I seek advice on how to insulate a partially exposed pvc (septic) drainage pipe that comes out of my new addition and goes to my septic tank. Several factors prevented any other options other than a partially exposed pipe. I am concerned that the pipe may freeze up and clog this winter due to the exposed portion. I can only cover it with 3 or 4 inches of fill dirt due to foundation height. Is there an insulation product for use in the ground? Approximately 4+ feet is exposed, with half of the pvc above ground, the other half setting in the ground as it then gradually sinks down under the ground and into the holding tank about 10 feet away. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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You could box it in with 2" SM foam, then backfill as best you can. Keep in mind that septic systems generate a bit of heat as they "cook", and that there will be a bit of flow.
Three to four inches isn't a lot of cover, though. How cold does it get in your area?
What he said, plus, after you've done your best effort of insulating, be vigilant with regard to the inside plumbing--don't allow a drip to develop in any faucet or fixture because a small amount of drainage would be subject to freezing, whereas a slug of water from any fixture in the addition will actually add heat to the pipe.
How about something like hay or pine straw? it could be reused in the spring. The OP didn't put any location info in his profile, but we used to use straw to protect plants in Virginia when I was a little kid.jose c.
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"Though I don't think" added Deep Thought "that you're going to like it."
>>>How about something like hay or pine straw?Like you say, that would work in Virginia. I'm afraid it wouldn't do here, unless you laid it a couple of fee deep.
Scott,
Thanks for the suggestion of boxing the area in. I live in northern Michigan, so we get a lot of insulating snow cover quickly and can easily have single digit temperatures for 30 days or more (like we did last winter). It can get nasty cold up here and I guess that is why I am concerned.
duanescott
Just a general point that you only want to insulate the TOP (and sides, to some extent) of the pipe. You want heat to come in from the earth below.
(BTW, where do you live, and how cold does it get there?)
DanH,
Thanks for the "insulate on top" suggestion. I live in northwest Michigan and the temperatures can be nasty... single digits for 30 days or more as we had last season. Fortunately we also have heavy, lake effect, snowfall, which insulates the ground rather effectively... if I don't foolishly shovel it off, which I have in the past.
duanescott
Yeah, basically, if you have the room, you'd want to insulate maybe 4 feet horizontally from the pipe in each direction. This creates a warm spot in the ground.
A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to extend a helping hand to others. It's a weak nation, like a weak person, that must behave with bluster and boasting and rashness and other signs of insecurity. --Jimmy Carter
If its that close to the surface, a chase has merit, need to be concerned about mechanical damage.
MikeInsert initially amusing but ultimately annoying catch phrase here.
Any possibility of a raised bed planter, kitchen herb garden or flower box variety ? 6x6's three or four high, you could line the bottom with plenty of foam, topsoil might only be 12" deep. Might be attractive.Greg
I lived with an exposed septic pipe in my house for 13 years. It never froze. Eastern Mass weather in single digits negative occasionally.
I have a pipe that is exposed like that also, in NH, although only for about 18" with air contact, then very shallow covering for another foot or so. No real problems with it.Building on the insulate-above-cover-lightly suggestions (which will work, much like the "Frost Protected Shallow Foundation [FPSF] technique), how about this for a little added protection to put below the 2" of foam above the pipe:Dig a narrow trench about three feet deep under the four feet of pipe. Place a thick (1/4" ?) plate of aluminum in the trench, with the top edge right up to the pipe. Place 1" XPS foam on either side of the plate, leaving perhaps the bottom foot and top few inches of plate not covered. Backfill the trench, add the 2" XPS foam on top and whatever dirt or other protection you can layer over the foam.The idea would be to use the highly conducting plate to help draw heat up from the ground, without losing much along the way to the soil.Would I do this if it were my place? Frankly no. It's belts-suspenders protection on top of already more-than-adequate insurance (the layer of foam on top of the pipe), all to address a problem unlikely to occur if the pipe is sloped properly. Every time a faucet is run or a toilet is flushed, a slug of heat enters the pipe anyway.
Ideally you would build some sort of a pipe chase over this pipe that could be well insulated. Often this is done with rigid XPS foam board cut and taped together with red Glasclad (Tuck) sheathing tape. Raw like that it does look a little 'trailer park' tho; so you might want to build a more finished looking chase out of some scrap siding or whatever's handy that looks decent.
However, the most important thing is that this waste line must be sloped enough so that it will drain completely every time. It must not have any dips in it that could hold a 'belly' of water which will freeze.
Last bit of advice would be to make sure you've got a clean-out that will allow you to stick a steamer in there if it does freeze. You don't want to be digging this up in the middle of the winter.
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
foolish men call Justice....
" a steamer.."
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" a steamer.."
Snork.
What's funny?
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
At your own risk:http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=steamer
When gutter slang so dominates the language that everything and anything one says is interpreted as either defecation or fornication, ya hafta wonder about the future of the race....
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
>G<
>>>ya hafta wonder about the future of the race.......and the English language... <grin>
Been wondering about that for 40 years already....
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
Go read Chaucer. Nothing new here, folks, move along please.jose c.
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"Though I don't think" added Deep Thought "that you're going to like it."
Yah. I oughta check the 'definition' of 'Forty-Two' in that 'urban dictionary' but was afraid it would say something about the length of a 'steamer'.
Chaucer was bawdy, but elegant and creative and funny. Shakespeare and Sheridan, too. And Molière as well, if you want to get a little non-English perspective to help you place things.
This stuff, OTOH, is so utterly predictable that it is of no conceivable interest to anyone except those with the IQ of a retarded lump of igneous rock.
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
Dinosaur,
Great suggestions...thanks. great name too.
duanescott
Might help if we knew if you were in Key west or Duluth.
Mike
/Junkman001,
Closer to Duluth. Northern Michigan...single digit temperatures and plenty of snow.
duanescott
Water doesn't stand in the pipe, it just flows through. There won't be any water in it to freeze. If there is, you have other problems.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
There won't be any water in it to freeze. If there is, you have other problems>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I agree completely. I never worry if the pipe is burried just a little, there is plenty of warmth for the pipe to never freeze. I have seen pictires of pipes in Alaska that are above ground all the time and they don't freeze often there.
Hammer1,
Good point, maybe I am overthinking this septic flow thing.
duanescott