Car tires are one of the popular material options for wastewater treatment plants. However, septic tanks made from them are small in volume, and with a water consumption rate per person of 200 liters, it is extremely difficult to make a treatment system of such a size that it can dispose of all the wastewater. But you can use tires to build a septic tank with your own hands for a garage or any other room where little water is used.
Tire treatment facilities have another big drawback. Unlike concrete and fiberglass counterparts, they are not strong enough to withstand soil pressure. And if such a structure is crushed by the soil, then everything that was inside it is squeezed up and ends up on the surface of the earth.
A good alternative to a tire treatment station is one of the already mentioned factory-made stations. In addition, you can build a country sewer yourself from a different material. Using concrete or concrete rings, you can build a reliable sewer system at a very economical price.
For those who are sure that a tire septic tank is right for them, we offer instructions for its construction.
When is it prohibited to build septic tanks?
There are a number of cases when the construction of any model of soil drainage is impossible. The reason may be that your site:
- located in the sanitary protection zone of the reservoir;
- built on non-filtering soil;
- located in a rocky area or in the middle of a slope, where waterlogged soil can lead to landslides;
- stands on ground with a high groundwater level, where septic tank filter wells cannot be installed;
- has such a configuration that it is not possible to install a treatment facility on it in accordance with sanitary, construction or technological standards.
Where on the property should the septic tank be located?
In order not to encounter claims from the sanitary and epidemiological station, you should think in advance about the location of the future treatment plant in accordance with SanPin standards.
The septic tank should be located no closer than 4 meters from the house.
From its bottom to the aquifer of soil and the water intake well there must be at least 50 meters if the filtering layer of soil is connected to the aquifer, and at least 20 meters if there is no connection between the layers.
The septic tank must be separated by at least 30 meters from any body of standing water.
Also, before the future treatment plant, you should count 3 meters from each tree and 1 meter from each shrub on your site, so that their roots do not lead to the destruction of the structure.
Optimal volume of septic tank
As already mentioned at the beginning of the article, the volume of treatment facilities is calculated based on the fact that water consumption per person per day is 200 liters. The period of filtration of wastewater in a sewerage structure is three days. Therefore, if 1 person permanently lives in a house, a treatment station with a volume of 600 liters will be enough for him, but for a family of 2 or 3 people, larger facilities will be needed - from 1200 to 1800 liters.
The volume of a tire septic tank is calculated using the following formula:
where V denotes the volume of the septic tank, π is a constant (3.14), r2 is the radius of the tire, h is its height.
Thus, we see that when building a tire treatment plant, a lot depends on what kind of tires you choose.
Pit for a septic tank made from tires
It is extremely important for any treatment system to avoid close contact with groundwater. Therefore, the very bottom of the pit where the filter well will be located should be 1-1.5 m above the groundwater level. In other words, the groundwater level in the area of the filter well should not rise above 3 meters from the surface.
The size of the pit is calculated based on the diameter of the tires, to which you need to add 20-30 cm on each side to leave room for backfilling.
The bottom of the pit is leveled and covered with a layer of sand and water for shrinkage, 10-15 cm thick.
If the septic tank is planned to have several sections, each of them will require its own pit. Between them you need to dig a trench into which the overflow pipe will lie.
Construction of a settling tank
The construction of a sump begins with the arrangement of the bottom. A sand-cement screed is either constructed on it, or a concrete slab of suitable size is laid.
In a treatment plant that has several chambers, all chambers except the well must be carefully sealed. In the first section, it is better to use sealant or bitumen rather than cement mortar. It is also worth checking the tightness of the connecting areas. The seams between tires can be sealed using ordinary cement mortar.
1 - rings of the working part; 2 - insulating cover; 3 - neck rings; 4 - hatch body; 5 - hatch cover; 6 - ventilation riser; 7 - floor slab; 8 - bottom plate; 9 - crushed stone cushion; 10 - waterproofing; 11 - sediment zone; 12 - running brackets
In addition, you can strengthen the walls with concrete mortar to avoid the penetration of runoff through the joints, and at the same time strengthen the entire structure. The inside of each tire must be removed before starting work.
