How to Deal With Frozen Septic Emergencies

When customers call you about frozen septic lines, the quick fix needs to be followed with a talk about what to do when spring comes
How to Deal With Frozen Septic Emergencies

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As I look out my window today I see a light covering of snow with light rain falling and a temperature around 40 degrees. This is not the norm for the middle of December and the one thing I know is although we may not have snow, it will get colder here in northern Wisconsin. It also means that septic professionals are likely to start getting calls about freezing problems and given the calendar date, those calls will probably correspond with Christmas and New Year’s Day!

It may be too late this year to solve the cause of the problems, but having a talk with the homeowner will hopefully result in a plan to address the issue as soon as spring comes so the problem can be avoided next year. Here are a couple of the main causes of freezing problems and what to do about them.

Between water use events in the residence the only thing that should be inside any set of pipes delivering raw sewage or effluent between parts of the system, including pump supply lines, is air. If there is any type of bow or low spot in the pipe or if the piping is not buried below the normal frost line, water can collect and freeze creating a pipe blockage. In most onsite systems it is not possible to bury the lines below frost levels since we want them as shallow as possible for acceptance and treatment.

This makes it even more critical that the piping be properly bedded to avoid low spots in the pipe. Jetting the pipes to remove the blockage is the immediate solution. While this is probably good for the jetting business it is going to happen during the coldest weather and harshest conditions for men and equipment. So it is important to convince the homeowner that jetting is not the solution and that pipe replacement and proper bedding should be the answer, as soon as weather permits. Fortunately with the cameras we have at our disposal today a compelling argument can be made to the homeowner by showing them the bow in the pipe and the blockage.

Something I thought was solved has just recently been brought to my attention again. One of the other causes of freezing in pipes is a slow trickle of water from the residence into the piping. This could be due to leaky fixtures which need to be fixed anyway just due to the hydraulic load on the soil treatment part of the system but also due to condensate from high-efficiency furnaces being routed directly into the house sewer pipe. Over the course of a day the furnace can deliver several gallons of condensate, but not in large enough quantities to flow through the piping unless it is collected in a reservoir or sump and delivered periodically by a pump into the piping.

For systems that have pump tanks and pressure distribution it is important that the supply line is laid on the proper grade and is properly bedded so the effluent drains back to the pump tank, leaving the pipe empty between uses. Remember also that the drain back into the tank should be through a hole in the supply piping and not back through the pump, which can cause the pump impeller to spin off. While working on the system be sure this hole is open and not obstructed.

I am sure you have your own list of freezing issues, but these were a few I have been thinking about.

What other freezing issues have you faced and how did you solve them?

About the Author

Jim Anderson is connected with the University of Minnesota onsite wastewater treatment education program, is an emeritus professor in the university’s Department of Soil Water and Climate, and is involved with the National Association of Wastewater Technicians.

Send him questions about septic system maintenance and operation by email to kim.peterson@colepublishing.com.



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