I have a 30ft.run of 3in. abs pipe connecting bathroom to septic tank. It runs pretty well unprotected under the the cottage. Is there a safe way (product)availible to keep this pipe from eventually freezing in extreme cold.Many thanks from the north.

Normally it should never freeze as nothing should be sitting in that 30 ft run. If you have the proper drop per 10ft, any waste should pass quickly from the house to the septic tank.

How deep is the 3inch ?? pipe in the ground? 3 inch is really not large enough.
Best Wishes

You can put two bathroom groups on a 3 inch line. But check the pitch and see if there are any dips in the pipe maybe not enough hangers.

[www.tycothermal.com]

Packy,
Frostex is not to be used on empty pipe.
I did some inquiring when I first started using it. The Mfr. explicitly told me it is for water piping only, and only if those pipes are full of water.(fire hazard)
What I have found is that if folks would keep their toilets from leaking(flapper valve), there would be way less problems with frozen waste lines. Those lines freeze because the drip never makes it to the tank/sewer and freezes. Drip after drip causes an ice dam in the pipe, and soon the whole thing is frozen solid. Steaming or warm weather seems to be the cure.
Also, if folks would make sure that skirting under their mobile homes is not full of holes, then the wind can't rob the little heat that's under there.

---------------

i never knew that.
i always thought that since frostex is self-regulating that it couldn't get too hot...
thanks for the info.

Don't let anything leak a continuous small stream of water and it CANNOT freeze.

quote; How deep is the 3inch ?? pipe in the ground? 3 inch is really not large enough.

3" not large enough? We have thousands of homes with a 3" line to the city main, (or septic tank), as long as they have 3 toilets or fewer.

I too contacted Frostex a mile back when the product was first introduced and was advised that the produce was used on downspouts, and liquid supply piping. I was also informed that unlike its old competitor, the Frostex product could be double and triple wrapped to ensure a uniform supply of heat to the surface of the piping. I don't know or remember what was said about its underground capabilities and I'm going to have to call them once again.

Thanks for the reminder.
Best Wishes

The pipe needs to be protected from the freezing temperatures. If it is not now, close in the crawl space from the outside and allow some heat to keep the pipe temperature above 35 F degrees. There is no other sure way to stop the freezing.

- - - - - - - - - -

Retired after 50 years of plumbing and heating.

If there is no water in the pipe, and the only water that flows through it is in intermittent bursts, what is there to freeze?

exactly.
it's the constant drip that builds a dam, NOT a full flush.

---------------

You can always wrap the pipe in insulation, and make sure during the colder months that the area under your cottage is protected from wind. If the pipe is pitched correctly, then water should not have standing water in the pipe that will freeze. Also with the pipe protected the heat generated from your septic tank should keep in the inside a little warmer.

I have an electrical sump pump and just added a water backup sump too. The water backup produces a slow drip outside that freezes the outlet/discharge solid. I can't figure out why and neither can the water backup installer. He put in a new water powered backup and it's leaking too. When you turn off the water supply to the water backup, the leaking stops. Please help/advise. Thanks, Wade

woliver- sounds like you need to take out that one and install a battery back up. No running water there unless the main fails.

The water control on the water powered pump is leaking, THAT is why it drips.