Construction of a filter well
When building a treatment plant with your own hands, the filtering surface area of the well can be calculated based on previously known universal data. For every square meter of bottom filter surface, there is a daily pressure of 100 liters of wastewater in sandy soil and 50 liters in sandy loam.
The bottom of the well must be above the groundwater level, and the distance between it and the waters must exceed 1 meter. If this distance exceeds 2 meters, you can increase the load on the bottom filter by 1/5.
1 - water deflector shield; 2 - neck rings; 3 - hatch cover; 4 - insulating cover; 5 - hatch body; 6 - floor slab; 7 - ventilation riser; 8 - blind rings; 9 - perforated rings; 10 - filter media; 11 - holes in the rings; 12 - concrete base; 13 - supply pipeline
To increase the area of soil filtration, you can make holes with a diameter of about 5 cm in the walls of the well at the filter level. The total area of the holes should not exceed 1/10 of the area of the walls.
We cover the bottom of the well with a layer of filtering fine backfill: pebbles, fragments of bricks, gravel, crushed stone, slag, expanded clay. This layer must have a thickness of at least 20 and no more than 30 cm.
We install overflows
The pipe through which the wastewater will enter the filter well of the septic tank should lie 10 cm above its bottom and exit with the open end into the very center of the well tank.
Overflow pipes must lie at a slope of 20 mm per linear meter. This will avoid clogging the pipes with large solid waste elements.
Pipe sealing details
The pipe for supplying drains should have a diameter of 10 cm and be located 5 cm above the pipe through which the drains will be discharged. It is not recommended to use plastic pipes, since plastic is short-lived, and premature depressurization of pipes can damage the entire system.
Ventilation arrangement
A tire septic tank with many chambers requires a through ventilation system. The ventilation pipe must pass through all the chambers, so holes should be provided for it in the walls - just like for overflow pipes.
A ventilation riser should be placed in each chamber - a pipe with a diameter of 10 cm at a height of 70 cm above the ground. The bottom edge of the ventilation opening must be at least 20 cm from the surface of the wastewater.
If it is not possible to make holes in the partitions of the sections above the level reached by the drains, then there is another option - ventilation through an overflow pipe. This option is feasible provided that the overflow pipe is laid above the wastewater level.
Getting started with a septic tank
When the construction of a septic tank from tires is completed, the process of growing microflora begins - populating it with bacteria, which will ferment the sediment in an oxygen-free environment and turn it into fertile sludge. For a new septic tank, you can take sludge from an already operating treatment plant and use it as a seed. The volume of the seed should not exceed 1/5 of the volume of the settling tank. If you start operating a treatment plant without sludge, it will begin to operate normally no sooner than in six months.
There are special drugs that speed up the start-up of a septic tank. But, unlike bacteria, they are short-lived and cannot live inside it. Therefore, it is recommended to use them once.
You can tell that your country sewer system is ready for full operation when the smell of hydrogen sulfide disappears.
Advantages and disadvantages of tire septic tanks
The advantages of such structures include:
- Large amount of available building material. The employees of the nearest tire shop will be happy to provide you with old car tires.
High efficiency. If a tire treatment plant is carefully designed and built by a knowledgeable person, it can be even more productive than its factory counterparts. - Financial savings. This septic tank design may be free for you if you find enough tires and carry out all the work yourself, without involving hired personnel.
- Easy installation. You can easily handle the installation of tire drainage yourself. In turn, factory-produced models often have to be installed by two or three people.
Disadvantages of soil filtration structures made from tires:
- They cannot be used by a family with more than 3 people.
- They freeze easily in winter, which makes it difficult for the microorganisms that inhabit them to live. Therefore, even with careful insulation, such a design cannot always be used in winter.
- Regardless of tire size, accumulated sediment will need to be pumped out of the septic tank at least once every three months.
- The joints between tires need to be inspected twice a year to prevent leaks and timely sealing.
- Even if you scrupulously follow all the rules for using a tire septic tank and caring for it, its design will need to be completely changed no later than after 15 years.
