Septic Tank Risers for Jenkintown Homes
Many septic tanks in Jenkintown 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 Jenkintown and Rockledge, Bryn Athyn, Hatboro can install risers and secure lids, often during a regular pumping visit.
How risers and lids work
The riser bonds or bolts to the tank opening and is sealed to keep groundwater and soil out. It is cut to reach just at or above grade. The lid sits on top so the tank can be opened by hand without a shovel. Some lids are insulated for cold weather.
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.
Keeping lids secure
A secure lid is a safety requirement, not an option. Check lids once in a while for cracks or loose screws. If a lid is damaged, cover the opening and call for a replacement.
Is a riser worth it
For most homes with buried lids, yes. The savings from not digging on every visit, plus easier inspections, often cover the cost over a few pumpings. Ask your septic company to compare the cost with what you pay for digging now.
What to ask about riser installation
Ask how many openings your tank has and which ones should get risers, what material they install, how the risers are sealed to the tank, and how the lids are secured. Ask whether combining the job with pumping lowers the total cost.
Choosing risers and lids for a Jenkintown 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 Jenkintown tank would benefit from risers
Risers are worth considering if every pumping visit in Jenkintown 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.
Why Jenkintown homeowners add risers
Risers bring the tank lids up to ground level on Jenkintown properties, so nobody has to dig to reach them. That saves time and money on every pumping and inspection. A secure lid also keeps children and pets safe. Most installs take a few hours and leave only a small patch of disturbed lawn.
Risers and lids for Jenkintown weather
Where soils are rated very limited, as most mapped soils near Jenkintown are, frequent checks of the tank and filter help protect the drain field. Risers make those checks quick. With about 48 inches of precipitation a year, a well-sealed riser matters. Poorly sealed joints can let groundwater into the tank. With about 1 months below freezing, an insulated lid can help protect the tank opening in winter.
Local conditions in Jenkintown that affect septic riser and lid installation
Among the mapped soils within about two miles of central Jenkintown, the USDA soil survey rates 87% as very limited for septic absorption fields, 9% as somewhat limited and 4% as not limited. The most common drainage class is well 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.
Jenkintown averages about 48 inches of precipitation a year, and June is usually the wettest month. Average temperatures stay below freezing for about 1 month a year, with January averaging 30°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 Jenkintown means for septic riser and lid installation
By drainage class, the USDA soil survey maps the land around Jenkintown as 56% well drained, 18% somewhat excessively drained, 15% moderately well drained, 4% excessively drained, 4% poorly drained, 3% somewhat 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 Jenkintown
These are the septic companies in our directory closest to Jenkintown, with straight-line distance. Call any of them directly, or send one request and we will pass it to the best match.
- George C Allen & Son Inc, Chalfont, PA, 13.4 mi
- Norbill Disposal Service, Doylestown, PA, 19.1 mi
- Woelkers LLC, Telford, PA, 19.4 mi
- B & C Septic Service, Sellersville, PA, 22.0 mi
- Predoc Inc, Phoenixville, PA, 22.0 mi
- Gray Brothers, Spring City, PA, 22.3 mi
Septic Riser and Lid Installation in nearby towns
We also cover septic riser and lid installation in these towns near Jenkintown:
- Rockledge, 2.3 mi
- Bryn Athyn, 4.5 mi
- Hatboro, 5.8 mi
- Philadelphia, 6 mi
- Ambler, 6.4 mi
- Palmyra, 8.2 mi
About Jenkintown, PA
Jenkintown is in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. About 4,699 people live there, across 0.6 square miles of land (about 8,019 per square mile).
Septic Riser and Lid Installation questions in Jenkintown
- 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.
- Can I mow over a septic riser?
- Most lids sit at grade so you can mow around them easily. Avoid driving heavy equipment over them unless they are traffic rated.
- Is SepticTank.com the company that installs risers?
- No. SepticTank.com connects you with an independent local septic company that serves Jenkintown. That company does the work and sets its own prices.