home steps

How to defrost a metal-plastic pipe. How to heat water in a plastic water pipe underground How to defrost water in a water pipe

It is carried out with violations, which winter time leads to frozen pipes and the inability to use water.

Disturbances in water supply are caused by:

location of the pipeline outside the house above the ground or above the freezing level in the ground;
lack of insulation of the water supply;
errors in the installation of the water supply system.

Note! Before you defrost a water pipe, you need to take into account what material it is made of and where exactly the frozen area is located: indoors or outdoors. Depending on this, the methods for defrosting the pipe and, accordingly, the tools used will vary.

Plastic water pipe

When defrosting water pipes made from plastic pipes, you need to proceed with extreme caution. Methods for thawing pipes may vary depending on the location of the frozen area.

Note! Defrosting the ice plug should begin from the tap side.

A section of the water supply located directly in the building can be defrosted as follows:

Note! Warming up should first be started using cold water, to avoid cracking of the plastic pipe.

When defrosting the water supply system at home, it is necessary to prevent damage to the system due to steam arising in the pipe during the defrosting process. To do this, you need to open the tap and watch when water flows from it.

Defrosting of plastic pipes outside the house depends on where they are laid - above the ground or in the ground. In the latter case, you must provide full access to them. Thawing can be carried out in the same ways as indoors - using hot water and electrical appliances.

To defrost the pipes from the outside, you can use a special heating cable. To do this, you need to wrap it in foil, wind a heating cable on top and cover it with insulation - this will take quite a long time.

If the frozen area is located inconveniently, it is recommended to depressurize the water supply and thaw it by introducing hot water inside. For this you may need an Esmarch mug. Simultaneously with the supply of hot water to the pipe, it is necessary to use a steel rod to insert it into the water supply and break through the ice plug.

Metal pipes

There are several more ways to defrost a metal water pipe. Indoors, you can use the same methods as for plastic pipes:

Thawing using rags and hot water;
Thawing using a hair dryer;
Defrosting using electrical appliances.

Outside, you can use not only all of the above methods, including a heating cable, but also special devices - a propane burner or a defrosting device.

When using a propane torch, precautions must be taken to prevent fire. For example, when treating a frozen section of a water pipe on one side, it is necessary to place a metal plate on the reverse side.

For metal pipes It is suitable to use a device that supplies a current that can break through and remove the ice plug.

Note! Each of the methods for defrosting a water pipe is quite labor-intensive, so even during installation you need to take care of timely insulation of the water supply both indoors and outdoors.

Video

For instructions on defrosting a water pipe using hot water, see below:

Winter is a time of year that not only brings unforgettable and joyful experiences from New Year's Eve or skiing. Winter is a severe test, both for living beings and for all kinds of engineering systems, which are created by man to improve his life. Low temperature tests apply directly to the water supply. In cold weather, it happens that water pipes freeze. Therefore, knowledge of how to defrost pipes in winter and not be left without water during this time will be quite useful.

The need to defrost pipes

If you have not insulated your water pipes in a timely manner, a situation may occur when the water in the pipes freezes. If you paid attention in time to the occurrence of tap water force majeure, then this is not a reason to panic at all. There are many ways, including “folk” ones, how to defrost a water pipe with your own hands.

For trivial reasons, water pipes freeze: incorrect pipe laying technology (for a given area, the freezing depth is not taken into account or the pipes are not insulated), as well as the lack of heating in the room. Also, the reasons for freezing of the system may be as follows: very small volumes of water are transported through the pipes, or the pipes are operated at very low temperatures.

It should be taken into account that defrosting pipes that are laid in accessible places does not cause any particular difficulties (for example, they just need to be warmed up using an ordinary household hair dryer), but some difficulties may arise with defrosting pipes when laid underground. It’s quite good if the pipes are frozen at the entry point, since you can simply heat up the walls. But often the freezing point is a few meters from the building.

The issue of defrosting pipes is solved with the help of improvised means that are available in every home: a blowtorch, an electric heater, a professional construction hair dryer(you can also use a hair dryer). But before you consider options for defrosting water pipes, you need to understand a few useful tips.

