Well... In America... We have no shortage of wilderness! Plus... Trees can be planted later once heavy machinery no longer needs access to the site, but also... You don't want any old growth trees falling on your new home.
Kids, this video was worth waiting for, like a year or more. Clues observed: several mentions of that which we do not mention (the failed poop-burning toilet), the lack of the giant toy storage building and deck (shout out to the Canuck ladies, The Vanwives, who ALSO had their poop-burning toilet fail) and the smaller Oliver. Fantastic video, Courtney, your editing skills are terrific, I can't imagine the sheer volume of raw footage you had to edit. I was particularly impressed by the extensive use of the live narration, rather than a 2024 voice-over. Can't wait for Part 2.
Thanks for the comment and compliments on the video! Just for clarification, our incinerator toilet still works perfectly fine and we still use it on a daily basis. The container structure that the Vanwives helped build exists in this video, it's just in a spot that's out of camera shot of the septic install. Thanks for watching!
“Perfection is smooth. Smooth is fast.” is what I always heard. Basically train your muscle memory to do it flawlessly and adrenaline will give you the speed.
Well, I am impressed and I thought it could not get any better. This project is excellent. Oliver by osmosis will be a walking talking encyclopedia of how-to knowledge. 💕
I’m amazed that your native soil doesn’t leach into the drainage field and plug it up. Super good learning experience .. Thanks so much.. learn something every day watching your channel . (And it’s only 10 AM I’m way ahead of schedule 😂)
That’s the beauty of the Infiltrator canisters, though in many jurisdictions it’s common or required to place geotextile over the chambers, depending on your backfill material.
@@vaalrus aaaah I was wondering.. yes geotec I have clay.. that when dry is a power so that whole field would be a solid clump of clay in a few years. Thanks 100%
@@E77721 Yeah, I’m on top of ancient glacial lakebed, so 4 to 8 inches of the most incredible topsoil you could ask for, over dense, deep clay… We could (and have) dug trenches for a treatment field, but it would be huge, and we’d have to backfill with sand or trucked in loam before replacing the topsoil. In general, most of what I’ve built in the last 20 years have been variants of the “Minnesota” mounds… scarify the native soil, put in a 1 foot deep bed of coarse sand (I use washed concrete sand), 4 to 6 inches of washed rock, then up to 3 rows of chambers for the designed size of the treatment area. For a smaller system, you end up with a gentle mound about 20x30 feet, but the last one I did over especially poor soil, we had to raise the bed a foot with generic sand before the treatment area, and it was two chambers wide, and 120’ feet long. You can’t gravity feed, so there’s the expense of a pump, but you can then put it in an out-of-the-way area, and you can curve the chambers so they blend in with the landscape. I’ve done on on a bit of a ledge on a tall slope, and you’d almost not know it was there.
Just finished one up for my parents and all though the textile wasn’t required it seemed a small additional price to keep dirt cheap tc. Fro entering or clogging the chambers. Also why no ad box? Just an easy way to may splitting the drainageprecis Z great job all around!!!
I have learned so much from you guys. Bought land that has asphalt road next to it, all agricultural, but of low quality - so building permit is not problem. I have two rivers on my land - that i can take 1350 gallons per day for personal use. Plenty land for leach field. And yesterday I found out that both my rives have Gold in them.... from half bucket, 2,5 gallons, I had 3 specs of gold! So all your problems, I have learned from and avoided! Good luck guys!
Strongly urge you to consider acquiring a Toto S350 Washlet bidet. It is a simple replacement for your toilet seat that adds full bidet functionality. Warm water, warm air dry, multiple spray patterns - it has everything you need. It will reduce your toilet paper usage by 99%, and is way more comfortable. I get it…it’s just poop and your butt…but this thing totally changed our #2 experience. And all that toilet paper that DOESN’T GO INTO YOUR SEPTIC TANK ANYMORE makes a big difference in maintenance costs. Life-changing…weird, but truly so.
I second that about the bidet. Reducing the paper sludge is a huge benefit to the system. Anyone using a septic system should switch. But the ones I recommend are the $30 ones you can get all over Amazon. They are basic, no heated seat, water or blower, no need for electricity, and best of all, they use full house water pressure. I have both kinds, and the cheap ones outperform the electric ones in cleaning power. The cold water is not an issue generally. It can be quite soothing when it hits the spot. You can dry off with two squares of paper, which goes in the trash for burning, or dedicate some small white terry shop towels to the butt-drying. Cut them into four pieces, and keep a stack by the crapper. Toss them in a hamper when done, and into the wash. When things go right, they'll only get wet.
Congrats! That's a great setup. It was great seeing the process of getting that entire system in place. Can't wait to see you guys get everything connected to it now. Having the extra parking and a nice big lawn will be great!
