Preparing Your Sewer Line for Freezing Temperatures
A residential sewer pipe is usually 18 to 30 inches below ground, and in unusually cold climates, it can be buried even deeper. These depths are supposed to keep the pipe from freezing. However, cold snaps happen, and they can affect even a deeply buried pipes. Here are ways to prepare your sewer line for freezing temperatures.
Have Your Plumbing System Checked Regularly
One way to protect your sewer pipes from winter weather is to have a professional plumber check your plumbing system regularly. This is especially important before the brutal weather sets in. Plumbers no longer must dig up your sewer pipe to see it. They can now use video cameras to see what’s inside your sewer pipe and find problems. Plumbers can also seal up cracks around any outside pipes to protect them from freezing temperatures.
Keep Your Gutters and Downspouts Clear
This may surprise you, but it’s important to keep your gutters and downspouts clear. That means making sure they’re free of debris such as fallen leaves, twigs and animal nests. Water that spills from gutters dammed up by trash can seep into the ground around your sewer pipe and disturb it.
Insulate Your Plumbing Pipes
Insulating the plumbing pipes in your crawl space or basement against cold temperatures also protects your sewer pipes. You won’t even need a plumber for this one. You can buy insulation at a hardware store and wrap it around the pipes yourself.
Don’t Pour or Flush Things That Can Clog Pipes
Another thing that can spare your sewer pipes during the winter, or any other season, is not putting materials down the drain that cause clogs. Grease, oils and fats should be collected and recycled or tossed into the garbage if they’re too old and dirty to use. Flush only bodily waste and toilet paper down the toilet. Install drain catchers or sink strainers to catch hair, soap and other debris.
Keep Trees Away From the Sewer Line
Trees crave the nutrients found in wastewater. If their feeder roots find even the tiniest crack, they can creep in. Sometimes these roots become so dense that they take on the shape of the pipe. A freeze can administer the final blow to a root-clogged sewer pipe and cause it to burst. Not planting or allowing trees or shrubs to grow near your sewer line should be an ongoing concern.
Contact Us to Learn More About Your Winter Sewer Pipe
An unexpected hard freeze can stress your sewer pipe even if it’s underground. For superior sewer line service in Panama City, FL, get in touch with our plumbers at Ridge Heating and Air Conditioning.