The defrosting process is quite simple if the pipes are metal. For this purpose, we take a regular welding machine and connect it to different ends of the pipe. This simple method eliminates this problem within 3 - 4 hours. The longer the frozen section of the pipe, the longer it takes to defrost. But today, mainly PE pipes are used in water supply networks, which are made of high-density polyethylene and can withstand pressures of up to 10 atmospheres.

They do not collapse when frozen and are not subject to corrosion processes. Due to its properties, polyethylene does not act as a conductor of electric current, and this means that it is impossible to defrost using welding machine. Removing ice plugs with a steel rod is also fraught with danger and can damage the pipe.

Traditional methods of defrosting pipes

Today there are a lot of defrosting methods, so the process of removing ice from sewer or water pipes is not very difficult.

External heating

External defrosting of pipes has a very important drawback - it is necessary to open the trench in which the sewerage system is laid. Digging the frozen soil itself (and that is what it is if ice has formed in the pipe), it is clear that it is not the most pleasant task. But still, if the size of the cork is not particularly large, then this method may be worth using.

After you have opened the trench, you need to look at the material from which the pipe is made. There is a difference in how to defrost polyethylene or metal pipes. In the first case, you need to use the following electric heaters so that the temperature is not very high - up to 100-110 degrees. With all this, it also makes sense to cover the additionally excavated area with a decent layer of thermal insulation during the heating process, so the back side of the device will not heat the street, and the pipes will warm up faster.

For metal pipes, we apply the method of using open fire using equipment such as gas burners, blowtorches, firewood, as well as any flame sources with for a long time combustion. From such influences, the plastic may simply melt.

Internal heating

Defrosting sewer pipes, compared to water pipes, has certain nuances. On the one side large diameter Such pipes provide significant advantages for internal heating. On the other hand, these pipes provide a fairly large volume of accumulated ice with frozen soil, and therefore a large contact area, which will lead to increased heat transfer from both external and internal heaters.

Before you defrost plastic pipes from the inside, you need to make a not very complicated device: attach a U-shaped heating element to a board with rounded edges. At the same time, it is required that the bend protrudes beyond the front edge of the board; other parts of the heating element should not protrude beyond it, so that there is no contact with the walls of the heater pipe.

Since its dimensions and distance to the plug are known, to defrost plastic pipes it is also necessary to attach a wire of the appropriate length to the contacts of the heating element, and attach a small piece of metal-plastic pipe to the board itself, which will serve as a pusher.

The entire structure is pushed in from the side of the wastewater receivers, because the slope of the sewerage system is made in this particular direction; there is simply nowhere for the melted water to flow from above. In this case, the heating element is turned on in the network only after it is placed inside the pipe, and with each movement as the plugs melt, it is accordingly turned off.

Metal pipe machine

The most effective means Removing ice from water pipes is an industrial device for defrosting pipes. But such a device is intended only for metal pipes, for plastic pipes this technique does not apply. The operating principle of the device is quite simple and understandable. Terminals are attached to the edges of the required section of the pipe that needs to be defrosted, and then current is supplied. After this, the pipe heats up and begins to thaw the frozen area.

When using an apparatus for defrosting metal pipes, the following data should be analyzed: a pipe up to 23 meters long and with a diameter of up to 6 centimeters defrosts in up to 60 minutes. With a larger pipe diameter, it is necessary to install terminals at a shorter length, especially in the area of various tie-ins and measuring instruments. When defrosting water or sewer pipes, there must be water pressure in the system.

Unconventional methods of defrosting pipes

Except traditional ways heating pipes, we can offer you three defrosting methods for polyethylene pipes, which are the “know-how” of our craftsmen. Regardless of some eccentricity, they still work. Their only drawback is that they are only suitable for pipelines that have a small diameter.

Hot water

When using this method, it is necessary to take into account that the ice plug will not allow hot water to get inside if you just pour it in. This means it is necessary to find a way to supply hot water to the frozen zone. You can defrost a pipe by using a pipe or hose with a smaller diameter. For example, if it is necessary to defrost a water pipe with a diameter of 25 or 30 millimeters, and the frozen section is straight, then the use of metal-plastic pipes with a diameter of 16 millimeters will be more effective.

To begin with, we straighten the metal-plastic pipe, and then push it into the frozen pipe until it touches the ice. After this, we supply hot water through the pipe to the freezing point. Thawed water will pour out through the gap between the metal-plastic pipe and the water pipe. If your water supply is limited, then you can use the thawed water in a second circle, that is, heat it up and again direct it to the place of freezing.

