Can Septic Tanks Freeze?
Yes, your home's septic tank can freeze in the winter. Many homeowners across Northeast Ohio utilize a septic tank rather than a conventional city sewer system to dispose of their grey and black water waste. While it may seem like the two are similar from inside the home, in reality, the maintenance and disposal processes are very different, especially during the winter season. Homes with septic tanks not only have to worry about an in-home pipe freezing, but a frozen septic tank can also leave a costly mess that begins in the yard and backs up into the home.
How to Keep Septic Your Tank From Freezing
While some septic systems never have problems, the only way to avoid them in the future is to be proactive every year. Now is the time to complete the following tasks, before the cold weather truly arrives and the ground begins to freeze:
- Mulch is a good insulator. If you’ve changed your landscaping or added a new septic system late in the year, a solid cover of mulch will help provide insulation in the coming months.
- Let the grass grow longer in the fall to act as an insulator and allow snow to accumulate better.
- Use hot water on a regular basis. If temperatures are cold and dip low quickly, running hot water through your pipes will help keep the temperature inside your septic tank well above freezing.
- Fix any leak in your plumbing as soon as you know it exists. Don’t let small trickles of water create a costlier problem.
- Double-check risers, pipes and manhole covers whenever you access your septic system. Make sure they are sealed tight.
If you suspect your septic system has frozen, it's time to call in a professional plumber. The root of the problem must be determined and fixed to avoid further freezing problems either in what’s left of this winter or as the temperatures freeze again next winter. If you have any questions, we’d be happy to help.
If your septic tank hasn't frozen yet, then your best bet for the winter is to take steps to prevent it from freezing in the first place. Some of the most common causes of frozen septic tanks include:
- Very little snow cover: Snow actually serves as insulation over a septic tank. When there is little snow, deep freezes and frosts can go deeper into the ground, potentially freezing your septic system.
- Compacted landscape: The area above your septic tank should be kept clear of use. When driveways or paths occur over a septic tank, cars, animals, ATVs, tractors, even foot traffic can compact the area above the septic tank, allowing a deep freeze to move deeper into the soil.
- Lack of plant cover: If your septic system is new, or was replaced in the late summer or early fall seasons, adequate vegetation may not have covered up the land before the cold and snow set in. Vegetation helps attract snow to the area, providing more insulation above ground.
- Irregular use: Was your septic system designed for a large family, and now you’re down to one or two? Do you spend months away from your home, enjoying a lifestyle in a warmer climate during the cold winter months? If a system isn’t used as it was intended, it can begin to stress and allow freezing temperatures to infiltrate the system.
- Leaking plumbing: You know that small trickle of water you can hear even when your toilet hasn’t been flushed? Those tiny leaks in your pipes can cause a thin film of water into the system. These trickles are more susceptible to freezing and can build up quickly over time, allowing your system to freeze completely.
- Cold air entering the system: When was the last time your septic system was looked at and inspected? If risers are uncapped, inspection pipes or manhole covers are not reinstalled correctly, they can allow cold air to enter the system. Freezing isn’t far behind.
* A portion of the information in this article was obtained via PlumbingHelpToday.com.