The septic tank is an airtight, closed container installed underground through which domestic waste water flows into it. The tank built up with concrete and separates from ground to avoid polluting the ground water. There is both inlet and outlet to the tank. The waste is sediment as sludge in the bottom. Anaerobic bacteria in the tank decompose the waste into minerals. The filled tank can be emptied through a vacuum pump by the external agencies.
What are Risers?
Risers are nothing but a lid or closing door to the tank which is raised to the ground level from the underground tank. It’s useful in repairing or evacuating the tank without actually digging out to it.
Installing a riser, Do It Yourself:
If you’re having a septic tank and a riser is to be installed, follow these simple steps and you can do it by yourself. (If you do not have the confidence to do it on your own, please call a professional septic contractor or plumber in Cheektowaga, NY.)
Materials Required:
You should have the following materials for installing a riser.
- Meter Tape
- PVC Riser Kit
- Butyl sealant rope
- PVC Risers
- Driller
- Stainless Steel Screws.
It’s better to use the PVC material other than plastic or concrete structures for the riser as it is light and can seal properly and doesn’t allow any gases to vent out. Before starting, dig out to the ground at least a metre uniformly surrounding the tank opening.
Measurements:
Measure the diagonals of tank opening before purchasing the riser kit. Using meter tape, purchase a kit that is bit larger than the opening. E.g. If it’s a 22 inch opening, buy a 24 inch size kit.
Cleaning:
Clean from the inside opening of the tank to remove dirt & ensure tight and proper installation and avoid leakage of gases.
Installation:
Install a concrete ring structure of a few inches height and diameter more than the opening and should be in similar diameter to riser kit. The concrete ring is placed on the opening to give a leverage of height to the ground. Take the adapter ring and apply butyl rope into the ring. The butyl rope is used as sealant to the water and avoids leakages. Put the adapter ring along the hole and drill it up with the driller to make holes. The ring is having the holes and you can fix the stainless steel screws into the ring to fix it to concrete ring.
Now take the risers and apply the butyl rope to each rise along the ring and make sure to fix along with the riser on the top. Repeat the procedure to attain a height of ground level. The butyl rope assures you the tightness of the riser. Bore the holes using driller and screw them up to give a tight and firm structure. Take the lid and fix it on the adapter ring risers to close the riser. Once you’re done check for the leakages if any and fill the mud up in the hole to ground level. The lid of riser should be visible on the ground. Now it’s easy for you to access the tank without the help of professionals.