Frozen Septic Lines Or Tank

Most homeowners know that it is vital to protect their home's water lines from freezing in the wintertime. However, it is equally essential to ensure that your home's septic lines and tank are not freezing. Because if these items do freeze, you will not be able to flush toilets or use any of your running water throughout the house. So it is vital that you understand how these items can freeze, but more importantly, what you can do to prevent them from freezing.

How The Disaster Starts

There are four components of a septic system that can freeze;

• The piping running from your house to the septic tank
• The septic tank itself
• The pipe going from the septic tank to the leech field
• And the lines in the leech field

If any of these components freezes, you could experience raw sewage backing up into your home.

What To Do When Your Septic System Freezes

There are no quick or simple fixes for a frozen septic system. So never rely on a quick Internet search to provide some magical answer. The only solution is to call 612-340-1444 to request the help of the septic system experts at Paul Bunyan Plumbing And Drains. The only thing that you need to know before our pro arrives is NEVER take matters into your own hands and :

• Dump antifreeze, salt, or septic system additives into the system
• Do not pump the sewage overflow onto the ground's surface or allow the tank to overflow- you must stop using the system until it is thawed and repaired
• Do not build a fire over the pipes or tank to thaw them
• Do not leave the water running constantly into the pipes or tank to try and thaw them

Your plumbing and drain tech from Paul Bunyan will determine where the system is frozen. That will determine if the area can be thawed or if it will require warmer temperatures to correct the problem.

How To Avoid Frozen Septic Components

Preventing a frozen septic system is best to avoid costly and very inconvenient issues. Some general tips to help prevent freezing and damage to your septic system over the winter include:

• Add up to 12-inches of added straw, leaves, hay, or other loose material over the septic system to provide additional insulation.
• Allow the grass to grow longer over the septic system late in the season and remain in place over the winter for added insulation
• Use warm water more frequently in the winter and space the uses out throughout the week, for example, doing a load of laundry or washing dishes each evening
• If you are planning to be away from home for an extended period in the winter, ask someone to visit the house and run the warm water periodically
• Ask the Paul Bunyan team about adding insulation to the system, including risers, inspection pipes, and manholes

Call 612-340-1444 to speak to a Paul Bunyan septic tank expert as soon as you discover any freezing issues with your septic system to prevent additional problems.