I grew up with a septic system like this and I loved it. Just take care of those good bacteria and it worked perfectly. The state I love in now allows the town to force you onto sewage and if I could do septic I would be forced to have a huge mount in my backyard.
Convincing prank! Having dealt with Inspectors, some always find something to justify their position and exert their authority. Love the pragmatic/ no ego inspectors out there, congrats!
So nice that Idaho lets you have a flat surface to your drain field. Minnesota recently makes us have a raised drain field hump, which freezes solid. To prevent the freeze, we cover it with bags of leaves & grass. In comparison, all our water lines are 8' deep so they don't freeze.
Put rigid insulation in ground above part that freezes. Usually where there’s no snow or you drive on. Unless it really does drive that far down in Minnesota.
re: red quartz -- Clean the chunk up and see if you can see gold/silver flakes/wire in it. You can usually see it inside. If you want to see if there's smaller chunks, you can pulverize it and then pan it to see if you have an fine bits.
Riley has way to much enthusiasm when he starts a new project at least until something starts to go bad . Happy Trails from 🇨🇦 to the 🇺🇸 . Happy 4th of July , 2024 . Ours is July 1rst ( 🇨🇦 ) . ✌ out
One thing my inlaws did to help to septic tank was to take a package of Flichmans dry yeast and add it to warm water. Then pour the yeast water into the drain/toilet. This was done once a month. A family of 4 lived 36 years at the house and never needed the septic pumped. It was only pumped as a condition of sale.
Beautiful septic system install. I used infiltrator drain fields on my last two systems and they were excellent. I believe you will be very pleased with this installation. Hats off to Andrew's skill with the JD135.
Just a thought! What do chiropractors use when manipulating ones spine and where do the place the wallet / wedge? Every time one sits it offsets your spines it alignment.
Very cool! This will be a game changer for you! I loved watching Andrew covering the infiltrators. Since you can't drive over them, the fact that he planned his retreat so he could cover them up was cool.
@@MrML4L It’s like driving fast.. you have to know when and where to drive fast.. Safe is slow, slow is smooth, smooth is fast! For an operator or for anyone that you’re working with for that matter, annoyance is dangerous. I will be extra cautious, and it might be slower, because annoyed people tend to to be irrational and make mistakes…. AND THAT Can turn a fun day, real bad, real fast.
I have a property in Arkansas which is similar in many ways (22% slope) and we have been concerned about a septic system, so thank you for giving us something of a primer to know what we might expect.
It's been many decades since I installed the septic system but it sounds like this one is large enough to accommodate 10 more people and it's almost time for Oliver to have a playmate... if you guys are financially stable enough to do so! There's only one way to really install a septic system, and that's the absolute right way with no shortcuts whatsoever! Now get back to work😂
A fascinating video taught me something I am not familiar with as I reside in the UK that guy on the excavator was an ace operator saving a lot of time and stress all around overall, it was an interesting and educational video.
Can't wait to get my well and septic in, it has to be one of the first things we do in order to get any type of permits. We are also not allowed to haul any type of water for residential use which kind of sucks.
You should consider doing a geothermal system if you can dig down 10 plus feet. I know I would have a low tech cooling system in the garage to cool the shop, You could cool your solar container in the summer and warm the container to 45deg in the winter. You could build a box for the back of the solar array and pump cool air to cool the cells in summer and warm them in the winter. It would keep the snow off. Think how nice it would be to cool your home without the heatpump. Just power a water pump and some fans.
Just finished your 'Build Our Home' series! Great job! Loved seeing you work as a team! I helped my Dad build a home as a boy and rebuilt a couple of kitchens and at least 4 bathrooms, so I have a little experience about how much work and stress it is. On top of that you're off-grid, with a new baby! You guys rock!! Oh, I also think you need at least 3 or 4 more internal combustion engines on the property...
Who ever said the septic tank looks high, needs to look at the grade from the tank to the building. Looks to be 15 to 20' of depth. Septic and leech fields have come a long way. That system is engineered and permitted to local codes. The sewer to the inlet of the tank should be schedule 40 ABS or PVC.. Using thin wall piping in a traffic area could lead future issue's. Also, you should use 4" pipe, then you'll be able to use 1/8" per foot of fall or grade. Make sure you put a clean out for every change of direction of your sewer. Keep having fun.
The question as to what that was really stumped me for a while. After pondering the problem, I worked out the difficult answer. After much thought, I decided it's a rock! Hope my input helps?
Man those leachfields are the best. They're illegal to install in Texas nowadays but boy do they beat every other system out there. Gratz on the build.
I live on a rock in Idaho and if I scraped the entirety of the topsoil off my 18 acres, I wouldn't have as much as you dug out of the area that you are putting the tank itself. I am quite literally installing a Presby system for my addition and I have to truck in 440 yards of topsoil to do so. Count yourself lucky.
