The Strawbale Cottage: A word about Septic Systems

when a home dreams green it dreams strawBale

Sustainable living for a Sustainable future, for when a home dreams green it dreams strawbale.
THE VISION:
From the beginning it was our intention to build ecologically friendly, structurally sound, naturally efficient homes, using a minimum amount of embodied energy. These methods resulted in a home that is comfortable, artistic, and modern while minimizing the monthly and ever increasing utility bill. To that end I believe we succeeded.
After a decade and 8 homes, my goal now, is to promote the continuance of the strawbale paradigm. I wish to use this blog as a vehicle to perpetuate the ideals that we can reduce our 'footprint’. That we do have options that don’t include following the path of oil. That sometimes the best solutions are the simplest ones.
In the end, the big bad wolf, he huffed and he puffed and he huffed and he puffed and.........The 3 little pigies sat comfortably in their home of straw, completely unaware of the danger out there. The wolf contemplated, totally in awe. Perhaps it weren’t so bad to have a home made of straw.
©gregory vroom walter 11/29/11
I believe that the most comfortable home I have ever been in is a Strawbale home.
It is not my intention to teach everything there is to know about strawbale, for there are plenty of books already written that do this quite well, of which I will recommend. Rather my intention is to share the knowledge I have gained from designing and building eight homes that have all performed beyond expectation. I hope you find my posts and pages informative, enjoyable and helpful.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

A word about Septic Systems

Zobbe in "The Machine" excavating leach field w/addition excavation in foreground and site level for grade.

A word about Septic Systems: In my opinion a well built septic is a composting system. The tank captures the solids as well as acting as a grease trap, is periodically pumped and then composted at a municipal sewer site. The effluent then gravity feeds into the leach field where it can then naturally filter itself back into the aquifer. If properly installed and maintained these systems will last well over the 20 year span they are rated for. I like the concept of Composting toilet's, and grey water systems and have personally experimented with humanour and have been responsible for maintaining large volume composting toilets for Summit Huts. These systems require lots of hands on maintenance and when not functioning properly result in handling raw sewage.! Although you may be up for the task the reality can be quite over whelming and is a responsibility not to be taken lightly. As for grey water systems the same hold true, and again, if not properly maintained will result in an anaerobic system that will not be healthy for you or your plants. Plan Wisely, not with idealistic lenses that may or may not be based in reality. Having said all that, I do believe that if we all dealt with our own feces/waste the world would be a better place.