By choosing to live in a cold state like MN, there are some extra precautions that homeowners need to take to ensure that the cold weather doesn’t negatively impact their home. For those MN homeowners on a septic system, our team at Custom Septic often gets asked the question, will my septic system freeze? The good news is that most of the time the answer is no, but there are definitely some things to keep in mind during the cold months each year.
The good news for MN homeowners that have a septic system is that water is able to hold a large amount of heat. As long as the water is used daily, it is very rare for a septic system to freeze. Even in the coldest temperatures that we experience during the winter months, you should not run into a frozen septic system if you are regularly using water in your home every day. If your house is vacant for a week or more, that is when the risk of your septic system freezing increases exponentially. When water doesn’t enter the septic system for an extended period of time, the water isn’t able to keep your septic system warm. In turn, your septic system may freeze. This can cause water to freeze in the distribution boxes for the drain-field and the drains can become clogged with ice. When this occurs, your washing machine line will not be able to work, and your shower and sinks will not be able to drain.
How to Prevent Septic Freezing
For those homeowners that often leave their residence unattended for an extended period of time during the cold months, how are they supposed to keep the septic system from freezing? Well, one way to do this is to add a layer of mulch, at least one foot deep, on top of the septic tank and extend the mulch at least 5 feet past the edges of the tank. Other ways to prevent your septic system from freezing is to add insulation to your system such as insulated pipes or expanded foam panels over the septic tank. Also, you could have someone come to your property while you are gone to use warm water in your home. This will ensure that warm water is continuing to flow through the septic system.
At Custom Septic, we are here to help you should your septic system ever freeze. We encourage you to take the steps necessary to ensure that your system doesn’t free when the tough MN cold temperatures hit the region. To learn more about how to prevent freezing, give our septic system professionals a call today at (763) 218-4769 or email brad@customseptic.com.
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