I have never heard of a septic system like this before. I would think that the weight of the back fill would be too heavy for those big light weight black pipes. But im glad that huge and important project is done. An exciting video. Hi Oliver!
I had the same thought, but the Infiltrator site claims it will support up to a 16,000lb single axle truck, when topped with at least one foot machine compacted soil.
Do you have a separate gray water system for the house? That septic system / outfall field looks massive for a single house. Good explanation about why you had to build it like you did due to site limitations.
It’s so easy to forget how far we’ve come with the road! But it wasn’t that long again we were having trusses and shipping containers dumped at the bottom for us to drag up ourselves… 🤪
Keep vehicles off of it!!! Trust me, I know. I have one in my yard. I have a guy coming over this week to look at it.🤬🤬 I hate them half black pipes!!!
This is an awesome video. I have never seen a very detailed process of installing the septic system along with drain and leech fields and it gives me a good idea of how they did the septic and drain field at my house. Like you, my house is built on shale lines and I'm fortunate to have a leech field that is built on the hillside.
Nothing says off grid like a massive septic system? So glad to see you you’re using the timber for lumber and fuel,having resources is great but managing them is paramount and Oliver will thank you later for saving him some trees!
That system was way way way over engineered for a residential zone permit especially one “off grid”. Hopefully some sponsor was picking up the tab. One thing to remember about your drain field. With all those trees you will eventually have root intrusion that will affect the flow from the tank, which can affect drainage from your house. Make sure you leave a plan for your kids so they know where, how deep to go for any future remediation. Ask me how I know? I had to dig up ours and clear out all those dang roots and dirt about 4 years ago at the family cabin. Hopefully be another 10 years before I have to do it again!
Are you planning to run your grey water into the tank too? When we have built similar systems we have run a separate line with the greywater bypassing the tank and into the soakaway, thus not contaminating the process in the tank.
Wow, wonder if you can put in geothermal piping here also (under or over or around the septic system) so you could store and use the heat for a heat pump...
How big of a rock do you think I can drop on my Ridge wallet? 🤣 Use code AMBITION for 10% off your new Ridge Wallet: ridge.com/ambition
Bonus points for dropping a Monty Python reference!!
use the boulder to make a out door tub :)
Changed the Thumbnail?? was a pic of you in front of the concrete box, now it's your trench field
you guys are the SHYT!!!!
@@johnqsak
In the past, there were no regulations for this in Hungary. Before there was a sewage system, my father dug a big pit, lined it with bricks to allow the wastewater to seep into the ground, and planted a willow tree. In the first few years, we had to pump it out, but after that, we never had to do it again because the willow tree absorbed everything.
we do they same in russia, but now often use biostation
This was a fun chance to learn something new. A huge thanks for Andrew for all of his help!
For me Andrew is a magician on the controls.
Off grid: nah
Our own grid: absolutly
I just wanted to say that I've been watching your videos now for a while and I love every one of them. Not only great content but great camera work and editing. This one especially caught my attention because the thumbnail I saw was of the plastic things you used in the leach field in which you called them Infiltrators, well a lot of people call them that but in fact the company that manufactures them is actually named Infiltrator and have been in business for about 30 years and started in Winchester Kentucky and I know this because I have worked there for the past 10 years and still do. They sell the shit out of those things and have many different shapes and sizes and Infiltrator also sells plastic septic tanks too and they are all made of recycled plastic that is ground up and then used in the Manurfacturing of them they are made on huge plastic injection molding machines and are sold all around the world.
7:55 It's 'hard' to tell what mineral you found, but in general: gold ore is found with quartz(clear) and iron(black or rusty.) Try soaking the specimen in oxalic acid (use proper PPE) or citric acid (safer but less effective option.) Afterwards: rinse, then soak in baking soda/water solution for a few days to neutralize the acid. Any gold that comes loose during this process will sink to the bottom, so don't dump it during the rinse phase. Oxalic acid can be reused but might need sediment removed, otherwise it can be used to remove iron stains from a toilet or something.
Edit: Vinegar soak or Dawn dish soap + heavy brushing is the more reasonable method.
I love your "digging" videos. I was a ground man most of my working career and still miss the good old days of working in the dirt. Thank you. Makes me feel like I was there with you.
@@roybdaman
A good ground man is worth his weight in gold . I’m just now learning how to estimate yardage by just looking at it.. definitely an acquired skill from experience .
The earth matters.
What you are saying is “ Take your time do it right and you automatically hurry up and finish” always refer back to rule one when you get in a hurry. You 2 do good in all you do, I am always impressed.
I live on 4 acres and I have a septic tank that I've had for 40 years,never had to have it cleaned out. Works great and the leach lines go about 20 yards into the back of my house. The way yall built yours will last forever. Nice work,great video!
