Seems like this year in Ohio we are getting a larger number of frozen sewer pipes. I’m talking about the pipes suspended from the home going from the drop at the home and running 30- 40 ft until it enters the sewer pipe coming out of the ground. At one park we just had new main sewer lines installed and the riser coming up from the ground is now near the front corner of each home (the older ones were right in the middle making underground repairs very difficult). So now some of those runs of the 3 inch pipe are longer than before and are freezing up. It is my understanding that the correct slope for those 3 inch pipes should be 1/4" drop per foot of horizontal run. For those of you in cold climates have you had similar problems and have any clever solutions?
I have seen that problem only when the resident was dripping water or a leaking toilet. When it happened with an RV I said it was their problem and do not drip water again that is the simple fix.
Correct, 1/4 inch per foot, or 2% grade, gives you what’s called the scouring velocity. This is generally the minimum acceptable slope and produces the speed of water that keeps solids from accumulating in the pipe. However, from the MH to the finished grade entry could be a higher slope or grade without any adverse effect, even a beneficial effect in cold weather areas. Of course, as Carl points out above you don’t want to have any drips either because these would eventually freeze in the pipe and plug it. You might try the heat trace tape for especially difficult situations.As an aside, the only things that belong in the sewer are the 3 P’s, pee, poop, and (toilet) paper. Everything else, especially those ‘wipes’ made from non woven material, are verboten. The 3 P’s are ‘digestable’, thus rendered harmless, when they reach the sewer plant. I say this because some packages of wipes actually say they are flushable but are not digestable and often ‘snag’ or ‘bunch’ in various places downstream.Jim Allen
YEP water dripping someplace. Leaking faucet, bad toilet flappers, or the homeowner trickling water to keep it from freezing.
I know this is not a new issue, but in Michigan with this recent deep freeze, we are really having a problem with frozen pipes. Already replaced all heat tape this year. ANy ideas about putting a temporary heater (portable heater) under MH , plugging it in during fridge times?
THanks for any input,
CHarlene
New to this business. First winter as the owner and the NYS winter is brutal now. All the homes are resident owned in the park. Who is responsible for the frozen pipes to the septic tanks, park owner or the home owner? Assumption is park owner but wanted to make sure. Same question for the water pipes. It is a city water to the park but distribution lines to each house are in question?
Thanks in advance.