At the same time, the ice plug will melt, and it will be possible to continue manual defrosting of the pipe and push the small metal-plastic pipe further. But if the section of the pipe that is frozen has turns and bends, it will not be possible to use a rigid metal-plastic pipe in this case. But you can take a hard hose.

It should be noted that an ordinary watering hose is not suitable for this; it will simply soften from hot water and will be impossible to push through. In such a situation, hoses for connecting a gas cylinder and oxygen hoses turned out to be effective. These hoses are quite rigid, but you can still push them no more than 15 meters from the input. In addition, such hoses are quite heavy and must be pushed through the pipe with great effort.

Esmarch's irrigator

Now it’s worth figuring out how to defrost a pipe if ice has accumulated tens of meters from your home, and the pipeline itself has turns and bends. Still, there is an economical and effective method: for such purposes you will need a set of a construction hydraulic level, an Esmarch mug (banal enema) and hardened steel wire. This set is inexpensive, and households have many of its components.

First you need to align the wire and the hydraulic level tube, and then screw the end of the wire to the hydraulic level with electrical tape. In order to provide greater hardness at the end of the wire, it is necessary to make a loop. The wire itself should not stick out, and the end of the hydraulic level tube should protrude one centimeter in front of the wire. The other end of the hydraulic level must then be connected to Esmarch’s mug, and then the wire and tube must be pushed into the water supply until it stops.

Due to the fact that the hydraulic level tube has a small diameter and light weight, it moves quite easily through the pipeline, while overcoming all turns quite easily. After this, add hot water, giving an “enema” to the frozen water supply. It is necessary to place a container under the water pipe to collect the thawed water, because as much hot water is poured in, the same amount of cold water will be poured out.

Then we push the wire with the hydraulic level tube gradually as the ice melts. This method of defrosting pipes is very time-consuming, that is, you can only defrost up to one meter of pipeline in an hour. This means that during working hours you can defrost 5-7 meters of pipe from ice.

Current Usage

Consider the following situation, when you have a frozen polyethylene water supply system 50 meters long, with a diameter of 20 millimeters, and a laying depth of up to 80 centimeters. It should be noted that this depth for laying a water supply system is insufficient, which is why the water supply system froze. Another distinctive feature is that the water supply is located under roadway. In this case, utility workers usually advise waiting until the thaw sets in, but there is still a way when you can do without it.

You will need the following equipment: a plug for the socket, a two-core copper wire (we select the thickness and length of the cross-section according to the diameter and length of the frozen water supply), a hose and a compressor for pumping out thawed water. Let's say, for a pipe with a diameter of 20 millimeters, you can take a wire of 2.5-3 millimeters and a car fuel hose with a diameter of 8 millimeters, as well as a regular car compressor (you can, in extreme cases, use a pump).

We warn you that when using this method of self-defrosting pipes, you need to be extremely careful, because the work is carried out using high voltage. Now we need to prepare all this for thawing of the pipes. Required with small area remove the outer insulation from the wire, divide it into two wires, remove the insulation from one of them, and carefully bend the remaining wire in the insulation in the opposite direction along the water supply. In this case, care must be taken to ensure that the insulation is not damaged.

Next, almost near the bend of the wire, you should make 3-5 turns of bare wire (as close to each other as possible) and cut off its remaining end. After this, you need to retreat 2-3 millimeters from the made turns, then expose the second wire and wrap it around the wire in the same way. The turns of the first and second wires should not touch.

And to the other end of the wire we connect the “unit” and the plug (such a device is popularly called a “bulbulator”). If you place it in water and connect it to the electrical network, then when current passes through the water, a corresponding reaction occurs, in which a large release of heat occurs. Such a device is ideal in this case, because only the water is heated, and the wires themselves remain cold, that is, the plastic pipes are not even accidentally scorched.

This assembled device must be checked. For this purpose, it is recommended to place the device in a jar of water and connect it to the power supply. If a slight hum is felt and bubbles leave the contacts, then the unit is working. We remind you once again: while the device is working, contact with water may cause an electric shock.