I'm in Texas our septic is about 50 years old, never been pumped and works fine, I can see the leach field all summer. green grass
@@gregorybarth930 As long as people do not flush wipes and other crap down the septic system. Oil is something that can clog up the system. I watch all of those septic shorts and they pump out tanks yet they never once tell you how much solid is in the tank. There is a test they can do to find out if you need to pump it or not. They have those crust busters which they blend their tanks before pumping them out. I am pretty sure that if you blend the tank and let it settle for a couple of days before dumping water back in you will find that the tank clears up a bit better.
Old septic systems tend to not dump water from washing machines down them. For example my place I have my washing machine daylight drain along with a laundry room sink.
I have heard that doing a black water and gray water system can further extend the life of the systems. Though I do wonder if the leech field should be level or should it drain away. The problem with leech fields is that the water that carries down to the fields tend to carry stuff with it. This is why leech fields fill up and become saturated and can no longer accept water. If the leech field fill up one row at a time you could have a leech field that last 100s of years. Though I would put a 4 way fitting on each of the fields so that way the main line runs down the center and then to the right and left. I would also add some clean outs so that you can see down in to the fields. That is what the flat top is for. For you to cut out and add a fitting. There is paperwork that comes with each one of those fitting that explain how to properly install them.
These leech field plastic things not only work great for septic systems they work good for french drains and being able to dump a lot of water in other places. Just do not add them near your leech field. You do not want to saturate it.
I made the mistake of not having my 15000 gal system pumped...cost me 10,000.
It's a mistake to not open the tank and pump it and clean it.
The whole point of the first chamber in a septic is to break down solids that then settle into sludge. It does not matter how effective your drain field is... the tank will still fill with sludge. That's how they work.
You should def have it pumped or eventually it will stop functioning as it should.
Even if it's been 40 years, you will extend the life even more by having it pumped
Don't do 90 bends, use 45 or 30s if it blocks you will never be able to clear the blockages, straighter runs as well on the main feed pipe.
Good wishes, keep on working it looks amazing.
I’m pretty sure those were long turn 90’s so they should be able to clean them out if needed. You’re right though, most of the companies that I sold fittings to did two 45’s in order the make the corner a little more gradual.
Tank to drain field it's fine. If you have anything but effluent there you have some serious problems.
I have to say again how awesome I think your editing is. I think your viewers take for granted they're great every time, but I'm sure it takes you some time. And I just wanted to say We Appreciate Your efforts! The angles you get and interesting perspectives you splice together make it so enjoyable to watch. So, thanks Courtney!!😅
What a great system! And as an ex Caterpillar Sales Manager - that's one gifted operator! (And the guys who 'placed' that big tank sure made it look easy! You're so lucky to have found such qualified suppliers and helpers! Congratulations on your new system - this is going to change a lot! You'll have so much time on your hands... what's that??? A sister for Ollie you say?
Oliver is getting so big. Before you know it, he will be right by your side helping you with all your projects.
I expect he is looking to the command post of the heavy machinery. Riley added up enough 😆
He LOVES watching the excavator at work. ☺️
@@AmbitionStrikeshe’s going to be a great operator one of these days and those days will be coming before you know it! It seems like yesterday when my daughter was that big and she will be 25 next year on February 14th.
Like most children he’ll rebel against his parents and become a hard core urban dweller that only eats take out and doesn’t own a single power tool 😂
Oliver already has a set of keys for the skidsteer ! 😂
Those risers are a must have. My folks were skeptical when I installed them on their tank last time I had to dig for the lids for pumping it out. Unscrew lids, use tractor to lift tank lids, done. So easy.
OH MAN!! Risers For Your Lids Is SMART!! Digging Up The Yard Every Time You Have Septic Tank Pumped Is OH OH BOY! Young Man's Job!! Nice System!!😉👍👌
I’ve been installing septic tanks (on and off) in the land of -40 winters since the 80s, and I’m astonished that burying the lids is common practice. I can’t imagine not having risers.
@8:00 Riley explains, not in so many words, exactly how and why apprenticeships work. Classroom training is one thing and it's good for a lot of folks. Apprenticeship, in-depth on-the-job training, puts a newbie with an experienced hand and gets them lots of exposure not just to practice but also philosophy, the rationale that underpins the practice. Put understanding and practice together and you have skill.
Not only that but the million little things a guy learns doing any activity for 15-20 years can never be taught in classroom.
You just explained the difference between knowledge and wisdom.