Equipping your home with all the benefits of civilization is the main task of a good owner. Fortunately, now there is every opportunity to supply electricity to a residential building and organize a water supply. But centralized sewerage is not available everywhere. If you have enough funds, you can purchase a ready-made factory septic tank or build it, for example, from concrete rings. In cases where finances are not going very well, folk craftsmen come to the rescue and come up with the idea of making a septic tank from tires with their own hands. This is a very good idea, but only suitable for a house with a small number of residents.
What is the difference between a septic tank and a cesspool?
To people who are not particularly knowledgeable, it may seem that a cesspool and a septic tank are different names for the same sewerage structure. This is fundamentally wrong. A septic tank, unlike a cesspool, is a more modern and modernized type of sewage system.
It consists of two interconnected tanks. Wastewater flows through the sewer pipe into the first - storage. Primary cleaning occurs in it: large particles settle to the bottom and cleansing bacteria begin to process them. The second tank, which is usually slightly smaller than the first, receives partially purified wastewater, where the bacteria continue to work. Approximately 95% of the total volume entering the septic tank is ultimately discharged as clean water.
Diagram of a standard two-chamber septic tank with a filtration well
If you compare all the characteristics of a cesspool and a septic tank, the indisputable advantage of a septic sewer system will become clear and obvious. It shows much greater efficiency.
Advantages of a septic tank made from car tires
- Availability and abundance of material. You can save up old tires yourself or ask for them at the nearest tire shop. They will be willingly given away, because service station employees will have fewer problems with tire disposal.
- Remarkable performance. If you calculate everything correctly and take a responsible approach to the construction of a homemade septic tank from tires, then you can achieve even greater efficiency than some factory-made ones.
- Low cost. The construction of a sewer well from tires can be completely free of charge if you assemble the tires yourself and do not involve hired workers in the excavation work.
- Easy to install. To install many factory-made septic tanks, you have to use more than one extra pair of hands, and do-it-yourself sewerage from tires is so easy to install that you can do everything without anyone’s help.
Disadvantages of a tire septic tank
A septic tank made from used tires does not have the longest service life
- This sewerage structure is not suitable for use in houses inhabited by more than 3 people.
- In winter, using a tire septic tank is difficult, because despite careful insulation, the tire material still freezes and the contents of such a well are not processed by bacteria.
- No matter what size tires are installed, their contents will have to be pumped out at least once a quarter.
- Twice a year it is necessary to inspect the connections between the tires in order to identify leaks in time and seal the joints.
- The service life of such a country septic tank made from tires, even with careful care and careful operation, is no more than 15 years.
- If you do not install a vent pipe, an unpleasant odor may occasionally appear from under the septic tank lid.
- It is not recommended to overhaul a septic tank made from old car tires with your own hands, therefore, if the tire material is corroded, it is necessary to redo everything again.
If all the pros and cons are weighed and a decision is made in favor of building a sewerage system from tires, you can get to work.
Location requirements
Installation
So, what do you need before making a septic tank from tires? To begin with, communications must be brought to the location of the future septic tank. To protect against freezing and damage, the sewer pipe must be insulated and protected with a duct. After this, we determine the depth and width of the hole.
The size of the septic tank must correspond to the average daily volume of wastewater multiplied by three. Based on this, we select the diameter and number of tires.
Having placed one of the tires on the ground, you need to draw the boundaries of the holes for the septic tank. A gap between the outer side of the tire and the soil can be left for ease of insertion of tires and for additional insulation of the septic tank. Then we dig holes for the tanks and bury the tires. The top liquid level should always be below the soil level. This must be taken into account when laying tires.
We dig a pit for sewage from tires with our own hands
The bottom of the first septic tank must be filled with crushed stone (approximately 30 cm) and lined with some material that does not allow liquid to penetrate into the soil. If funds allow, you can concrete it. In budget options, the most popular materials are roofing felt or very dense polyethylene in several layers.
