I don’t think we have an influent infiltration problem. How can I be sure?
To find out if you have leakage into the sanitary sewer system, simply check your annual history of the total sewer system flow. If you see “spikes” or increases in the flow for certain periods, then there is a problem. Individual riser/cleanouts can be checked by listening for the water flow or by shining a light into the riser / cleanout pipe and seeing the flow. Those pipes that seem to be sticking higher out of the ground than usual are the first ones to check.

My trap is below the frost line. How can frost be a problem?
Even though the trap is buried below the frost line, the vent pipe is exposed to freezing and heaving soil. This causes the vent pipe to pull out of the trap.

Can't I simply glue the vent pipe to the trap?
No. It is hard to get a good glue joint where the trap is located. Often due to uneven forces at the joint, glue will likely damage the vent pipe when it is pulled out of the trap, making the problem even worse. A glued joint is not strong enough to withstand the lifting forces.

What if I force the vent pipe back into the trap by pushing it down with a back hoe?
You may be able to push the vent pipe back to where it belongs but you should not try it. First, you risk damaging the pipe or the trap. Even if it goes back to where it belongs, a spring action by the soil will likely pop it back out minutes after you leave the site.

The "A" Clamp represents extra costs to the homeowner or municipality. Why should this extra expense be made?
At this time all wastewater treatment plants in “freezing areas” are processing fresh ground water that is leaking into the system from separated riser / cleanout pipes. Money is being spent on extra electricity to drive the pumps, increased frequency of maintenance for the pumps, extra chemicals to process the excess flow and overtime for employees of the plant. Since the “homeowner” is also a tax payer they are currently paying for the extra processing of the fresh water that infiltrated the “closed” sanitary sewer system. They either pay a one time expense for the clamp or ongoing increased taxes for processing the excess flow caused by this leakage.

Why put The "A" Clamp into building codes?
By not requiring The "A" Clamp to be used you are already making the decision to spend the extra money necessary to process the excess flow from leaking riser/cleanout pipes. By putting it in the building codes you make sure that it is used and you begin to gain control of the excess flow from this source.

These leaking riser / cleanout pipes only leak during “wet” times of the year when the water table is high.
Actually these riser / cleanout pipes can leak all year around. This is due to the “French Drain” system typically used when installing sanitary sewer piping. The rock bed the pipe is laid into can allow ground water from miles around to migrate to any available leak.

The leakage from riser / cleanout pipes is not the largest source of Influent Infiltration.
It may not be the largest source but it can be easily and inexpensively controlled. Leaking riser / cleanout pipes can increase your total wastewater system flow by up to 20%. Which means that you may be able to reduce operating expenses by up to 20%.

Why not use glue to secure the riser / cleanout pipes?
Glue holds the riser/cleanout pipe rigid at the connection, The "A" Clamp allows for some lateral movement but absolutely no vertical movement. It is the vertical movement that is the problem. Because the glue holds the pipe rigidly it can and does lead to the pipe cracking and leaking. Also the Aclamp can handle up to 1600 pounds of vertical lift while the glue can handle only 65 pounds of vertical lift.

We don’t use traps , we only use clean outs.
There is a version of The "A" Clamp that secures riser / cleanout pipes to laterals in cases where traps are not used.

What costs are we paying right now?
At this time in order for the wastewater treatment plant to handle the extra flow you are paying for extra electricity to run the pumps, increased frequency for maintenance of the pumps, extra overtime to monitor the pumps and extra chemicals to treat the fresh water flowing into the system.