We continue to defrost the pipe ourselves. The wire must be pushed carefully into the pipe so that it does not bend. Therefore, it is necessary to take a wire of a larger cross-section. When the wire hits the ice plug, you need to turn on the “bulbulator” and wait one or two minutes. After this, you need to try to push the wire further, because the ice has begun to melt.

When about a meter of pipe is thawed, the melted water must be blown out using a compressor; this is necessary to reduce the volume of heated water and to prevent the water supply from freezing again in already thawed areas. If you have special equipment, it is advisable to weld a tap onto the pipe. When water flows through the pipe, do not pull the wire out of it, but close the tap, this way the place where the defrosting procedure is being carried out will not flood.

How to prevent pipes from freezing

You have already figured out how to deal with ice in water pipes. But you can prevent this if you try. To prevent plastic pipes from freezing, you must remember:

Pipes should be laid at a depth that exceeds the freezing level of the soil in your region. It is advisable to lay sewer and water pipes at a depth of at least 120-140 centimeters.
There is no need to lay sewer and water pipes next to reinforced concrete structures (beams, supports, grillages, foundations) due to the fact that the thermal conductivity of concrete is much greater than the thermal conductivity of the soil, that is, the risk of soil freezing from reinforced concrete structures increases. In this case, it is necessary to insulate the pipes (for example, place slabs of special extruded polystyrene foam between the reinforced concrete structures and the pipeline).
If finances allow, then a heating cable should be laid next to the pipeline. The production of heating self-regulating cables, which are switched on only when necessary, has already been mastered.
It is advisable to insulate places where pipelines pass through the walls of structures and buildings mineral wool, foam and glass wool to avoid direct contact of the walls of the building with the walls of the pipe.
When settling in summer cottage For plumbing, it is best to use pipes that have a diameter of at least 50 millimeters, because pipes with a smaller diameter are more susceptible to freezing.
When choosing between a variety of polymer water pipes, you need to know that polypropylene pipes can burst after 2-3 defrosts, and polyethylene pipes They tolerate the repeated process of defrosting and freezing very well.
If in winter the sewerage and water supply are used irregularly, then the best option will completely drain the water from the system.

Thus, in winter, owners of private houses often encounter water in their water supply freezing. In this situation, the main thing is to react in time and take the necessary measures. To defrost a water pipe, you can use traditional defrosting methods using a special pipe defrosting machine and using internal and external heating. Also, along with this, there are effective alternative methods, tested by folk craftsmen in practice.

IN winter period A common problem is freezing water and heating pipes. This can happen if the required standards were not met when laying the pipeline and technological standards were violated. Regardless of the root cause of the problem, the question arises: how to defrost a water pipe?

Let's look at some of the causes of ice jams in the water supply:

the water supply is laid at insufficient depth;
incorrectly performed pipe insulation work;
the pipe diameter is selected incorrectly;
worn pipes.

How to prevent water pipes from freezing

when laying water supply pipes, it is necessary to take into account the depth of soil freezing in a given area and dig a trench below this level;
The pipeline should be placed away from concrete and reinforced concrete structures, as they are subject to freezing stronger than the soil;
Where pipes enter the building, good thermal insulation should be done; most often, mineral and glass wool are used;
it is better if the diameter of the outer pipes is more than 50 mm - the more water in the pipe, the longer it will freeze;
pipeline laying can be done with electric cable, which will heat pipes at dangerously low temperatures.

If it was not possible to prevent freezing, you should begin defrosting the water supply.

This can be done in several ways, all of them can be divided into two categories:

Exposure from outside.
Heating from the inside.

Regardless of the choice of method for defrosting pipes, several rules must be followed:

it is necessary to determine as accurately as possible the frozen section of the pipe and its length;
all shut-off valves must be open so that the thawed water has an outlet;
you need to start heating the pipe from an open tap and then to the riser;
sewer pipes, on the contrary, are heated from the riser towards the septic tank.

Methods for defrosting a water supply through exposure to the outside

In such cases, prolonged heating of the surface of the pipe and further heat exchange between the pipe itself and the ice inside are carried out.

Boiling water or just hot water. The frozen section of the pipe is wrapped with foam rubber or rags that absorb water, and poured with boiling water, constantly maintaining a high temperature of the rags or foam rubber, and, accordingly, the pipe. This method is used in open sections of the pipeline: in basements, at the entrance to a building, etc. Well suited for metal pipes, since metal is an excellent heat conductor.

