N/C frozen septic pipe

[obie105]

We were gone from home for a few days last week and came home yesterday afternoon to a frozen septic pipe. Of course, we didn't realize until someone used the toilet and put sewage in the tub. Plumber came today and removed the toilet and pumped everything that he could til he hit ice in the line about 10-15 foot away from the house. We filled the pipe with boiling water and put it all back together and he said that was the only thing he could really do. We also put boiling water in the tub. It hasn't done anything today. The guys said that's all he can do. Too much frost in the ground and snow to get to septic. The frost is 40" down now and we just got told that since December 1st we have received 53" of snow. Does anybody have any ideas? Waiting til spring is not what I wanted to hear from a plumber this morning.

 

[CAB]

Different plumber. ROTO Rooter if it's only 10-15ft from the house he should be able to get to it.

 

[peachy]

Dump rock salt down the hole

 

[Till-Hill]

If pipe is steel stick welder ground one end positive other end and crank it up

 

[tamarack]

Thawed lots up here get a hose smaller than pipe that is frozen put it down to the frozen part and dump very hot water in the top and keep shoving it in until your through the frozen part or some people make a small boiler with a cap like on a car radiator as a pressure relief valve and a long small hydraulic hose,heated with propane just a small steamer unit will thaw anything should be able to find something on you tube good luck!

 

[schammy31]

We had the same problem. I called roto rooter and they brought a jetter with a 300 gallon tank of 180 degree water. Fed it through the pipe from the outside clean out. Took about 10 minutes total.

 

[obie105]

We had the same problem. I called roto rooter and they brought a jetter with a 300 gallon tank of 180 degree water. Fed it through the pipe from the outside clean out. Took about 10 minutes total.

I am hoping that's an option by the end of the week. The neighbor is coming over today to move the 3-4 foot of snow from the area of the top of the septic tank then it's suppose to be warm with rain the next couple of days so hopefully we will be able to dig up the lid. It's only a foot down. Then roto rooter can come out.

 

[RyanChandler]

Freeze line below 40" wow.  I can't even imagine that.

 

[CAB]

In SW Iowa this winter some of the towns are having numerous water main breaks for 2 combined reasons. The water mains are old and the frost this year is as deep as 60 inches putting extreme pressure on the old pipes.

 

[Tallcool1]

My well has frozen twice this winter, and it is not freezing in the casing.

It is freezing in the feed that goes out of the casing approximately 5 feet from the casing.  This feed is about 54" deep.

My well guy said that he is seeing quite a bit of this, and it is due to the ground being so dry.  He ended up drilling a very small hole in the water line down in the casing, so that the water drains back out of the feed tube and runs back down the casing.  The hole will allow about 1/2 gallon of water per minute, and the well pumps about 20 gallons per minute.  It hasn't frozen since.