By Nathan Camp
What is a septic tank riser?
A septic tank is a holding tank for all the wastewater coming from your home. Showers, Toilets, Sinks, Washing machines, and more. It creates water, which goes down a drain and ends up in a septic tank, where it is held until it enters the drainfield. Most commonly, these tanks are made of concrete, are 1000 gallons or more, and have 2 or more concrete lids.
How a septic tank works.
The tank has 3 kinds of contents. The first is the scum layer, consisting of fats, oils, and grease that have accumulated in the tank. This floats to the top. The healthiest tanks have around 2 inches of a scum layer.
The next is your solids layer, which are the things that don’t float. This is waste, food, and the like. These are the heaviest particles.
And thirdly, there is the effluent layer. This is the water that’s separated from the scum and solids and will eventually flow to your drainfield, where it is purified by the soil and returns to the underground water table.
Septic tanks require regular maintenance. The department of environmental health recommends that you have your tank pumped out – all 3 layers removed from the tank by a licensed professional- every 3-5 years. This involves locating the tank, digging to find the lids, and then removing the contents via a special pump truck.
Challenges with septic tank pumping
While this process is pretty straightforward, there are some drawbacks.
- There can be significant soil disruption. The digging involved in a pump-out service can be significant, especially if the tank is buried deep. Grass is often disrupted, and plants or trees may need to be moved to gain access to the tank.
- There is an increased risk of damaging water, power, and internet lines. The septic tank is not the only thing buried in your yard. Many of the services you use in your house come in through wires and underground pipes. Each dig puts those at risk of being cut or damaged.
- There is significant work just to get to the tank to check on it. Many times, when a client is experiencing a clog, they wish they had easy access to their septic tank to see if they can discern what is clogging their septic tank, and perhaps even remove the clog themselves.
Why homeowners install septic tank risers
For those reasons, many homeowners are choosing to install septic risers to protect their yard, their lines, and their septic system.
Septic tank risers are usually a three-part product: a base, a tube, and a lid.
How to install a septic tank riser
The concrete lid is removed, and a specialized foundation is put on top of the septic tank, directly over the lid opening. It is usually put on with a bead of mastic to create a water-tight, root-resistant seal.
Then, a double-walled, rubber/plastic/or other material tube is put on the base and then cut to ground level.
Lastly, a specialized lid is fixed to the tube via screws to secure it while also allowing reasonable access in the case of a clog.
Riser lids help reduce disruption and damage to your yard, allow easy access to address clogs, and give the homeowner peace of mind that their tank can be accessed quickly in case of an emergency.
The most common time to install a septic tank riser is the next time you have your septic tank pumped out.
Guardian Septic Services carries a line of risers from PolyLok. These high-quality risers ensure that you have a super strong, aesthetically pleasing and easy accessible riser to protect your sepotic investment.
If you’d like to find out more, or to schedule to have an installation of a seoptic riser done, please call us today at 706-257-6500