Who would have ever thought that finding a big rock in a hole being dug would prove to be helpful?
A neighbour was helping us to put in the manhole access for our water well when the backhoe hit the big rock. The manhole is a place big enough for someone to get into to service the water lines and/or the water pumping equipment. Generally, the manhole is dug so the bottom is just past the frost line, just deep enough that the waterlines from the wellhead or the tie-in place do not freeze.
When we hit the big rock, we were not past the frost line, so we had no choice but to dig it out and make the manhole deeper. Once the rock was out we could have filled the hole back in partway with dirt, but as it turned out the casing being used for the manhole was extra long. Rather than cut the extra length off and fill in the hole partway, Gregory decided to use the casing as it was. That turned out to be a wonderful decision.
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Our waterlines lie deep enough past the frost line, but the floor of the manhole is 30 inches lower. This enables Gregory to work on couplings and service the well equipment connections at a comfortable waist height, instead of kneeling down in what he jokingly describes as being “cramped into a corner of a round tube.”
What started out as a struggle with a big rock turned into something that we would be happy to recreate and would actually recommend. Having the manhole deeper than the frost line is very user-friendly and ergonomically suitable.
Gregory and John also came up with an idea that we will use with other manholes and would recommend to others — a lid. About halfway from the top of the casing and the frostline, Gregory bolted four pieces of three-inch angle iron to the inside of the casing at the same height and across from each other. Then he cut a piece of rigid foil-backed insulation, fastened ropes to it and lowered it to sit on the angle iron. It can be easily lifted off with ropes so a person can go down and work in the manhole. The insulation can then be lowered and set into place once the work is done.
We can face some extreme temperatures in the winter but this lid helps to maintain a safe temperature through the freeze and thaw cycles.
