How to insulate sewer pipes in a private house with your own hands

Waste water can form an ice plug. This is especially true when the septic tank is located far from the house, and the level of the line is not deep, that is, it is in the low temperature zone. If the sewer system is not insulated during installation, an ice block may occur in the winter season, which can break through the pipe and disable the system for a long time.

When is it necessary to insulate pipes

Even in the warmest regions, there are situations when the thermometer drops below zero degrees. Water freezes at this temperature. Congestion can occur at night when the sewer is not in use and water stagnates inside the pipe. This happens most often when solid particles are present in the wastewater. They form a cork quickly. It will take time to find the problem area, excavate it, warm it up with instruments and rinse it. It is not a fact that the blockage will not form again the next night. Therefore, the only way to protect yourself from inconvenience is to insulate the external sewer pipes at the installation stage.

It is necessary to insulate the pipeline in the following cases:

• The depth of laying the sewer is less than 160 cm. Pipes are rarely laid at such a depth in an autonomous home system, because digging trenches will cost more than buying insulation materials. The septic tank, taking into account the slope of the highway, will have to be installed at least 2.5 m in depth. Repairing pipes with such a deepening will be problematic, not to mention the additional costs of installing inspection chambers.
• In the northern regions, even at 160 cm, the soil freezes strongly and for a long time, therefore the use of insulation is a guarantee of the comfort and integrity of the sewer system.
• Insulation for sewer pipes in the ground is necessary if it was not possible to perform a gravity system and a pump is used to move the drains. When disconnected, an ice plug may occur, which the pump cannot push out and breaks or breaks the pipe.
• The diameter of the outer line is 110 cm or less. In this case, the water inside will freeze quickly, even if the septic tank is located nearby.
• Dirt entering the drain will form a clot of ice and debris that will be difficult to rinse out with water from your home.

The ventilation system of the sewerage system of a private house requires insulation, since the condensate formed at low temperatures will flow down and emit unpleasant odors.

Which parts of the pipeline require special attention

Particularly vulnerable to low temperatures are sections of the pipe that are located at the exit from the house - at the junction of the internal and external sewerage systems. This place is actually in the air, the temperature of which is much lower than in the ground.

If a pump is used to pump wastewater, the pipe joint must also be insulated to prevent freezing. Otherwise, the equipment may be damaged.

Depending on where the drains are discharged - into the centralized sewage system or into a ditch, this place is also subject to insulation.In front of a common main, domestic water slows down the flow rate and can easily freeze. The ditch is located on the surface of the soil, where the temperature in winter drops to minus values. To use the system, you will have to wait for heat or urgently take measures to remove the ice plug.

It is recommended to wrap pipes along their entire length with insulating materials so as not to carry out repair work in the winter cold in the frozen ground. In winter, this will have to be done with the help of equipment, which will cost more than the same work in the summer.

The main methods of insulation

The most common ways to insulate a sewer pipe are:

• an engineering method in which preliminary calculations are carried out and the highway is laid deeper than the soil freezes in a given region;
• active method - heating pipes with electricity using a cable;
• thermal insulation - the use of various artificial insulation materials or natural expanded clay.

Each method has pros and cons.

Laying sewers below the level of soil freezing

Not always a reliable and affordable method, since the length of the section will not allow you to maintain the required slope. This method may require a fairly large amount of money for construction work. Even if you use cast iron products that tolerate cold well, they will cost three times more, excluding the cost of work. It is also expensive to repair deep seated sewers. It is cheaper to buy synthetics and impose pipes.

Heat insulating materials

There are many different insulation materials that are wrapped around the sewer. Foamed polyethylene is most suitable for the basement. Its low density is not effective in soil.

Mineral wool is the most famous insulation, but not the most practical. When wet in the ground, it loses its qualities, so you need to take care of waterproofing. In a dry environment, this is a good option.

Penoizol is an expensive but resistant material that is suitable for underground insulation. Construction companies work with him, but many cannot afford it.

Penofol - simultaneously solves the problem of insulation and waterproofing, therefore it is often used when installing a sewage system. It's cheap.

Expanded clay - a natural material made of baked clay is also used as insulation. For this, a layer is poured under the pipes. After laying, the sewage system is sprinkled on top, then soil is brought in and compacted. Expanded clay is resistant to moisture, therefore it is an ideal option for storm sewers.

Styrofoam is a cheap way, but you will need to build something in the form of a box around the highway, and then fill it with crumbs. The foam is often damaged by rodents, so it is recommended to line the pipes with a metal mesh with small holes.

Expanded polystyrene shell for pipes. Minimum thickness 25 mm, maximum 100 mm. Allows you to keep the sewerage system working when laid to a depth of 0.5 m at a temperature of -30 degrees. When applying the material to the joint, the places are wrapped with tape so that no shifts occur during sprinkling with soil.

Polyurethane foam shell is a material that is not sensitive to moisture. Service life up to 25 years. Made in the form of halves that have a lock. They are dressed in turn and strengthened with scotch tape. On top there is additional thermal insulation in the form of a foil layer.

Electric heating cable

An electric cable of sufficient power is used in the country, where sewage is rarely used. By turning on the heating, they not only maintain the desired temperature in the sewer, but also defrost it so that the pipe does not break.

The cord must be placed along the pipe and wrapped with tape. Heating is regulated automatically. When the temperature drops below zero degrees, the sensor automatically turns on the heating system.It is possible to insulate sewer pipes in a private house with your own hands using an electric cable if you have experience, but in order to avoid electric shock, it is better to invite a master.

Sandwich pipes are ready-to-install sewer parts with pre-existing insulation consisting of several layers. This method is more expensive than buying plastic pipes and insulation separately.

How to insulate ventilation

Only the part that goes to the roof needs to be protected from freezing. This requires copper wire without winding. It is twisted into a ball along the diameter of the fan pipe. The ends are folded over so that you can hook on the edges. The principle of this method is based on the ability of copper to accumulate and release heat. Warm air rises from the room, warming the wire. It gives off heat to the pipe and melts the ice that forms as a result of condensation drainage.

Recommendations for choosing a method of pipe insulation

It is possible to recommend what exactly to choose for insulating a sewer pipe only if climatic conditions are taken into account. The thickness of the material will depend on how far the temperature drops, as well as how deep the line is.

When using glass wool, the place where the insulation will be made is taken into account. When embedded in the ground, it is necessary to buy a waterproofing material and wrap it tightly into the pad so that moisture does not get inside.

If the budget allows, it is more practical to use expensive materials, so as not to overpay for pipe repairs or replacement of insulation later.

Material prices

At first glance, some materials may seem quite cheap, but then it turns out that something else needs to be bought for them in order to increase the service life. Therefore, it is recommended to focus on the shelf life of heaters, as well as on the degree of insulation from frost. Some materials have a low density, so they will not save from freezing if they are wrapped around the sewer and laid in the ground.

The cost can be influenced by: the possibility of reuse, resistance to mechanical damage, the level of thermal conductivity, as well as additional qualities - the elimination of vibrations and noise absorption, when it comes to insulating sections of the internal sewage system.