Construction hairdryer. The pipe heats up under the influence of hot air. The pipe must be blown from all sides. In order not to lose heat, you can make something like a pavilion around the pipe, for example, from plastic film. When heating a plastic pipe using this method, it is important to carefully monitor the heating process so that the pipeline does not melt. If the area where the pipe freezes is small, a regular fan heater or household hair dryer will do. If the pipe has bends, narrowings, or entrances to fittings, they also need to be heated.

Blowtorch or gas-burner . This method requires special attention due to the high risk of fire.

Electric heating cable or electric heating tape. The safest and no less effective way to defrost pipes. The cable must be wound around the pipe in a spiral and connected to a power source. This method is only suitable for open pipes.

Defrosting unit or welding transformer. Two wires, positive and negative, are connected to different ends of the frozen section of the metal pipe, the electric current heats the water and the ice plug melts. The time spent heating metal water pipes using a welding transformer is minimal.

Methods for defrosting a water supply through exposure from the inside

All the methods described above are good for metal pipes, but are not very suitable for plastic. That's why there are methods from within. The most important thing is to find the nearest plug connection to disconnect the frozen section from the remaining line.

Two-core copper wire . The operating principle is similar to a boiler. The wire strands are separated and exposed. Then each one must be twisted into a small spiral (from 3 to 5 turns), it is better to make one core a little shorter so that the spirals do not touch and a short circuit does not occur. Next, you need to insert the wire into the pipe and plug the plug into the socket. Electricity, passing through the water, warms it up well.

Hot water. A labor-intensive process that requires patience, but with minimal costs. The hose should be thinner than the pipe. It is inserted into the disconnected pipe until it stops at the ice plug and is filled with hot water. As the ice melts, the hose moves forward. A container for defrosted water is a must. For straight sections of the pipeline, it is better to use a metal-plastic tube; for bends, a flexible hose is more suitable: gas or oxygen.

“Esmarch's mug” is popularly known as an enema. In addition to it, there is a rigid wire and a hose from the hydraulic level. The wire is attached to the tube (with tape, tape, whatever), the Esmarch mug is connected to the hydraulic level tube on one side, and the other is pushed into the water pipe until the ice plug. Next, the mug is raised higher and hot water is poured into it. As the ice thaws, the hydraulic level hose must be advanced further until it is completely defrosted. This method is suitable for underground pipes.

Special equipment for preventive flushing of water and sewer pipes. Utility services have it, you can call specialists to your home.

All methods of defrosting pipes have their own advantages and disadvantages and take a lot of time. To avoid possible problems with water supply, it is better to adhere to all technological standards for laying pipes in advance.

Video

This video shows how pipes are defrosted with a burner:

See how you can defrost a water pipe with steam:

The work of the sewerage system is invisible as long as everything goes as expected. The design and installation of a sewer system is accompanied by taking into account many factors, including operation in conditions of low temperatures. However, a situation cannot be ruled out when the sewer freezes in the ground (a certain section of the pipe freezes). Under normal conditions this should not happen, but installation errors may appear in winter.

By the way, when trying to understand at what temperature the sewage system freezes, you should take into account not only the location of the pipes, but also the material from which they are made (the thermal conductivity of plastic and cast iron is very different), the diameter of the pipe, the slope angle, i.e. the action of many factors in combination.

Why does the sewer freeze?

Reasons for freezing sewer pipes:

incorrect design of the angle of inclination of the sewer pipeline. Water is not able to move by gravity and stagnates in the pipes, which leads to freezing in the winter;

insufficient burial depth. According to SNiP, the septic tank is installed at a depth of at least 2 meters from the soil level, the pipe system is located below the freezing point characteristic of the region. But a situation is possible when you are simply too lazy to dig a trench for laying pipes deep (or there is no possibility) or frosts exceed the average and the soil freezes deeper;

lack of insulation. Sewage pipes laid above the freezing point of the soil require insulation. The place where pipes exit the room must also be insulated. However, in practice, such a requirement is either ignored or an inappropriate thermal insulation material, or it was installed incorrectly;

small pipe diameter. If we consider consumer reviews, then most often those who have laid pipes with a diameter less than the recommended 110 mm are faced with the problem of sewerage freezing. Owners of summer cottages and houses that are used seasonally are especially often guilty of this. Due to insufficient diameter, the sewer pipe freezes faster;

blockages. They happen due to large objects getting into the system or insufficient water flow, which causes plaque to form in the pipes.

