Freezing temperatures can be hard on septic systems. Damage to pumps and fittings inside of tanks are an all too common result when proper precautions aren’t taken during the design and installation of systems.
The team at Alberta Wilbert Sales noticed that septic risers can be prone to frost-heaving, compromising connections and seals and leading to water infiltration into tanks during the spring thaw. As a solution, AWS developed the Riser Wrap, a product made from expanded polystyrene, a rigid closed-cell foam, to insulate risers against frost.
“When we designed the AWS Riser Wrap, we knew it had to be easy to install, and have a high insulating R-value,” says Kory Read, commercial sales rep for AWS. The final product has an R-10 insulation rating.
Riser Wraps are molded with a tongue-and-groove system that joins halves with a tight, closed seam, securing the wrap around 24-inch ribbed PVC pipe. The foam is formed with interior ribs to fit snugly between the ribs of existing PVC.
Read says the design and rigidity of the foam does more than insulate.
“The structural integrity of the interlocking foam sections also greatly strengthens grade-ring and riser connections,” he says. “In addition, the smooth outer wall of this product inhibits surrounding soils and frost from embedding into the pipe’s grooves, which can lead to heaving of riser pipes.”
Users install Riser Wrap by hand from the bottom up, making sure the top of the two halves align within the same riser rib. Then a ratchet strap is used to temporarily hold the halves together, with supplied nylon straps used to hold them in place permanently.
Sections measure 48-inches high, but are stackable to accommodate any riser pipe height and cutting. A handsaw or utility blade is used to customize them to accommodate splice boxes, pipes, and other riser protrusions.
“The ease of installation means there are no additional headaches to deal with on site, and the final product and its benefits provide peace of mind for installers and homeowners.” 800-232-7385; www.wilbert.ca