The construction of a septic tank involves discharging settled water directly into the ground, so in the bottom of the second well, for better drainage, you can drill a well about five meters and insert a perforated flexible plastic pipe there. It will need to be covered with crushed stone to a depth of about 10 cm so that the bottom does not silt and water passes through without obstacles. Inside the tire tank, the pipe should rise one meter, and it is better to cover its top with a fine mesh. The bottom around the pipe must also be covered with crushed stone and sand. But with a good level of water absorption by the soil, in the last tank it will be sufficient only to use a filter bottom.
Tire sewerage scheme
For structural strength, the edges of the tires are connected with wire or mounting “clamps”, and then treated with any available sealant.
The tires are cut so that liquid does not accumulate in them and are connected to each other using clamps
Now you need to make holes for the pipe in both tanks. The pipe must go into the first container slightly higher than it comes out of it for overflow to occur. We insert the pipe and fill the edges of the hole with crushed stone and sand. This must be done very carefully so as not to damage the structure. The places where the tire pit connects to the pipes are well sealed.
We connect the sewer pipe to the car tires
The last step in creating a septic tank from tires with your own hands will be to secure the lid from a material that is not subject to rotting or damage. Thick plastic is best.
- It is better to place the sewage system in a private house made of tires on the leeward side of the house. This simple trick will allow you to protect yourself from “enjoying” unpleasant odors coming from under the sewer cover.
- In order not to worry about overcrowding of the drain, it is better to initially install tires with the largest possible diameter and in the amount of 5-7 pieces. In this case, even if three people live permanently in the house, the volume of the septic tank will be sufficient.
- While digging holes for each of the tanks, it is necessary to periodically check the diameter with one tire so as not to gradually narrow.
- When excavating, it is most convenient to use two different shovels with long handles. The bayonet type is designed for loosening the earth, and the scoop type is for removing loosened soil from the hole.
- A tire septic tank can be connected not only to sewer lines from the house, but also from an outdoor washbasin or outdoor shower.
- The inner rim of tires must be cut off so that unprocessed dirt and debris do not accumulate in the curves.
- It is best to use plastic “clamps” to secure tires. They are not prone to moisture damage and are fairly easy to attach.
- The ventilation pipe should rise slightly above the septic tank lid (at least 60 cm). The closer the tanks are to residential buildings, the higher the pipe should be.
- For convenience, you can make an inspection window in the lid of the septic tank and cover it with a piece of thick rubber. This will make it much easier to control how full the containers are.
- To insulate a septic tank, before filling with sand or crushed stone, tires can be wrapped in roofing felt or thick polyethylene. The same technique is used if there is even the slightest risk of untreated wastewater getting into groundwater.
- Experienced owners recommend planting some kind of moisture-loving tree near the tanks: weeping willow, alder or broom. The plant will absorb all excess water.
Do-it-yourself tire septic tank video
In this section you can watch a video on the topic of our article.
A do-it-yourself septic tank made from tires is an excellent replacement for a standard sewer system if there are no conditions for installing communications. This is a simple and practical option that is easy to build without major expense or effort. Next, we will consider in detail the entire arrangement process and give valuable advice.
Many people mistakenly believe that a septic tank and a cesspool are the same thing, since all the contents have to be pumped out. However, this is not so – the differences are significant. It is a reservoir that needs to be emptied as it fills. A septic tank is a system in which biological wastewater treatment occurs. Yes, it also needs to be cleaned from time to time, but much less often than a cesspool.
Septic tank on a summer cottage
The septic tank system consists of two sealed tanks that are connected to each other. The first tank receives wastewater from the sewer - this is the primary treatment zone, in which large particles of contaminants settle. This is where bacteria “work” and clean the drains. All impurities remain at the bottom, while the purified water reaches the overflow located in the upper part and enters the second tank, which has a larger volume than the first chamber. True, you will still have to download some of the contents.
If you decide to make a septic tank, but do not have free funds, you can make a structure from car tires. Let's consider the advantages and disadvantages of such a sewer system. The advantages of a septic tank made from tires are as follows.
- Almost zero cost. You can keep your old tires, or you can buy them for next to nothing at any service station.