My only experience with putting in a septic system was as a teenager back in 1972. A neighbor of a friend was asking for people to help shovel the dirt back in as there was no money left for renting heavy equipment. That was a large field of those stones you talked about, multiple legs to it. Never was quite sure who the homeowner was, just spent a couple of hours with a few other people shoveling the dirt back in. Just thinking about being that young and working that hard makes my arms and shoulders ache. Think I need a nap ... 😴
That is a serious drain field. I had no idea something elaborate as that would be required to service your setup. Carol, (Courtney's mom) is going to be very comfortable in her new tiny home. You guys are awesome.
those chambers were such a game changer when they were introduced. In ancient days I spent some miserable heat-wave days raking dusty gravel and laying even dustier straw around perforated pipe.
Whoever does your camera work also deserves a hooray. Excellent production all around!
That would be Courtney, presumably! She's a very versatile powerhouse!
Shoutout to Andy’s little homestead the operator knows what he’s talking about it’s a great channel been following for a few years everyone should check him out
I am in Florida with a lot of fine sand, I covered mine with landscape fabric before backfilling just to ensure nothing blocks the "vents"
DAaang! Andrew is one. smooth. OPERATOR! Congrats on your new system!
Yeah he is! 🙌
Big Hi to Oliver and his Mom and Dad. Big congrats on the Flush Potty. Life keeps getting better. Pets also like them when thirsty. Keep the lid down. Thanks for the nice video. Ron PTL USA
Hey neighbor! This brings back memories of installing my septic in pouring rain up at my place near the lake.
Well, that was wonderful; a 10-minute video crammed into 27 minutes. Congratulations!
No matter what you film you guy’s always have my undivided attention! You are both very captivating but Oliver is still the star! Great job on the passing inspection. Courtney’s reaction was priceless 🤣🙏🙏🙏Blessing’s
You are rich even if you didn't find gold. Life is good.
First time seeing a septic tank and plastic leeching field. Done concrete, brick/plaster, plastic tanks, with no rock or plastic leech field. Once filled, pumped out. Interesting how it holds up with weight, rain seepage and runoff, tree roots. You have solutions for gray and black matter.
Created a lawn play area for Ollie.
It’s a real pleasure watching a true professional work. Andrew is a treat to watch.
On one hand, I really like the projects these guys are working on and get finished regardless the effort and the cost. On the other hand, the footprint and the irreversible destruction to previously pristine nature done to accommodate a single family is just staggering. Maybe, it's just my European perspective, where there is no wild nature left.
Well... In America... We have no shortage of wilderness! Plus... Trees can be planted later once heavy machinery no longer needs access to the site, but also... You don't want any old growth trees falling on your new home.
Andy's little homestead is definitely worth watching.
Those infiltrator panels are tough....I've got an above ground 18' swimming pool placed over my leach field. No problems for 6 years now
Kids, this video was worth waiting for, like a year or more. Clues observed: several mentions of that which we do not mention (the failed poop-burning toilet), the lack of the giant toy storage building and deck (shout out to the Canuck ladies, The Vanwives, who ALSO had their poop-burning toilet fail) and the smaller Oliver. Fantastic video, Courtney, your editing skills are terrific, I can't imagine the sheer volume of raw footage you had to edit. I was particularly impressed by the extensive use of the live narration, rather than a 2024 voice-over. Can't wait for Part 2.
Thanks for the comment and compliments on the video! Just for clarification, our incinerator toilet still works perfectly fine and we still use it on a daily basis. The container structure that the Vanwives helped build exists in this video, it's just in a spot that's out of camera shot of the septic install. Thanks for watching!
It's the vanwives with failed incinerator toilet
@@AmbitionStrikes what was the short video where you had a failed circuit board out of a toilet?
From my offshore drilling career: slow and steady equals fast.
They do not count failure expenses
Always baffles my mind how you two can seemingly do everything🤯 Super cool project! Highlight of the weekend :)
Most people can when they try.
“Slow is smooth and Smooth is fast.” said every firearms instructor I’ve ever had. From basic to advanced courses!
It's what an EMT instructor told me once! When you hurry, you make mistakes!
“Perfection is smooth. Smooth is fast.” is what I always heard. Basically train your muscle memory to do it flawlessly and adrenaline will give you the speed.
Well, I am impressed and I thought it could not get any better. This project is excellent. Oliver by osmosis will be a walking talking encyclopedia of how-to knowledge. 💕
In Canada we put a light-weave poly fabric over top of the infiltrators before infilling.
I'd also imagine having the fabric under the half tubes would be beneficial.
I’m amazed that your native soil doesn’t leach into the drainage field and plug it up.
Super good learning experience ..
Thanks so much.. learn something every day watching your channel .
(And it’s only 10 AM I’m way ahead of schedule 😂)
That’s the beauty of the Infiltrator canisters, though in many jurisdictions it’s common or required to place geotextile over the chambers, depending on your backfill material.
