My grandma says that with rocks in it, it wont smell and it will never fill up and my grandpa says that if you dont put any rocks in, it wont smell and it wont fill up whos right and whos wrong?
2007-12-16 13:18:23 · 9 answers · asked by Yayaitta 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
Are they talking about rocks at the bottom of the pit? I guess it would act as a french drain and keep it from packing down so that liquid would seep into the ground. When I was a kid and would visit my country cousins they used lime in theirs to help reduce the odor. I guess now you could buy septic material like Rid-X or what ever to treat the pit...When it gets too full it will need to be moved so it is not a permanent thing.
Good Luck
2007-12-16 13:43:36 · answer #1 · answered by getrdone 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Kudos to Cyn99, and TY for the chuckle
I lived 17 years on a farm with "outdoor plumbing" but that was in the dark ages of the mid 20th century.
No offense to Gramma, but ROCKS will not help; most especially with smell. Drainage only works for NON solids, and ADDING fluids to a PIT is not a good idea. Masking PIT odor and fecal gases is usually done by DRYING, with such elements as Lime or Lye.
Hopefully too, they have thought out a plan to occasionally MOVE the Outhouse over a FRESH pit, and FILL the old pit.
On a humorous note, forgive this, you might suggest two or more "healing stones" be placed in the outhouse, to be rolled/ massaged in the hands while anyone using the facility does there business,,,, Or a Sears catalog, and DO NOT leave the door unlatched, During or when finished using the facility.
Steven Wolf
2007-12-16 21:36:36 · answer #2 · answered by DIY Doc 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Don't know anything the rocks can do except add ballast to the outhouse so it doesn't blow over in a high wind, Usually when people put moons or stars, etc. on the door it is for ventilation. Tell more importantly to make sure the wood for the seat is finely sanded and should be maintained to prevent cracking, or they make have a painful experience not expected. Just a cute note, we used to keep an old Sears Roebuck catalogue in ours and not just for reading purposes.
Ha Ha!
Outhouses require treatments just like septic tanks and occassionally have to be relocated especially if the pit below is not deep enough!
2007-12-16 21:32:11 · answer #3 · answered by ? 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I never heard of putting rocks in the pit of an outhouse. In the summer when it smells we would sprinkle some barn lime in the hole. The rocks would just take up space.
2007-12-16 21:43:27 · answer #4 · answered by John himself 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rocks will not help anything. Tell them to keep a sack of Lime in the outhouse and cover the bottom of the hole occasionally. Even with this unless they live in a very cold (frozen) climate it will still smell at times...
2007-12-16 21:42:18 · answer #5 · answered by RoeB 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My daddy never put rocks in ours. I cannot see how rocks would help. Used one for years--literally--and relate to the Sears catalog so well. Use some lime in the hole to help the odor. Tell grandma that I am sorry but I sorta think grandpa is right.
2007-12-16 22:24:16 · answer #6 · answered by old_woman_84 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would leave the rocks out . we had an outhouse when i was a kid and when it smelled was when there was stuff floating above the liquid and that could accumulate on the rocks.
2007-12-16 21:38:18 · answer #7 · answered by Aloha_Ann 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no rocks, , and use quick lime once a month, to keep it from smelling run a vent pipe from the hole to the out side top of the privy and paint it black, the suns heat will cause a up draft and pull the fumes out,
2007-12-17 06:58:25 · answer #8 · answered by William B 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They have this cool new thing called indoor plumbing. You should check it out.
To answer your question: Ask the Amish.
2007-12-16 21:26:46 · answer #9 · answered by cyn99di 3 · 2⤊ 3⤋