Anytime anything goes wrong with sewage, it can easily turn a bad day into a much worse one. This is especially true if the thing that goes wrong is that you have to deal with a frozen septic tank.
That might not sound so bad at first glance. Sure it’s frozen, but how does that affect your sewage? Well namely, your toilets won’t flush, your sinks won’t drain, and your washing machine water line won’t work.
All of which are obviously serious problems.
Below, we provide some simple ways to prevent ice from clogging up your drains and having to deal with a frozen septic tank.
Prevent Getting a Frozen Septic Tank: Fix All Leaks
Snow actually helps keep a septic tank properly insulated, so in less snowy areas those places are more likely to have deeper frost penetration. This causes problems for pipes that are leaky or for high-efficiency furnaces or toilets where the pipes leave the basement wall. Freezing can occur there and slowly block the pipes.
To prevent this and winterize your septic system, place mulch (like hay or bags of leaves) at least a foot thick and at least 5 feet wide over the exit point of the pipes, and shovel snow over the area. You could also place a snow fence in the area to trap snow and better insulate your pipes that way.
How to Prevent a Frozen Septic Tank When You’re Away From Home
If you’re travelling during the winter, or aren’t home consistently, this can also cause your septic tank to freeze over. This is because water retains heat somewhat well and can naturally prevent freezing when your sewage tank is used consistently and water is entering the tank.
To prevent it from freezing when you’re not there, use similar techniques as mentioned before and place a layer of mulch that’s at least a foot deep over the tank and extend it at least 5 feet past the edges of the tank to effectively cover the area. To improve the tank’s natural insulation from using snow, you can also use a snow fence to get snow to cover the area over the tank as well as a sort of insulation blanket.
Ensure your holiday time goes smoothly this winter and prevent dealing with a frozen septic tank following our tips above.