- Easy to install. If the installation of some types of septic tanks is impossible without the involvement of special equipment and builders, then in this case the installation can be easily carried out by one person.
- Excellent performance for a DIY design.
Tire septic tank
But, unfortunately, there are also disadvantages. The main ones include the fact that septic tanks made of this material are designed to serve a small family of up to three people. If your house has more residents, it is better to choose a different sewerage option. Also, tires are not the best material for use in winter. No matter how you insulate them, they will still freeze, which can cause the entire sewer system to freeze.
Another disadvantage is the frequent pumping out (at least once a quarter) of the contents. It is worth mentioning that this design does not have very good tightness. Therefore, once every six months you should definitely check the joints for gaps and leaks, and, if necessary, carry out additional sealing. The fragility of the design is also considered one of its disadvantages. It must be said that there is simply no point in repairing such a septic tank in the event of serious damage - it is better to find new tires and arrange everything anew, or from other materials (barrels, European cups, bricks).
There are more negative aspects to a tire septic tank than positive ones, but in some cases, when there is no other option, and an autonomous sewage system is urgently needed, this type of septic tank can save the situation. Therefore, information on how to make a sewer system in a private house from tires will be of interest even to those who do not intend to build one - you never know, it will come in handy one day.
Before we begin construction, we need to decide on the size and number of tires we will need. To do this, you need to calculate the approximate volume of the primary chamber of the structure, which directly depends on the number of people living in the house. According to experts, one person spends approximately 200 liters of water per day (for washing, cooking, washing).
Multiply this figure by the number of people living in the house, and you will get the required volume, which, if necessary, can be slightly adjusted upward, taking into account the use of various household appliances and the arrival of guests. Using the mathematical formula for calculating the volume of a cylinder, it is easy to calculate the height of the septic tank, and only then the required number of tires depending on their size and height.
Here is the formula: V = π r2h, where:
- V – volume of the septic tank;
- r2 – tire radius;
- π – constant value equal to 3.14;
- h – tire height.
Formula for calculating the volume of a cylinder
The next step is placement of the septic tank. Here you can’t do without expert advice:
- The structure must be placed at a sufficient distance from sources of drinking water (at least 20 m if there is clay soil on the site, and about 50 m if there is sandy soil).
- There must be at least 10 m from the sewer to the residential building.
- It is necessary to provide for the possibility of pumping out the contents from the septic tank, for which it is necessary to ensure the possibility of access by a sewer truck.
- We should not forget about the comfort of our neighbors - you should not place the septic tank too close to their property.
Simple instructions for beginners - we will make a septic tank in one day
Let's look at simple instructions for setting up a septic tank from tires on your site:
Instructions
Step 1: Support Profile
So, the first thing we do is mark the perimeter of the bathroom to install the wall profile, which will be installed before other complete fasteners. We make marks on each wall with an equal distance from the floor. Attention! You need to measure exactly from the floor, since the ceiling can be laid crookedly, and this is exactly what should be hidden with the help of a suspended structure. Therefore, it is important that all areas of the coating below are at the same height. Next, we use coated thread to mark a line along each wall and screw the profiles using screws.
Step 2: Attach the hangers
The next step will require you to make accurate calculations. For each stringer, the length of which can vary from 3 to 4 meters (if necessary, you can saw off the excess), the hangers must be positioned on the same line. In this case, the distance between them can be about 120 centimeters, as well as between the rows. Based on this, we make markings, drill holes in the ceiling, insert plastic dowels into them and screw the hangers with screws through special eyelets. Using adjusting springs, we adjust all the spokes so that their hooks, on which the stringers are suspended, are at the same level and always higher than the wall profile.
Step 3: Installation of the suspended structure
Now all that remains is to pass the hanger hooks through special grooves in the stringers, after which we carefully adjust the entire system again using a level. Be sure to cut the traverses so that there is a distance of about 5 millimeters from their ends to the walls. Next, we begin to snap the slats, but before that we need to make sure that the panels will lie on the shelves of the wall profiles with almost no gaps. You need to start assembling the casing from the edge. At the same stage, we lay wires behind the structure and install lamps.
