Some winters are mild, while others are phenomenally chilly. Thus, even the geographic locations that aren’t used to experiencing snow, occasionally see weeks of hail and subzero temperatures.
There are some changes we all have to do before the cold season sets in to avoid any damages to our swimming pools, gardens, cars, pipelines, or plumbing. Winterization is a smart precautionary measure to get through this season without any hassles.
This article focuses on the problems that can affect wastewater systems once it starts snowing. If you were wondering, can septic tanks freeze? You’re in good company. Many folks do. And in the following sections, we’ll answer that question in good detail.
Why Would a Septic Tank Freeze?
It’s actually a simple rule of physics: if the frost reaches any substance, gases will probably turn into liquids, and liquids will freeze over and turn into solids. That’s a natural law as the temperature falls below the freezing point.
Does that mean that every single septic tank would freeze during the snow season? Not at all! But there are some factors that increase a tanks susceptibility to freeze, for example:
- A shallow installation that places the tank and pipes nearer to the ground layer of snow.
- Rare usage of the water system.
- A dripping faucet that lets the water ‘sit’ in the pipes consistently.
- Insufficient usage of hot water.
- A compact soil layer on top of the tank, as it acts as an easy route for the frost to reach the tank.
- Lack of an insulation layer, like vegetation or mulch, on top of the septic system.
It’s worth noting that every element of the septic system is susceptible to freezing. This includes the pipes going out of the house and draining into the tank, the tank itself, the pipes that exit the tank to the drain field, and ultimately, the drain field.
Fortunately, there are ways to keep the temperature of a septic tank from dropping too much to the point that the tank freezes.
How Can You Tell if Your Septic Tank Is Frozen?
If you’ve never been around rough weather before, you might miss the first signs that the septic tank is frozen. Especially, since these telltale signs have a lot in common with regular malfunctions.
However, if it’s been snowing for a few days, you should take heed if any of the following happens:
- The toilet doesn’t want to flush! This is actually the very first item that goes off. Toilets aren’t too tolerant of blocked piping.
- The sinks and bathtubs stop draining the water.
- The dishwasher and washing machine display error messages caused by blocked drainage lines.
- Finally, sewage might start backing into the house through the ground-level drains. Then, that happens in toilets and sinks as well.
This is a detailed picture of how things get if a septic tank is frozen. The problem might be localized in the pipes, or the frost might have reached the tank itself. It’s hard to tell unless a professional inspects the septic system.
The best approach is to take a hint as soon as the toilet stops flushing, and call a plumber right away. These folks should be well trained, and they have the right equipment to thaw a frozen tank.
How Do I Keep My Septic Tank From Freezing?
Here are some tried and true ways to keep your septic system from freezing:
- Keep the hot water going. This doesn’t mean that you should leave the hot water tap turned on all the time! Just use it often.
- Divide the laundry into several small loads per week instead of once. This should be a clearing drill to the septic system.
- Make sure that all the faucets are well maintained with no dripping at all.
- Apply an insulation layer on top of the septic tank and pipes. If you didn’t have the time to plant grass or spread mulch, then leave the snow layer without shoveling. This is in itself insulation (like an Eskimo Igloo).
- Avoid compacting the soil above the tank.
- At the installation stage, make sure the tank and pipes are deep enough into the ground.
- Don’t park your car, store heavy objects, or build anything above the septic system.
What Happens if My Septic Tank Freezes?
Despite all your best efforts, the frost might be too strong, or the tank might be placed a tad too shallow, and the tank freezes.
Additionally, if you aren’t going to spend a lot of time at that property, then there’s a high probability that the tank would freeze.
This isn’t a peachy situation, but still, it’s not the end of the world. Naturally, you’d need to call a professional to assess the extent of blockage, then to go about fixing it.
The first thing you should do is minimize the usage of all the fixtures, as much as possible of course. Postpone doing laundry if you can, use disposable dishes, and stick with very quick showers.
The professional contractor would check the whole system. A blockage in the piping could be the cause of the issues, or the problems could be far-reaching and spread all the way to the tank.
Normally, the service folks would try to thaw the frozen parts, then apply a layer of insulation to avoid any repeats. However, there are situations where the thawing tools can’t get through the solidified mass sufficiently to clear up the blockage.
In that case, there’s only one solution, and that is to wait for the temperature to become warmer, then reinspect the septic system. In the meantime, the system should be used minimally, and the available volume of the tank should be pumped out routinely.
This is pretty much the worst-case scenario, and luckily, it isn’t that common. Usually, proper prevention measures and winterization provide enough protection from that outcome.
How to Winterize the Septic Tank of an Unused Home or Property?
Some people move between houses, especially if one of them is located in an area with particularly harsh winters.
The little or no usage of the water system increases the odds that the septic system would freeze. It’s best then to pump out the tank a month or so ahead of the cold season. This should keep the tank in good shape by springtime.
Conclusion
The answer to the question “can septic tanks freeze?” is definitely yes. As the temperatures fall below zero, any container containing a liquid could freeze.
As you might recall from elementary school science class, water increases in volume when it solidifies. And this causes serious damage to its container, whether that is a pipe or a tank. Additionally, the blockage makes the system totally unusable.
That’s why it’s best to make sure that the septic tank doesn’t reach that state. Fortunately, a few measures are all that it takes for keeping it in good shape.