Do-it-yourself cesspool from a barrel

Currently, no dwelling can do without a sewage system. And if apartment buildings are fully equipped with a wastewater reception system, then in the private sector this problem must be solved independently. The tightening of building codes and regulations, as well as environmental requirements in this direction, makes it necessary to improve the design of septic tanks. The use of leaking cesspools becomes unacceptable, only if the amount of wastewater is less than 1 cubic meter per day. The presence of hot water, dishwashers and washing machines, together with the benefits provided, increases the amount of wastewater.

The use of septic tanks that are not sealed or do not have a filtration system is a direct threat to the fertility of the land. In addition to the possibility of plant infection, there is a possibility of infectious diseases in pets and guests of the house. In this case, you cannot do without a fully functional sealed septic tank. The construction of such a structure will be discussed in this article. Let us examine the possibility of using certain containers, of various volumes and methods of their installation.

Principle of operation

The wastewater collection structure consists of piping systems (both indoors and outdoors), a tank buried in the ground and connected to a pipe system. The entire structure can be either sealed or open.

Waste water flows by gravity into the tank through the pipeline system. As the tank is filled, water is pumped out using a sewage machine. The collection tank can be made of any material: concrete, metal or plastic. The main requirement for each of them is tightness.

Advantages and disadvantages

Each of the listed materials for the manufacture of a septic tank has its own strengths and weaknesses. Let's consider the criteria for each of them.

The advantage of each of the septic tanks, as already mentioned, is environmental safety. Concrete septic tanks, in addition, have a large volume, therefore, the filling process will take more time and less often you will have to order a sewer truck. Metal containers, similar to concrete ones, have good rigidity, which will facilitate the backfilling process during installation. Plastic tanks, in turn, have a high degree of resistance to the aggressive wastewater environment. This circumstance determines their long service life. Also, the lightness of the design allows you to independently install it.

The disadvantages of designs will be the following points. Concrete tanks are difficult to manufacture and have a high cost, metal are highly susceptible to corrosion. Depending on the volume, steel tanks can also require a lot of effort, expense and the involvement of special equipment. Due to their small dimensions, plastic containers have small volumes and require frequent involvement of a sewage truck. In addition, additional thermal insulation or burial will be required to protect against low temperatures.

Installation of a plastic container

Before starting construction, it is necessary to determine the location of the septic tank. In this case, the following requirements for the minimum permissible distances to capital construction objects should be taken into account. When measuring the distance to a residential building from the edge of the septic tank, it should not be less than 5 meters, both to your own and to the neighbor's.The distance to the edge of the neighboring area (fence) should not be less than 2 meters. Also, there should be a variant of the entrance of a sewage truck to the tank.

The container should be installed in a pit prepared in size with a depth greater than the height of the tank, but not less than 40 cm. The bottom of the pit should be poured, moistened with water and tamped with a sand mixture. In the case of heaving soils, you will have to prepare a concrete base. The width of the pit should exceed the dimensions of the tank by 10-20 cm. Next, the tank is installed and docked with communications.

The container should be filled with great care, since the walls of the container are made of soft material and are subject to deformation. Backfilling is done with a sand mixture in small quantities. As it is poured, tamping is performed. To ensure the safety of the walls of the barrel from damage during filling, it is advisable to fill the container with water. The backfill is completed when the top of the tank is reached.

The next step will be to connect the tank to the piping system and install a ventilation shaft.

As already mentioned, to prevent water from freezing in the tank, it is necessary to provide thermal insulation. To do this, we install a frame over the container and lay heat-insulating plates. It is advisable to use the slabs from a moisture-resistant material, the layer height is 10-15 cm. We sprinkle the entire structure with sand and a layer of soil. The ventilation pipe must extend above ground level and have a canopy. The hatch for cleaning the container is made flush with the filled layer of soil. In order to avoid collision and damage to the structure of the septic tank, it is advisable to designate the area with the installation of the container against the background of the general improvement.