@@vaalrus aaaah I was wondering..
yes geotec
I have clay.. that when dry is a power so that whole field would be a solid clump of clay in a few years.
Thanks 100%
@@E77721 Yeah, I’m on top of ancient glacial lakebed, so 4 to 8 inches of the most incredible topsoil you could ask for, over dense, deep clay… We could (and have) dug trenches for a treatment field, but it would be huge, and we’d have to backfill with sand or trucked in loam before replacing the topsoil. In general, most of what I’ve built in the last 20 years have been variants of the “Minnesota” mounds… scarify the native soil, put in a 1 foot deep bed of coarse sand (I use washed concrete sand), 4 to 6 inches of washed rock, then up to 3 rows of chambers for the designed size of the treatment area. For a smaller system, you end up with a gentle mound about 20x30 feet, but the last one I did over especially poor soil, we had to raise the bed a foot with generic sand before the treatment area, and it was two chambers wide, and 120’ feet long. You can’t gravity feed, so there’s the expense of a pump, but you can then put it in an out-of-the-way area, and you can curve the chambers so they blend in with the landscape. I’ve done on on a bit of a ledge on a tall slope, and you’d almost not know it was there.
Just finished one up for my parents and all though the textile wasn’t required it seemed a small additional price to keep dirt cheap tc. Fro entering or clogging the chambers. Also why no ad box? Just an easy way to may splitting the drainageprecis Z great job all around!!!
D box…and to keep dirt etc.
Spitting the drainage at the chamber entry more precisely
Damn sausage fingers
I have learned so much from you guys. Bought land that has asphalt road next to it, all agricultural, but of low quality - so building permit is not problem. I have two rivers on my land - that i can take 1350 gallons per day for personal use. Plenty land for leach field. And yesterday I found out that both my rives have Gold in them.... from half bucket, 2,5 gallons, I had 3 specs of gold! So all your problems, I have learned from and avoided! Good luck guys!
Thanks for my Sunday fix of "Ambition Strikes"!😊
Strongly urge you to consider acquiring a Toto S350 Washlet bidet. It is a simple replacement for your toilet seat that adds full bidet functionality. Warm water, warm air dry, multiple spray patterns - it has everything you need. It will reduce your toilet paper usage by 99%, and is way more comfortable. I get it…it’s just poop and your butt…but this thing totally changed our #2 experience. And all that toilet paper that DOESN’T GO INTO YOUR SEPTIC TANK ANYMORE makes a big difference in maintenance costs.
Life-changing…weird, but truly so.
I second that about the bidet. Reducing the paper sludge is a huge benefit to the system. Anyone using a septic system should switch. But the ones I recommend are the $30 ones you can get all over Amazon. They are basic, no heated seat, water or blower, no need for electricity, and best of all, they use full house water pressure. I have both kinds, and the cheap ones outperform the electric ones in cleaning power. The cold water is not an issue generally. It can be quite soothing when it hits the spot. You can dry off with two squares of paper, which goes in the trash for burning, or dedicate some small white terry shop towels to the butt-drying. Cut them into four pieces, and keep a stack by the crapper. Toss them in a hamper when done, and into the wash. When things go right, they'll only get wet.
Congrats! That's a great setup. It was great seeing the process of getting that entire system in place. Can't wait to see you guys get everything connected to it now.
Having the extra parking and a nice big lawn will be great!
croquet on the way
Wow. Never seen that solution before. Amazing amazing. Love it. Oliver wants to drive the excavator!!!!!
I grew up with a septic system like this and I loved it. Just take care of those good bacteria and it worked perfectly. The state I love in now allows the town to force you onto sewage and if I could do septic I would be forced to have a huge mount in my backyard.
Convincing prank! Having dealt with Inspectors, some always find something to justify their position and exert their authority. Love the pragmatic/ no ego inspectors out there, congrats!
Always use 45 degree fittings, less chance of blockage.
So nice that Idaho lets you have a flat surface to your drain field. Minnesota recently makes us have a raised drain field hump, which freezes solid. To prevent the freeze, we cover it with bags of leaves & grass.
In comparison, all our water lines are 8' deep so they don't freeze.
Had this location not been available a system similar to yours would have been required
pressure systems are crap
Put rigid insulation in ground above part that freezes. Usually where there’s no snow or you drive on. Unless it really does drive that far down in Minnesota.
Oliver is just to cool for school!
re: red quartz -- Clean the chunk up and see if you can see gold/silver flakes/wire in it. You can usually see it inside. If you want to see if there's smaller chunks, you can pulverize it and then pan it to see if you have an fine bits.
