<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">I am using a 1000 gal. "low boy" septic tank as a solar reservoir. I coated the inside with a waterproofing compound, <div>too soon to report on. I doubt that a tank would be a reliable foundation: looking at one, we would all feel it could, </div><div>but those 4" walls were not designed to support much. If you came up with a way to distribute the load perfectly...<div><br><div apple-content-edited="true">
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-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Clarke Olsen<br><a href="http://clarkeolsendesign.com">clarkeolsendesign.com</a><br>373 route 203<br>Spencertown, NY 12165 <br>USA<br>518-392-4640<br>colsen@taconic.net<br><br><br><br></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></span>
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<br><div><div>On Aug 2, 2012, at 10:48 AM, Sacie Lambertson wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><font><font face="verdana,sans-serif">All, we have been thinking for a long time now about adding a 3-seasons room to our house. Given the extreme drought we currently experiencing, I've had some not-so-idle thoughts about putting a cistern under it when we do. I have several question about this possibility and wonder if structur<font>al-knowledgeable people on this list could respond please.<br>
<br><font><font>1. Cisterns in this area are bu<font>ilt by the same people who do septic tanks<font>, ie of concrete. Could I use <font>such a tank to support a room above?<br><br><font>2. Our house is on a gentle slope;<font> th<font>e end of th<font>is addition will be about <font>3-4 feet above grade. <font>If we put the overflow drain lower than the top, do I need to worry about insulating the walls of a cistern? ie there would be room for expansion. Freezing is normal in our NE Kansas winters.<br>
<br><font><font>Our current in-ground cistern, 1800 gallons, filled up after only a 1.5 inch rain. Our m<font>any shed</font> roofs drain to it. We would divert one these<font> to the new cistern, plus that of the room a<font>bove. </font></font> A new cistern wou<font>ld no<font>t have as large a drain plane as the existing one, but a couple good rains would undoubtedly fill up too.<br>
<br><font>Thanks, <font>Sacie</font></font><br></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font>
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