During the wintertime, your septic system is under unique stress. Cold weather, snow, and holiday guests can all contribute to problems that can seriously damage your septic tank. In order to prevent these issues from occurring, you’ll need to know what the potential problems are. Here are some of the common problems that septic tanks can experience during the winter and what you can do to prevent them.
- Frozen Tank Components
When frost or snow gets deep into the components of your septic system, it can freeze these components, or even the entire system. When these components are frozen, it will slow down the metabolic rate of anaerobic bacteria in your septic tank, meaning that waste will not be able to be broken down. Fortunately, this problem can be easily avoided. Provide your septic system with an insulating cover or blanket to keep it warm during the colder months. Vegetation around your tank can help shield it from the cold as well. Running your water and using your septic system every day can also help reduce the risk of freezing.
- Compacted Snow and Soil
When drive over snow with your car or plow, it can compact the snow above your tank or drain field. These actions combined with cold temperatures can make the soil above your tank and in your drain field compact and dense. When the soil above your septic tank compacts, it will be less effective at insulating your tank, leading to a frozen system When the soil in your drain field compacts, wastewater will not be properly filtered and drained. To avoid these issues, be sure to aerate your soil before the cold weather sets in and to avoid driving over these parts of your lawn.
- Improperly Functioning Pipes
When your pipes have leaks or clogs, they can often lead to improper drainage. Leaks during the cold can also cause water to freeze, which will damage your septic system further. Clogs can cause wastewater to accumulate in your pipes, with cold causing the wastewater to freeze over. Frozen wastewater can lead to damage of your system and can also contaminate your drinking water. In order to avoid these issues, fix leaky pipes before the cold sets in and be sure to address any clogs or leaks as soon as you notice them to avoid allowing these problems to get more severe.
- Overworked from Holiday Guests
Having guests over during the holiday season can cause damage to your septic system. Your system can become overworked with an increase in showers and laundry usage. The preparation of elaborate holiday meals can contribute to an overworked system as well. Stagger your food preparation over a few days if possible. Additionally, you should remind guests what items can and can’t be flushed down your toilet.
- Difficulty Pumping Your Tank
During the winter, it can be much more difficult to pump your septic tank. The hard, frozen ground combined with snow on your lawn makes digging into your yard to reach your septic tank difficult. It is not impossible to perform maintenance during the winter, but it is much more difficult and should be avoided when possible. In order to avoid these issues, get your septic tank pumped if you know it’s getting full. An early pumping before the ground is frozen will decrease the likelihood of necessary maintenance during the winter.
McBreen Environmental is a nationwide septic services business. We proudly serve residential and commercial customers all over Ireland with a full slate of services. With years of experience, we have completed countless projects of all scopes and sizes. Needless to say, there is nothing we can’t do when it comes to septic tanks, sewer systems, drains, and more.
Our business is committed to meeting your needs and completing your job with the utmost professionalism and precision. We put your satisfaction, safety, and comfort at the forefront of our priority list. When you hire us, you can achieve complete peace of mind.
If you need your Septic Tank cleaned, McBreen Environmental are a local service with a nationwide reach. Find us online: www.mcbreenenvironmental.ie | Phone 0818 66 33 33 | Email: sales@mcbreen.ie