Riley has way to much enthusiasm when he starts a new project at least until something starts to go bad . Happy Trails from 🇨🇦 to the 🇺🇸 . Happy 4th of July , 2024 . Ours is July 1rst ( 🇨🇦 ) . ✌ out
eh? Canada Day
Be nice or I'll sick Trump on ya' ! ! 🇨🇦
One thing my inlaws did to help to septic tank was to take a package of Flichmans dry yeast and add it to warm water. Then pour the yeast water into the drain/toilet. This was done once a month. A family of 4 lived 36 years at the house and never needed the septic pumped. It was only pumped as a condition of sale.
I would set a "marker post" in each corner of the leach field to prevent anyone from digging or building a structure in the area in the future.
I add an inspection riser pipe with a cap at each corner as a marker and as a future way to see if the system is working and to troubleshoot problems.
It would also have been nice if they kept the leech field at a gradient then added some form of bedding. More work but less need for servicing
Beautiful septic system install. I used infiltrator drain fields on my last two systems and they were excellent. I believe you will be very pleased with this installation. Hats off to Andrew's skill with the JD135.
The lawn idea at the very end sounds great. Kids need a nice lawn to play with their dogs. You don't want them wrestling with the dog on gravel.
I think the dogs and Oliver both vote for a lawn.
Better to wrestle with other kids.
Just a thought! What do chiropractors use when manipulating ones spine and where do the place the wallet / wedge? Every time one sits it offsets your spines it alignment.
Just remember that Plumbers and Doctors are the only trades that bury their mistakes
Yes that is true but only Lawyers and Doctors call their profession a "practice"
Very cool! This will be a game changer for you! I loved watching Andrew covering the infiltrators. Since you can't drive over them, the fact that he planned his retreat so he could cover them up was cool.
Safe is slow, slow is smooth, smooth is fast.
🙌
@@russsherratt6919
I’ve seen a good operator do twice the work with 1/2 the effort.
( by a man so old he needed help getting in his excavator lol)
As a Disaster Management/ Safety guy.. who has a crit care nurse background... love this addition to the saying!
@@E77721 Thank you. The slowness and overabundance of caution on the backfill was annoying to watch.
@@MrML4L
It’s like driving fast.. you have to know when and where to drive fast..
Safe is slow, slow is smooth, smooth is fast!
For an operator or for anyone that you’re working with for that matter, annoyance is dangerous.
I will be extra cautious, and it might be slower, because annoyed people tend to to be irrational and make mistakes….
AND THAT Can turn a fun day, real bad, real fast.
I have a property in Arkansas which is similar in many ways (22% slope) and we have been concerned about a septic system, so thank you for giving us something of a primer to know what we might expect.
Looks awesome! One more step along the way. Cannot wait to see how it looks in a year or two with some good grass over it.
It's been many decades since I installed the septic system but it sounds like this one is large enough to accommodate 10 more people and it's almost time for Oliver to have a playmate... if you guys are financially stable enough to do so!
There's only one way to really install a septic system, and that's the absolute right way with no shortcuts whatsoever! Now get back to work😂
Now you only have to remember to NEVER EVER drive on any part of the tank or drain field. Put up markers for fire and emergency services.
A fascinating video taught me something I am not familiar with as I reside in the UK that guy on the excavator was an ace operator saving a lot of time and stress all around overall, it was an interesting and educational video.
I'm liking before watching
Can't wait to get my well and septic in, it has to be one of the first things we do in order to get any type of permits. We are also not allowed to haul any type of water for residential use which kind of sucks.
You should consider doing a geothermal system if you can dig down 10 plus feet. I know I would have a low tech cooling system in the garage to cool the shop, You could cool your solar container in the summer and warm the container to 45deg in the winter. You could build a box for the back of the solar array and pump cool air to cool the cells in summer and warm them in the winter. It would keep the snow off. Think how nice it would be to cool your home without the heatpump. Just power a water pump and some fans.
I like it.
Just finished your 'Build Our Home' series! Great job! Loved seeing you work as a team! I helped my Dad build a home as a boy and rebuilt a couple of kitchens and at least 4 bathrooms, so I have a little experience about how much work and stress it is. On top of that you're off-grid, with a new baby! You guys rock!! Oh, I also think you need at least 3 or 4 more internal combustion engines on the property...
You can alway find the drain field. That’s the spot with the most lawn.
Very instructive Riley. My septic system is 50 years old and still works but will need replacing at some point so thanks.
You need more kids. This settlement will require a lot of people when it is completed. 🤣
😂
At least 3-4 more
@@AmbitionStrikestake the advice
I will agree with that.
This is not farming in the 1700’s, he doesn’t need 40 kids so when 18 die during the winter there will still be enough 💀
Who ever said the septic tank looks high, needs to look at the grade from the tank to the building. Looks to be 15 to 20' of depth. Septic and leech fields have come a long way. That system is engineered and permitted to local codes. The sewer to the inlet of the tank should be schedule 40 ABS or PVC.. Using thin wall piping in a traffic area could lead future issue's. Also, you should use 4" pipe, then you'll be able to use 1/8" per foot of fall or grade. Make sure you put a clean out for every change of direction of your sewer. Keep having fun.
