Installer- Need to Know

Level 1 = apprentice, beginner

Level 2 = journey man, advanced

  1. The professional will understand the generaloverall site planning and preparation.

Be able to ask questions. Have copy of issued permit documentation. Conventional systems have more flexibility and are generally level 1 competencies unless there are site limitations to be considered. Commercial conventional and Alternative or advanced treatment will require more advanced (level 2) knowledge and consultation with designer. Unless otherwise noted this section is all required for level 1 installers.

  1. Reading a drawing
  2. Benchmarks
  3. Elevations
  4. Surveying
  5. Equipment
  6. Surveying techniques
  7. General check of siting, design, and soils
  8. Design changes
  9. Installer
  10. Tank location
  11. Equivalent to specifications
  12. Designer
  13. Tank sizing-understand bedrooms/fixture counts.
  14. Pretreatment sizing (treatment in addition to septic tank) -Level 2
  15. Soil treatment location in test area
  16. Plumbing-level 2
  17. Flow meter location
  18. Filter

(1)Use of pump event counter /timer for flow calculation

  1. Site conditions
  2. Climatic-proper conditions for installation
  3. Topography-aware of 15% slopes and setbacks, washes, etc
  4. Frozen soils-wait till thaw
  5. Soil moisture-not too wet
  6. Use of septic tank as holding tank until system can be constructed-only with regulatory approval
  7. System layout
  8. Problem identification-know your setbacks
  9. Staking
  10. Setbacks
  11. Tank accessibility
  12. Equipment accessibility
  13. Maintainability
  14. Blue Stake/private locatork
  15. System installation plan
  16. Ground pressure/compaction
  17. Backhoe bucket width
  18. Travel pathways over the site
  19. Work from upslope
  20. Surface water diversion and erosion control
  1. Professional must understand regulationsassociated with installing

Unless otherwise noted this section is all required for level 1 installers.

  1. Understand difference between design change and field change
  2. As-built drawings
  1. Professional with understand OSHA safety requirements (general)/ competent person

Unless otherwise noted this section is all required for level 1 installers.

  1. Professional will understand installation issues with system components.

Unless otherwise noted this section is all required for level 1 installers.

  1. Building sewer specifications-level 2 but level 1 should know where to find applicable plumbing code
  2. Pipe specifications
  3. Depth
  4. Slope (with and without solids)
  5. Freezing
  6. Cleanouts
  7. Sub-base density (no settling/bellies)
  8. Cleaning, priming and gluing joints
  9. Septic Tank
  10. General tank protections-don’t drive over, installation requirements, leak testing procedure
  11. Location (setbacks)
  12. Setting and securing a tank in high-water table areas
  13. Dimension/capacity check
  14. Verification if existing tank is used-level 2
  15. Baffling
  16. Materials
  17. Fasteners
  18. Dimensions
  19. Sealing between joints, inlet and outlet pipes
  20. Constructing pour-in-place tanks-level 2
  21. Design (dimensions, strength, etc)
  22. Concrete type
  23. Rear requirements
  24. Climatic conditions
  25. Max depth of manhole 6”
  26. “Securing” manhole covers
  27. Manhole warning label
  28. Backfilling (crowning)
  29. Inspection manholelocations, security
  30. Insulating tanks
  31. Age of tank check- see O & M
  32. Distribution System
  33. Supply pipes
  34. Materials
  35. Size
  36. Slope
  37. Sub base requirements
  38. Freezing (w/distribution pipes)
  39. Cleaning, priming, and gluing joints
  40. Gravity
  41. Distribution Boxes
  42. Placement
  43. Settling
  44. Cleaning, priming and gluing joints
  45. Drop Boxes
  46. Elevation
  47. Box specs
  48. Proper slope of pipes in and out of box
  49. Hole configuration
  50. Sub base requirements
  51. Soil cover requirements
  52. Pressure-Level 2
  53. Manifold requirements (changing pipe sizing)
  54. Floats
  55. Types
  56. Setting
  57. Choosing a pump
  58. Wiring/electrical

(1)Must be done by a licensed electrician

  1. Alarm
  2. Types/wiring
  3. Event counter
  4. Distribution Pipe
  5. suitable types
  6. hole drilling and bur removal
  7. Cleaning, priming and gluing joints
  8. Leveling
  9. Manifold construction
  1. Soil Treatment System
  2. Principles
  3. Excavation
  4. Keep the installation dry

(1)Plastic limit (how to do it, where to take it)

(2)Exposure to rainfall

  1. Keep the installation natural

(1)Equipment (traffic, weight, bucket)

(2)Smearing

(3)Driving or walking on surface bottom (beds)

  1. Keep the installation level
  2. Keep the installation shallow
  1. Media (needs expansion here to address differences between MN and AZ terminology/technology)
  2. Different types, different products (installation advantages, disadvantages)
  3. Placement of rock (compaction while placing)

(1)Geotextile

(a)Specs

(b)Placement

  1. Material check for correct product specification, size, durability and cleanliness of rock.
  1. In-ground systems
  2. Surface preparation
  3. Soil moisture
  4. Equipment
  5. Media placement
  6. Inspection pipes
  7. At-Grades- Level 2
  8. Surface preparation
  9. Soil moisture
  10. Equipment
  11. Media placement
  12. Inspection pipes
  13. Mounds- Level 2
  14. Surface preparation
  15. Soil moisture
  16. Equipment
  17. Sand
  18. Spec
  19. Testing
  20. Placement

(1)Minimum depth

(2)Equipment

  1. Distribution media placement
  2. Inspection pipes
  1. Backfill (is this section needed)
  2. Protocols
  3. Types-(what does this mean?) Different types of soils require different protocols
  4. Quantities generated-level 2 unless cap or berm
  5. Topsoil-level 2
  6. Quality
  7. Quantify
  8. Compaction
  9. Placement with minimal compaction
  10. Landscaping.
  11. Communication between owner, landscaper, and installer for protection of system
  12. Who is responsible
  13. Vegetation establishment requirement
  14. Seeding/sod recommendation
  15. Frost and erosion protection the first year
  1. Professional will understand the installation inspection requirements.

Unless otherwise noted this section is all required for level 1 installers.

  1. Who is responsible to see if it happens
  2. Check local ordinances for notification requirements for an inspection
  3. Designated registered professional needs to be on site during construction-level 2
  4. Preparation of as-built drawings
  5. As-built requirements
  1. Professional will understand proper tank and soil treatment system abandonment

Unless otherwise noted this section is all required for level 1 installers.

  1. Procedure and requirements
  2. Tank
  3. Soil treatment system
  1. Professional will understand general information which is useful to homeowners.

Unless otherwise noted this section is all required for level 1 installers.

  1. Keep in vegetation
  2. Donot drive or build on it
  3. Winter time precautions
  4. As-built drawings given to them
  5. Water use
  6. Suitable discharges
  7. Tank maintenance
  8. Overall system maintenance- level 1 conventional, Level 2 Alternative or advanced
  9. Alarm system- level 2
  10. Donot damage/use second site
  11. Do not locate irrigation over septic system
  1. Professional must have general math skills.

Unless otherwise noted this section is all required for level 1 installers.

  1. Add, subtract, multiply, and divide
  2. Slope
  3. Unit conversion
  4. Basic algebra/geometry
  5. Graphing (pump curves)- Level 2

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Installer – Need to Know

Rev. 4/25/17