Ken- How much snow do you guys have? how deep is your sewer line buried? or did it freeze under the house?

I dread hearing about these events b/c that means its not far away and work will get CRAZY here soon if the temps keep up and we dont get much more snow.

good luck getting it thawed out!

We have maybe 8 inches of snow and I don't recall how deep the line is. I think it's about 3 feet but could be more....or less. I'm hoping it froze right where it goes into the ground but I doubt that's the case. Too steep an angle at that point.


Here is the weather pattern that I have become used to. Cold October/November. Big snow dump just before Thanksgiving. Then a warm spell of 4-5 days, might even thaw a little. Week before Christmas gets really cold and hangs on through mid/late January with continuous small snow storms. February is nice. 40-60 below at night 10 below to zero during the days. Sunny and bright....except at night.

Your results will vary.

See what happens when you use too much toilet paper !! LMAO

Time to call in a Plumber !! I wonder how much it would cost to fly one in from Anchorage ??

How deep is your frostline up that a way ?

I don't know at this time of year. I think the problem originated from cold temperatures with little snow cover.

Is your sewer tank buried or are you on piped?

I've come back from a trip to the Dr. in December to a house with my entire sewer frozen. Is does suck.

Hmm...Maine sounds good to me. Usually around 20-30 above now, but it was about 45 today and yesterday. Good thing too, we had about 6 inches of rain last night. Everything was flooded.

Other than that we have been 'back to normal.'

-33 here at the house, waiting for a few more degrees + before I head out to check a snare line I have out.

Well, the situation just reminds me that an outhouse makes much more sense!
The rabbits have been visiting ours quite regularly, judging by the tracks.
The styrofoam seat still works like a charm ;o)
We are just waiting for a little more (relative) 'warmth' to clear the ice from the pipe and be functional again.
BTW, I have NOT been under the house. That is White's domain!
Kusko, we have a buried log crib.

OB the outhouse we had at our other cabin had a foam seat Much squishier and comfy than Styrofoam and just as warm!! lol

Here at the store we can either run from the cabin to the store or use our 'Luggalbe Loo' for "can't quite make it" trips!! lol

Well where the Ol' Blister is concerned I guess I have to say it all Depends.

Now THERE'S an option!

That was just wrong!! LMAO!!

Well, I can see you have a few options :..

1. Are you hooked up to the City Sewer or private Septic System ?
If it is a City sewer , I would call the DPW and tell them to start digging . Think "HEALTH & SAFETY" ! that usually is the only way to get the DPW to do anything this time of the year.

2. If you can get into the frozen in pipe area where it is under the house, assuming you have a Crawl Space with enough room to get around in, you might try wrapping the frozen pipe with electric pipe heater tape to warm up the pipe and free the clog.

3. Got any RV Antifreeze to pour down the drain ? That MIGHT work.

4. In the Spring or Summer, dig up that area , wrap the pipe with insulation and that electric heater tape and bury it 1 Foot below the Frost Line. That is really the only way to prevent frozen Sewer Pipes that are buried underground.

5. Another option would be to use Spray Foam insulation around the buried pipe. In the Summer, dig up that pipe and spray the foam insulation in the trench where the pipe tends to freeze up. Spray enough of that insulation in the trench so that the pipe is completely covered . I would say at least 12 inches of insulation would work well around the pipe.

City Sewer ?? Whats that ? Private septic.

The pipe is insulated and has a heat tape on it. It's too cold to do any good. Just a waste of electricity.

No room to pour anything down the drain.

Pipe in the ground is insulated and heat taped. Can't dig much deeper or you're into the water table.

The insulated pipe also has blue 2" styrofoam over it prior to burial.

This is the first time it's ever frozen.

K : Always pump prior to vacation. If frozen, get a _hit stick from Shorty and it will thaw in several hours, since it's just the top layer that's frozen. Don't ask how I know - ok I tell you. Arizona doctors who don't listen .

Oh , my GOD!!!! Please tell me your Septic Tank is made out of Concrete and not LOGS!!

9er; I doubt that the crib itself is frozen, just the pipe leading in. I'll bet you were happy with that guy.

CB:

At over $500 per yard for concrete no one has a concrete septic tank on the west side of the Alaska Range.

I was thinking of those Pre-cast Concrete Septic Tanks. I would look at it purely from the Health and Safety aspect, I.E. protecting the well water from contamination, that would be the way to go.

A 1,000 gallon one compartment tank would weigh in at around 8,700 lbs.

I know for a fact that there are grants for new Septic Systems. I am pretty sure that a grant would pay for the whole thing .

It would be another 8700 to get it here