You get an "A" for the sound track this week! Rock on!
This was a major step forward greetings from Germany Grüße aus Deutschland
Tell Andrew I said hey! Appreciate the shoutout brother!
Was cool to hear you mentioned in another channel I watch!
Darn straight Andy!!! You are the best!!!
The question as to what that was really stumped me for a while. After pondering the problem, I worked out the difficult answer. After much thought, I decided it's a rock! Hope my input helps?
Man those leachfields are the best. They're illegal to install in Texas nowadays but boy do they beat every other system out there. Gratz on the build.
I think it’s hilarious and apropos his first words I hear are “oh oh” makes sense with Reckless Riley!
Andy’s Little Homestead is right!!! He knows machines!!! 💙💙💙
Rock looks like limonite and yes theres gold in that type of rocks,look closely do some test pans for sure.
I live on a rock in Idaho and if I scraped the entirety of the topsoil off my 18 acres, I wouldn't have as much as you dug out of the area that you are putting the tank itself. I am quite literally installing a Presby system for my addition and I have to truck in 440 yards of topsoil to do so. Count yourself lucky.
Awesome video, you can really learn something on this channel
Thanks great job
We learned so much on this project!
I have never heard of a septic system like this before. I would think that the weight of the back fill would be too heavy for those big light weight black pipes. But im glad that huge and important project is done. An exciting video. Hi Oliver!
I had the same thought, but the Infiltrator site claims it will support up to a 16,000lb single axle truck, when topped with at least one foot machine compacted soil.
8:00 I'm no expert but I think you are right. That's definitely a rock.
Do you have a separate gray water system for the house?
That septic system / outfall field looks massive for a single house. Good explanation about why you had to build it like you did due to site limitations.
That y’all can get equipment and dump trucks in and out so readily, should be a measure of the scale of y’all’s accomplishments…
It’s so easy to forget how far we’ve come with the road! But it wasn’t that long again we were having trusses and shipping containers dumped at the bottom for us to drag up ourselves… 🤪
Thanks for sharing. The moment you said that Andrew was to help you.. one thing went through my mind... but never mind!
Keep vehicles off of it!!! Trust me, I know. I have one in my yard. I have a guy coming over this week to look at it.🤬🤬 I hate them half black pipes!!!
That system looks awesome. The people you had helping made it look so easy.👍
Merci !
I was always wondering how you handle your sewage. Now there is the answer.
Thank you ❤
Build something out of these cool stones 🤓
This is an awesome video. I have never seen a very detailed process of installing the septic system along with drain and leech fields and it gives me a good idea of how they did the septic and drain field at my house. Like you, my house is built on shale lines and I'm fortunate to have a leech field that is built on the hillside.
By the way, Riley, you can expect for Courtney to pay back for pranking her about the inspector. You got her good.
Am I the only one who fast forward the sponsor part all the time.
Nothing says off grid like a massive septic system? So glad to see you you’re using the timber for lumber and fuel,having resources is great but managing them is paramount and Oliver will thank you later for saving him some trees!
Courtney: Yeah, not buying it, this is a lie! Wait, what tree? Is this for real??
She totally expected him to lie but not this detailed lol.
Now you have the perfect spot for a great garden nice loose soil with no rocks. Everything grows better on top of the train field.
That system was way way way over engineered for a residential zone permit especially one “off grid”. Hopefully some sponsor was picking up the tab. One thing to remember about your drain field. With all those trees you will eventually have root intrusion that will affect the flow from the tank, which can affect drainage from your house. Make sure you leave a plan for your kids so they know where, how deep to go for any future remediation. Ask me how I know? I had to dig up ours and clear out all those dang roots and dirt about 4 years ago at the family cabin. Hopefully be another 10 years before I have to do it again!
Yep, plumb in the house, and Mother in Law's cabin.😂👍👍
Best wishes all.
Are you planning to run your grey water into the tank too? When we have built similar systems we have run a separate line with the greywater bypassing the tank and into the soakaway, thus not contaminating the process in the tank.
Tumble and cut rocks....I mean you live in a Gem state. Rock hounds all over the planet will buy your rocks 👽🗿👽🗿👽
You earn something new every day. Great work guys.
2 hours to measure, 1 hour to dig...that's the same as measure twice, cut once...Right? LOL
Wow, wonder if you can put in geothermal piping here also (under or over or around the septic system) so you could store and use the heat for a heat pump...
All that rock. Well you’ve built a house from wood and a house from steel, with all that rock, you should build a stone house.
That would be SO cool! Rock playhouse for Oliver?