Septic Tank Risers for Matteson Homes
Many septic tanks in Matteson sit a foot or more underground, which means digging every time the tank needs pumping or inspection. A riser brings the access opening up to ground level so the tank can be reached in minutes.
A local septic company that serves Matteson and Richton Park, Olympia Fields, Park Forest can install risers and secure lids, often during a regular pumping visit.
What a septic riser is
A riser is a short pipe or collar, usually plastic or concrete, that attaches to the tank opening and extends it to ground level. A lid on top, typically secured with screws or a lock, keeps it closed. Most tanks have at least two openings, and many benefit from a riser on each, plus one on the effluent filter.
Why homeowners add risers
Risers save time and money on every pumping and inspection because no digging is needed. They make it easy to check the filter, see problems early and get to the tank fast in an emergency. Many homeowners add them the first time a crew has to dig for buried lids.
What to expect on installation day
Most riser installations take a few hours. The tank is often pumped at the same time so the crew can inspect it while the openings are exposed. Expect some digging around the lids, which is backfilled when the job is done.
Riser safety
Septic tanks contain gases and deep liquid, so lids must stay secured. Use lids with screws or locks, replace cracked lids promptly and never leave an opening uncovered. Keep vehicles off riser lids unless they are rated for traffic.
What a riser job costs depends on
The price depends on how many openings get risers, how deep the tank is buried, whether plastic or concrete is used, and whether the job is done during a pumping visit. Deeper tanks need taller risers and more digging, which adds labor time.
Questions to ask about risers
Ask how many openings your tank has, which should get risers, what material they use, and whether lids are secured with screws or locks. Ask if they can install during your next pumping.
Choosing risers and lids for a Matteson tank
Risers come in plastic and concrete. Plastic risers are light, easy to cut to height and resist corrosion, which makes them the most common choice for existing tanks. Concrete risers are heavy and durable and are sometimes used on concrete tanks or where traffic is a concern. Lids should be secured with screws or a lock, and insulated lids are available for colder areas.
After the risers go in
Make a note of where the lids are for future owners and service crews. Mowing around them is easy if they sit flush, and they make it simple to check the effluent filter or water level. Report any loose or damaged lid to your septic company.
Signs a Matteson tank would benefit from risers
Risers are worth considering if every pumping visit in Matteson starts with digging. The same goes if nobody is sure where the lids are, or if the crew charges extra to uncover a deep tank. They also help when you want to check the effluent filter yourself or are getting ready to sell and expect an inspection. Landscaping that has made the tank harder to reach is another good reason.
Choosing riser lids for a Matteson yard
Riser lids for Matteson homes come in green or brown plastic and in concrete. Plastic is lighter and easier to open, while concrete is heavier and harder to move. Either way, the lid should lock or screw down. Ask the installer to seal the joint so groundwater cannot leak into the tank.
Risers and lids for Matteson weather
Where soils are rated very limited, as most mapped soils near Matteson are, frequent checks of the tank and filter help protect the drain field. Risers make those checks quick. Matteson averages about 38 inches of precipitation a year, so ask for sealed joints that keep rain and groundwater out. With about 3 months below freezing, an insulated lid can help protect the tank opening in winter.
Local conditions in Matteson that affect septic riser and lid installation
Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Matteson, the USDA soil survey rates 100% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 0% as somewhat limited and 0% as not limited. The most common drainage class is somewhat poorly drained. Soils like these often call for careful system design, such as a larger drain field, a mound or another engineered system, and a site evaluation before any new installation or replacement.
Matteson averages about 38 inches of precipitation a year, and May is usually the wettest month. Average temperatures stay below freezing for about 3 months a year, with January averaging 25°F, so tank lids and shallow lines benefit from a layer of snow or mulch rather than being cleared bare.
Sources: USDA NRCS Soil Survey (SSURGO), Soil Data Access; NASA POWER long-term climatology. Soil ratings describe mapped soil types near the city center and do not replace a site evaluation of your property.
What the soil around Matteson means for septic riser and lid installation
By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Matteson as 38% somewhat poorly drained, 34% moderately well drained, 14% very poorly drained, 14% poorly drained. Risers bring the tank lids to the surface, which makes regular pumping and inspection quicker and cleaner.
Source: USDA NRCS Soil Survey (SSURGO), Soil Data Access
Septic companies near Matteson
These are the septic companies in our directory closest to Matteson, with straight-line distance. Call any of them directly, or send one request and we will pass it to the best match.
- Set Industrial Service Inc, Glenwood, IL, 6.4 mi
- Bruns Newbury Sanitary Service, Crete, IL, 8.1 mi
- Sullivan Septic & Sewer, New Lenox, IL, 9.5 mi
- Excalibur Enterprises Inc, New Lenox, IL, 11.6 mi
- Balducci & Son, Lemont, IL, 16.0 mi
- Kimble Septic Service & Repair, Joliet, IL, 18.1 mi
Septic Riser and Lid Installation in nearby towns
We also cover septic riser and lid installation in these towns near Matteson:
- Richton Park, 2 mi
- Olympia Fields, 3 mi
- Park Forest, 3.6 mi
- Flossmoor, 3.8 mi
- Country Club Hills, 3.9 mi
- University Park, 4.6 mi
About Matteson, IL
Matteson is in Cook County, Illinois. About 18,293 people live there, across 9.3 square miles of land (about 1,970 per square mile).
Septic Riser and Lid Installation questions in Matteson
- Do septic risers let water into the tank?
- Not when installed correctly. Joints are sealed to keep groundwater and soil out. Poorly sealed risers can leak, which is why installation quality matters.
- Will risers make my yard look worse?
- Lids sit at or just above ground level and are usually green or tan. Many homeowners find them less noticeable than the patches left by repeated digging.
- Do risers help in cold climates?
- Insulated lids can help protect the tank opening. Ask your septic company whether an insulated lid makes sense for your area.
- Is SepticTank.com the company that installs risers?
- No. SepticTank.com connects you with an independent local septic company that serves Matteson. That company does the work and sets its own prices.