Now you know how to install a septic tank on your property. Let's give some more useful recommendations.
To protect yourself from the penetration of unpleasant odors from the sewer, install a septic tank on the leeward side of the house.
When digging a hole, it is best to use two shovels with different handles: a bayonet shovel for loosening the soil and a scoop shovel for removing soil from the hole. Also arm yourself with a crowbar, which will help you if the soil in the area turns out to be rocky.
For convenience, make a small viewing window in the septic tank hatch, which can be covered with a piece of rubber. This makes it much more convenient to control the filling level of the septic tank. We also recommend that you wrap the tires in several layers of roofing material before filling in the crushed stone. This will allow you to insulate the septic tank (for use in winter), and will also protect the environment from untreated wastewater.
Well-maintained housing requires the presence of a sewer system that removes wastewater from the house. A tire septic tank is a simple and inexpensive option for arranging such a system. You can easily make it yourself using household tools and available materials. But when making such a decision, you need to take into account a number of nuances related to the features of the construction and operation of such a structure. Let's consider all the pros and cons, possible problems and ways to solve them.
First of all, let's focus on the advantages:
- Availability of raw materials. You can find worn out wheels along the road, in vacant lots and landfills. All that remains is to deliver them to the site.
- Easy to assemble. Fragments for the well are light in weight, they can be moved and lowered into the pit alone, without the use of mechanization.
- Ease of processing. Reinforced rubber is cut and drilled with household tools. Fastening the fragments is done with inexpensive hardware.
- Durability. The wheels are resistant to chemically active liquids and do not decompose under the influence of high and low temperatures.
Disadvantages of a tire septic tank in a private home:
- difficulty in achieving stable tightness;
- low throughput;
- insufficient resistance to soil pressure during soil heaving.
Principles of constructing a septic tank from tires
Wastewater treatment technology involves the decomposition of organic compounds into environmentally friendly elements using anaerobic bacteria.
The cleaning system consists of two or three interconnected tanks. In the first, primary cleaning is carried out: heavy fractions settle to the bottom, light fractions are retained on the mesh, and the settled liquid is exposed to microorganisms. In the second container there are more bacteria; they process organic compounds into neutral substances, releasing solid sediment and nitrogen. Almost pure water flows into the third chamber. It is absorbed into the soil or taken for economic purposes.
A tire septic tank in a private house, like a cesspool, must be cleaned periodically. This is done manually, the waste is used as fertilizer.
Construction cost
The price of factory-made autonomous closed-type devices is 15,000-30,000 rubles.
The cost items for building a septic tank with your own hands from tires are as follows:
- Tires. You will have to spend money on gasoline to deliver them.
- Pits and trenches. Renting an excavator costs an average of 1,000 rubles. per hour plus round trip travel.
- Connecting pipes and fittings. A complete set costs 800-1200 rubles.
- Waterproofing tire joints. The sealant will cost 1000-1200 rubles.
- Fasteners It will take 20-25 bolts with nuts to connect one joint (up to 800 rubles).
- 200-400 kg of sand and crushed stone for filtering wastewater (400-600 rubles).
Thus, the cost of setting up a septic tank from tires with your own hands will be 5000-6000 rubles.
The main options for a tire septic tank
Wastewater treatment plants are manufactured to perform tasks of various sizes. The most common option is to install general-purpose structures that collect contaminated water from all consumers in the house. Such structures are large in size and complex in design.
Some property owners take a different approach, making several local septic tanks for their dachas from tires with their own hands. Some are designed for residential sewage, others purify drains from outdoor showers, kitchens and baths. The composition and internal structure of the structures differ. The latter depends on factors such as throughput and the required degree of purification.
Sewer design with filter system
Such structures consist of one large reservoir. Its bottom is lined with a thick cushion of sand, small and coarse gravel, stone chips and sorbents. Water seeps through the filter and is purified by anaerobic bacteria. The sediment that falls to the bottom is removed as needed. The advantages of this design are its simplicity and low construction costs. The downside is that filtered water goes into the ground and cannot be used on the farm. The second disadvantage is the limited capabilities of the structure.
