What is a septic tank riser?
A riser is a section of pipe or a collar fitted over the tank’s access opening and brought up to ground level or slightly above. It ends in a lid.
UGA Extension notes the tank lid is usually at the tank top, a few feet under the ground, unless it is on a riser. Virginia Tech notes that without one the contractor has to dig through sod to reach the tank every time.
Why add a riser?
Faster pumping and inspection
The lid is at the surface, so pumpers and inspectors open the tank without excavating. Inspections go quicker, too.
Safety and locking lids
A tank is not a place to lean over or step into. Lids should be secure and stay closed between visits, particularly around children. Ask how the lid fastens. Tank gases are hazardous, so opening a tank is work for a trained crew.
Less digging in clay
Every dig through Piedmont clay is hard work and leaves a patch in the lawn. A riser means the sod is cut once, not every few years.
What are risers made of and how big are they?
Risers and lids come in different materials and heights. Ask what will go on your tank, how the lid will sit relative to the mower, and how it fastens.
A lid that sits slightly above grade is easy to find but can catch a mower, and one flush with the ground is less visible. We talk through which suits the yard before setting it.
Can an older tank take a riser?
Usually, when the opening and top are sound. Older concrete tanks may need an adapter ring to fit the riser to the opening. A cracked top or a damaged lid is repaired first, since the riser sits on it.
If you do not know where the tank is, locating it comes first.
Older tanks sometimes have a single large lid, or lids that were buried deeper than the rest of the system. We measure before choosing the riser.
How is a riser installed?
The soil is dug back to the tank top, the riser is set and sealed, and the hole is backfilled around it. The best time is when the tank is already open, at a pump-out or during a new tank installation.
Riser length depends on how deep the tank lies. Tanks can be 2 to 4 feet down, according to UGA Extension. Tanks with separate inlet and outlet lids can get a riser on each.
Does the health department require risers?
Not that Dunn Rite can state. Requirements for riser height or lid type depend on the jurisdiction, the system and the permit.
Ask the office that holds your permit. Central Virginia offices include Lynchburg at (434) 477-5900, Bedford County at (540) 586-7952 and Campbell County at (434) 592-9550. The permits guide explains who to ask.
How do I keep the lid easy to find?
Keep planters, mulch and soil off the lid and tell anyone who mows or landscapes where it is. The lid opens at each pumping visit, which is every few years for most households.
We install risers in Forest and Amherst County along with the rest of our service area.
Pascat photo requestPhoto needed hereRound green septic riser lid flush with a mown lawn, collar and bolts visible, shot from standing height at a slight angle in flat morning light
Common questions
How much of the lawn does a riser disturb?
A small area around the tank opening. The soil is dug back to the tank top, the riser is set and sealed, and the hole is backfilled around it. The size of the patch depends on how deep the tank lies, and a tank 3 or 4 feet down needs a larger hole than one near the surface.
Do I need a riser if I know where my tank is?
No, but you dig every time it is opened. A riser removes that digging, shows where the lid is to anyone who works on the property later, and lets an inspector or pumper start work immediately. It is most useful when the tank sits deep or under clay that is hard to dig.
Can a riser be added to an old concrete tank?
Often yes, if the opening and top are sound. An adapter ring may be used to fit the riser to an older concrete opening. A cracked or crumbling top needs repair first, since the riser sits on it. The crew looks at the tank top before choosing the riser.
Are riser lids locked?
Lids can be secured with bolts or other fasteners, which matters most with children on the property. Which fastening Dunn Rite uses should be confirmed by phone. Whatever the style, a lid that closes fully keeps people out of the tank and keeps tank gases from escaping.
Does a riser change my pumping schedule?
No. Pumping still follows household size, water use and tank size, the same 3 to 5 year range the EPA and VDH give. A riser makes the tank easier to reach when it is due and makes a between-pumping check by an inspector or owner practical without digging.
Will the health department need to know about a riser?
It depends on the jurisdiction and your permit. Requirements for riser height or lid type differ, so confirm with the health department that holds your permit before work. A new tank installation is the easiest time to add one, because the permitted work already has the tank open.