Causes of septic tank freezing:

The drainage from the septic tank is broken. In this case, the septic tank overflows, heavy fractions settle, and the water freezes;

the septic tank is removed from the source of wastewater. Then the water, moving to the waste pit, cools, which leads to its freezing at the junction of the pipe and the septic tank.

Many users who do the work themselves do not even think about whether the sewer system is freezing. After all, the very principle of operation of a septic tank is that it is a container for storing wastewater with actively occurring decomposition processes. Since heat is released during the decomposition of solid residues, freezing is practically excluded. In addition, according to standards, the septic tank is installed at a considerable depth.

However, no one is insured against force majeure and the owner country house It’s better to know in advance what to do if the sewer is frozen.

How and how to defrost a sewer in a private house

Exists different ways and means on how to warm up a frozen sewer (how to melt the ice in a pipe). All methods can be combined into two large groups:

thermal method. Provides for the organization of heat supply to the freezing point. The work is progressing slowly, but there is no risk of causing damage to the pipeline system. This method is most suitable at home when special means not available, and calling specialists is impossible or too expensive;

chemical method . Currently, chemical defrosting is rarely practiced. Firstly, because not every chemical can cope with icing. Secondly, because this is a costly method. And thirdly, because many users prefer local sewerage, i.e. systems that are capable of performing partial wastewater treatment.

One of the components of local systems is the presence of biological treatment, and chemistry can negatively affect the life of bacteria. However, its simplest variety - steep saline solution - is still used, according to reviews.

A more technologically advanced option is to use a drug like Mellerud. The components of Mellerud pipe cleaner react with water to produce heat.

Note. You should carefully use a chemical method to defrost plastic sewer pipes. Because Severe overheating can cause them to deform.

Defrosting the sewer - the procedure for performing the work

If a problem arises and the sewer system in a private house is frozen, you must first determine the location of the ice jam. Craftsmen note the importance of following the order of work, and it is better to start from the place where the water exits the septic tank. This order of work is due to the fact that the sewer pipe system is designed with prerequisite ensuring unimpeded flow of water. This means that all pipes, incl. The drain pipe is located at a slope to the exit point.

Ice plugs must be melted so that the water can drain naturally. Otherwise (when performing work outside), you need to be prepared for the drains to flow in the opposite direction, which will necessitate pumping them out. This convincingly proves that work should begin in the direction from the septic tank to the internal pipes.

But there are exceptions to this rule. Ultimately, the order of work will be determined by factors such as:

the location where the ice plug forms. If the water is frozen in the inside of the sewer (unheated house), then it will be much easier to defrost;

cork sizes. Perhaps the size of the ice plug will be only a few centimeters, then the volume of water that needs to be pumped out can be neglected;

geometry of the sewer system. The more straight sections in the system, the easier it is to remove the ice plug;

laying method. Typically, sewerage is located underground. And if ice has formed in pipes located at a sufficient depth under a layer of frozen earth, the number of options for use is sharply reduced. You can’t get through the septic tank - you have to carry out work from inside the house.

The most in a simple way To improve the winter functioning of the sewer system, you will need to contact specialists who provide sewer defrosting services. The craftsmen not only know how to defrost a frozen sewer, but also have special equipment and also provide a guarantee on their work. However, for various reasons, many people prefer to solve the problem on their own. And as reviews from forum members testify, it was quite successful and fast.

What to do if the sewage system in a private house is frozen

Heating methods will differ depending on where the ice jam occurs. Let's look at each problem and possible solutions.

Frozen sewer drain

The sewer drain or drainage from the septic tank rarely freezes, because... it is located deep in the ground. However, if the water is not drained, it will cause the septic tank to overflow and freeze.

What to do if the sewer drain is frozen?

To defrost the drain, experts advise filling the septic tank with hot water or saline solution. Then you should pump out the wastewater from the septic tank and repeat the filling of water. With time warm water will eliminate the ice jam and the system will function normally.