Structure with settling tank and filter system
This is a more complex system consisting of two tanks. In the first, preliminary wastewater treatment occurs. They are divided into solid fractions, which precipitate, and light fractions, which are processed by microorganisms. Partially purified water enters the second tank, where final purification occurs. Solid fragments settle on a filter through which water is absorbed into the soil. This design can process more liquid. At the same time, the quality of the final product reaches 95-97% of sanitary standards.
Tire septic tank with drainage pipe
A system with this design is installed in areas with high groundwater levels or dense clay soil. In such cases, the treated wastewater is not absorbed and must be scooped out manually. Another factor of choice is the lack of fluid and the need to conserve every liter.
The purified water is discharged into a special storage tank. The liquid drains under the influence of gravity when there is a difference in height or is pumped out by a pump as the container is filled.
Rules for arranging a septic tank
A septic tank for a dacha is a complex engineering structure, which should be made in such a way as to prevent it from flooding, depressurization and squeezing out when the soil heaves.
When designing and constructing, you must adhere to the following rules:
- The bottom of the well is fixed in the ground with a heavy and durable anchor. A concrete slab is used for this.
- The joints are sealed with a substance that retains elasticity at low temperatures and prolonged contact with an alkaline environment.
- The tires are rigidly connected to each other to avoid horizontal displacement due to soil pressure.
- The bottom of settling tanks must be well insulated from the ground.
- The tanks are equipped with exhaust pipes to remove nitrogen released by bacteria.
The containers are closed with durable lids. It is better to attach them to hinges to prevent accidental movement.
How to properly place a septic tank on the site (requirements)
According to the requirements of SNiP and SanPiN, the following standards apply regarding the location of the septic tank:
- the height of the well bottom above the upper groundwater level is 50 cm;
- the distance to the drinking water intake is 20 m for clay soil and 50 m for sandy soil;
- distance from residential buildings - 5 m;
- the distance to the fence is at least 1 m.
The structure should not be built next to bushes and trees. Plants constantly grow roots that can damage the well.
Where and how to remove the sewer pipe
Supply, connecting and outlet pipes are laid to the tanks. Depending on the design of buildings, communications are laid under their foundations or through pre-fabricated openings.
A number of nuances should be taken into account:
- slope sufficient for gravity flow;
- arrangement of a sand cushion to compensate for seasonal soil movements;
- insulation of the pipe above the freezing point;
- sealing with cuffs the places where pipes are inserted into tanks.
In moving soils, communications are laid in protective boxes.
Stages of work on installing a septic tank
The construction of the treatment system is carried out in the following sequence:
- Carrying out markings.
- Excerpts of pits and trenches.
- Cutting off the inner protrusions of tires.
- Sealing the bottom, making an anchor.
- Laying tires, applying sealant and tightening fragments with hardware.
- Laying a pipeline, connecting system elements.
- Manufacturing and installation of the cover.
- Filling openings with sand and crushed stone.
Finally, the septic tank is decorated.
When planning, you need to accurately calculate the volume of tanks. It should be at least 3 times the volume of daily wastewater. It is better to choose wide tires from tractors and heavy-duty trucks. Such raw materials are characterized by high strength and large size. With a slight penetration into the ground, they create a useful volume that meets the calculated needs.
A well-maintained house is, first of all, housing with sewerage. Unfortunately, not everywhere there are conditions for arranging communications. Often you have to resort to unusual methods of creating it, for example, setting up a septic tank from tires, a simple and practical option that allows you to provide your home with a sewer system without much expense. However, you need to understand that such a structure is not intended for large volumes of wastewater, so it is chosen if the sewerage system will be used by a small number of people.
Septic tank: difference from a cesspool and principle of operation
Many people mentally equate a cesspool with a septic tank, confident that since they have to be pumped out, there is no difference. However, it is not. The difference is colossal. A cesspool is a regular tank that is emptied as it fills. Whereas a septic tank made from tires is a system that carries out biological treatment of wastewater. It also requires pumping from time to time, but much less often than a cesspool.
