Winter Septic Maintenance Tips to Keep Your New Septic System Healthy

Maybe you have an old septic system, or you’re frantically googling “winter septic maintenance” because you’ve just had a new septic tank installation and want to know what if anything you can do for it in the winter.

The good news? There’s not a lot of maintenance needed in the winter. Some attentiveness is crucial, though, and there are also a few things you should avoid to keep your new septic tank healthy through the winter.

Leave the Grass Long

By all means, follow your regular fall and early winter landscaping routine. However, one way we suggest you deviate is with the length of your grass around the septic tank lid. This tip can be used year-round as well.

Keeping the grass around your lid 6” long (or more) will aid in the absorption of excess moisture. The last thing you want is for water to pool and settle around your lid. Why is moisture critical in the winter? We’re talking about late winter when all that beautiful snow turns into slush. Keeping the grass long around your tank will mitigate that.

Invest in a Thermal Lid Cover

A primary concern with a septic tank in winter weather is the formation of ice. The best way to minimize this is with a high-quality thermal lid cover. A lid cover does exactly what you think it will do; insulate the interior of your tank from the cold weather above it.

Some lid covers (sometimes they’re called “blankets”) require installation. If that’s the case, give us a call and we’ll work with you to choose and install one.

Don’t Shovel or Plow Snow Away from the Lid

Believe it or not, snow is an excellent thermal insulator. Just think of the famous “igloo” house designs of our indigenous neighbors up north. That is because snow is a lot of air and just a little water. Air pockets insulate us again hot and cold temperatures.

With that said, the snow coverage on top of your tank lid is an excellent insulator. No, it’s not transmitting cold temperatures into your tank; it’s actually keeping them away! Don’t plow or shovel that perfectly good snow away.

Don’t Park a Vehicle Over Your Tank

In the winter, it can be tempting to use our snow-covered yards as extra parking. After all, at some point, all that snow gets packed in, frozen, and it feels sturdy enough underfoot. While we can’t tell you where to put your cars, we suggest you keep them away from your tank.

The weight of even a small vehicle can stress your underground septic system, causing fractures, which turn into cracks, which turn into leaks. See where we’re going with this?

Use Plenty of Hot Water

A regular dose of old-fashioned hot water is good for your tank’s health in the cold winter months. Hot water serves to melt any ice formations and regulate the temperature of the interior of the tank. Warmer waters also help the natural enzymes in your tank do their jobs.

So, we’re officially permitting you to take that 45-minute hot shower every Sunday morning. The kind of shower that turns your bathroom into an Amazonian jungle and noticeably changes the humidity level of your entire home the second you open the bathroom door.

If You Don’t Use it, You Lose it

Many of us have septic systems in relatively isolated homes, and sometimes those homes aren’t our primary residences. As much as you’d like to wait for perfect weather to head over to your hunting cabin or vacation home, you need to understand that your septic tank is part of an active system.

That means you need to use it regularly. If it sits idle for too long, you’ll run into problems with debris settling to the bottom, solidifying, and causing you all kinds of problems in the future. How can you avoid this? Use your tank regularly (once a month, at the very least), and get it pumped every 3-5 years.

Winter Isn’t a Deal Breaker

Are you buying a new house and it has a septic system? Have you inherited a septic system and are unsure of its health? Maybe you’re thinking of a new septic system install and just have a few questions. Whatever the case is, septic systems are not deal-breakers.

They are relatively maintenance-free, and when maintained, they are extremely durable and hardy systems. The winter season is no exception. If you have any other questions or are thinking of finally getting your system inspected, then give us a call. We’ll give you confidence in your septic system, once and for all.