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Frozen septic line or field.

A licensed septic installer should re-bury, insulate or re-plumb any part that froze.

Customers put it like this

  • septic froze up
  • drains stopped in the cold snap
  • pump line is frozen
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Stop first if

  • Sewage backs up indoors or reaches electrical parts.Keep clear. Stop using water. Shut off power only if it can be done without risk. Call a licensed electrician.
  • Someone plans to dig up a frozen line.Hold off. Call a licensed installer and locate utilities first.
  • Anyone is about to enter a tank or basin.Stop. Nobody goes in. All work stays at the surface.
01

Ask on the call

5

Homeowner? These are the questions a good technician will ask you. Having the answers ready makes the first visit count.

  1. What stopped working, and when did the cold start?
  2. Has the house been vacant or lightly used?
  3. Has snow been packed down over the lines or field?
  4. Is it a pressure or drip system with a manifold?
  5. Has it frozen before?
02

Bring

4
  • Measuring stick
  • Flashlight
  • Gloves and eye protection
  • Copy of the design record
03

Check on site

5
  1. Compare burial depth and cover with the design.
  2. Check turf cover, and whether snow is loose or packed down.
  3. Check manifold drainback and whether relief valves are insulated.
  4. Look for low winter flow, or a sag that holds water.
  5. Leave reburial, insulation or re-plumbing to a licensed installer.
04

Keep on the record

4
  • Where it froze and the date
  • Burial depth and cover notes
  • Occupancy over the cold spell
  • Photos of the surface over the lines

General guidance for a qualified person, not a finding about any home. The person on site decides.