The system consists of two sealed tanks connected to each other. The first container receives wastewater directly from the sewer pipe. This area can be considered a primary purification zone in which large particles of contaminants settle. This is where the bacteria that clean the drains begin their work.
Sewage settles to the bottom, only the initially purified water reaches the overflow zone, which is located in the upper part, and enters the second chamber. It is slightly larger than the first one. Here, the active work of bacteria continues, only it occurs much more intensely.
Basic rules for arranging a structure
When choosing a location for a septic tank, you need to consider the following:
- There must be at least a meter of soil between the upper groundwater level and the bottom of the structure.
- The distance from the drinking water intake to the septic tank is at least 50 m for sandy soils and 20 meters for clay soils.
- There must be free access for the sewage disposal truck.
- The distance from the house to the septic tank is at least 5 m.
- If possible, the structure is arranged so that its level is below the water intake, that is, in the direction of the natural slope of the landscape.
A sewer pipe must be connected to the septic tank. To prevent damage in the cold, it is best to lay it below the freezing level of the soil. You can arrange a special protective box in which it will be reliably protected from mechanical damage and will be able to “play” from temperature differences without consequences.
System installation features
Having chosen a place for a structure, you need to decide on its volume. It is usually considered that it should be equal to at least three times the daily flow. Based on this, the approximate depth of the structure is calculated. Most often it is equal to the height of 5-7 tires.
Considering that tires can be very different, both from passenger cars and from powerful agricultural equipment, the volume of the structure also varies.
When laying tires in a pit, they can be fastened to each other, then the structure will be stronger
The work is being carried out in stages:
- Marking. The tire intended for the first well is taken and laid on the ground. The dimensions of the future well are marked on it. At a certain distance, a tire intended for the second container is placed. It can be larger in diameter, since the volume of the second well must be larger. Markings are also carried out on it. Then a hole of the required size is dug for both containers.
- Arrangement of the bottom of wells. It should not allow sewage into the ground. The surface can be concreted or a so-called “clay plug” 20-25 cm wide can be arranged.
- Tire preparation. The top part of each tire is carefully removed using a jigsaw. After installation, such parts form a well with smoother walls, which will prevent sewage from lingering on them.
- Tire installation. The tires are stacked one on top of the other. At the same time, for the strength of the connection, they can be pierced in pairs and tied with wire. Each joint and seam is carefully coated with sealant. Between the wells, at a height of approximately 2/3 from the bottom, a transition pipe should be inserted, under which a hole should be cut. In the upper part of the first well, a hole is also cut out for a sewer pipe extended from the house.
- Laying pipes between wells. An ordinary plastic sewer pipe is suitable for these purposes. A structure that supplies drains from the house is also inserted and secured inside the hole.
- Filling the hole. For these purposes, you can use sand or soil that was removed when digging a hole. The operation is performed carefully so as not to damage the integrity of the structure.
- Arrangement of the lid. Wells must be covered with lids; it is desirable that the material from which they are made does not rot.
The structure is ready for use.
The overflow pipe between the containers is mounted in a hole cut into the tires
The main advantage of this option is its low cost and ease of installation. There are, however, disadvantages:
- The small amount of wastewater it can process.
- There is a fairly high risk of soil contamination with sewage, since it is difficult to achieve complete sealing from tires.
Also, when planning to build such a septic tank from tires with your own hands, you need to understand that the structure belongs to the class of septic tanks and therefore requires pumping out the accumulated liquid.
Some owners of country houses are making attempts to equip a full-fledged three-chamber septic tank from tires. However, it is worth noting that although technically this is quite possible, tires are not the best material for such structures. It is unlikely that it will be possible to ensure the tightness necessary for the effective operation of the septic tank. In addition, tires connected to each other can gradually shift as a result of seasonal temperature fluctuations in the soil, which further compromises the tightness of each chamber. As a septic tank, the tire structure serves very well, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of civilization even far from the city.