Postby Joe » Thu Jan 30, 2014 11:45 pm
I think the leach field thing is just a precaution that has been passed down from generation to generation. Howard's Corner Of the Web, which is one of the older backyard rink sites around, lists this as a reason...and I would think that as long as you take care to drain using a pump or hose (and not just slicing the liner to let it drain), you'd be ok:
Al Duncan's rink location tip:
"BEWARE - BEWARE - Steer clear of any septic lines when considering where to place your rink. I thought having a front yard rink would be great fun for our kids and provide hours of fun for relatively little funds. $12,000 later I now have a new septic system and septic bed replacing the one that I ruined by saturating the ground with water. Once the spring thaw comes any excessive water in the ground can move the tiles in a septic bed rendering your system useless. Frost is your enemy in these situations." (Tip # 76)
I also noticed that my septic system seems to melt the snow too, but not entirely and never during the coldest part of the winter. So while maybe it'll generate SOME heat, it doesn't seem to be enough to hurt a good slab of ice.
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