A sewer drain is also called a pipe that drains wastewater from the source of their formation: in the sink, toilet, bathtub. It can freeze if the room is not heated and the water from the drain has not been drained. Or, the water flow is too weak. As a rule, indoor drains freeze where they meet the source of drainage and can be easily removed by using a hair dryer. In the same way, the problem is solved if the sewer riser in a private house freezes.

Septic tank frozen

This is possible if the drainage is not organized correctly.

What to do if the septic tank freezes?

To fix the problem, you can take the following measures:

heating with a light bulb. The light bulb on the carrier is placed inside the septic tank. Due to the power of the lamp, heating occurs environment, and the ice gradually thaws. The method is very slow, and you also need to monitor the water level and lower the lamp lower. From practice: 1 m of ice melts in a day, at an outside temperature of -15 degrees;

pouring hot water and then pumping it out;

pouring quicklime into the septic tank. Users note the effectiveness of the method in cesspool, but this method is unlikely to be suitable for a septic tank.

Frozen sewer pipes

The most difficult possible situation, since there are two obstacles: firstly, the pipes are located underground, which makes the use of external heating problematic, and secondly, it is difficult to accurately determine the specific place where the pipe froze.

How to detect places where ice jams form?

You can determine the location of freezing using two pieces of wire. To do this, one of them needs to be introduced into the sewer system from the side of the house, and the second from the side of the septic tank. Knowing the length of the sewer and the sum of the distances over which the wire was moved, you can not only find (identify) the place where the ice plug formed in the pipe, but also its dimensions.

What to do if a sewer pipe freezes?

Methods for removing ice jams by heating.

External heating

Involves the extraction of soil to the level of pipe laying. Once you have direct access to the pipes, you can:

use open fire: burner, blowtorch. You can wrap the pipe with rags or cover it with firewood and set it on fire. The method is only suitable for metal, cast iron pipes sewerage;
wrap with foil, then with a heating cable and connect to the network;
use heating tape;
use a heat gun for plastic pipes.

Recommendation. Users advise covering the heating area with insulation, so defrosting it will go faster. At the same time, passive heating itself is not suitable in case of frozen sewer pipes, because... The thermal insulation material does not heat, but only conserves heat.

External heating is not very popular due to the difficulty of removing frozen soil above the piping system. This begs the question, how to warm up a frozen sewer that is impossible to access? The answer is obvious - only from the inside.

Internal heating

The technology involves influencing ice from the inside, i.e. directly inside sewer pipe. Options include:

heating the wall if the sewer pipe is frozen indoors;

use hot water.

In order to clean a straight pipeline, you need to insert a rigid hose into the sewer and connect it to a funnel into which you pour water. As the ice melts, the hose can be advanced further. You can increase the effectiveness of the procedure by using water with salt. The ratio varies from 1:10 to 1:1 (salt: water).

To defrost a sewer pipeline of complex configuration, the same steps are performed, but a flexible hose is used. The hose is wound to a flexible wire in increments of 500 mm, so that the edge of the wire protrudes 20-30 mm above the edge of the hose. The end of the wire is bent inward for rigidity. The free edge of the wire should be 10-15 mm; its task is to avoid obstacles and guide the hose. As the water melts, the hose is pushed further. Instead of a funnel, you can use a pear.

When choosing this method, you need to consider that:

a) the water temperature must be more than 80 °C;

b) water supply is continuous;

c) excess water will come back out, so you need to install a container under the pipe to collect it.

The productivity of the method is 1 m per hour, with a pipe diameter of 110 mm.

using a welding machine connected on both sides to the pipe. Suitable for metal pipes;

using any intoxicating liquid, such as alcohol. From practice, volume 1 m.p. pipes with a diameter of 110 mm is 8 l. This method is expensive;

use of a steam generator.

What to do to prevent the sewer from freezing in winter?

To prevent re-freezing, it is necessary to periodically drain (especially during severe frosts) significant volumes of hot water into the pipeline.

The solution to the problem of water freezing in the sewer should not be limited to bringing the system into full functional readiness. After all, the possibility of re-freezing is not excluded.

Measures to prevent sewer freezing include:

correct . This procedure must be carried out at the stage of laying the pipeline;
laying pipes to a depth below the freezing point of the soil;
connecting a heating cable (resistive or self-regulating).