How do you thaw frozen drain pipes?

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asked Jun 23, 2022 in Maintenance/Repairs by Twinkletoes (530 points)
How do you thaw frozen drain pipes?

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answered Jun 29, 2022 by Salmorejo (40,200 points)
You can thaw frozen drain pipes by pouring hot water down the drain pipes and also use a heater set to blow heat onto the frozen drain pipes.

Pipes will eventually unfreeze on their own naturally, but this takes far more time and before thawing occurs the freezing could become much worse.

This could eventually lead to the pipe bursting and causing significantly more damage.

It's better to proactively thaw a frozen pipe size than let it persist.

Copper Sulfate will kill roots in septic tanks and drain pipes.

There are special chemicals designed to kill tree roots in a septic tank system so they don't grow back.

Copper sulfate septic treatments are the most common.

This method is especially effective as it creates a poison barrier within the soil that kills the tree roots before they can grow into the pipe.

Flush 2 pounds of granular copper sulfate down the toilet for every 300 gallons of water that the septic tank holds.

Copper sulfate kills and dissolves tree roots as they absorb the tank's water.

After entering a tank, the majority of copper sulfate settles in tank, and little passes into the leach bed line.

Tree roots can grow into PVC pipe.

If trees are planted near PVC pipe or you bury PVC pipe near trees the Tree roots can eventually grow into the PVC pipe and crack it and split it open.

While tree roots can penetrate PVC pipe, it's more durable and does not break down as easily as other materials.

Note where the trees are on your property, including the species they are.

The flow of warm water inside the sanitary sewer service pipe causes water vapor to escape to the cold soil surrounding the pipe.

Tree roots are attracted to the water vapor leaving the pipe and they follow the vapor trail to the source of the moisture, which are usually cracks or loose joints in the sewer pipe.

Copper sulfate is a natural herbicide and will kill off the small tree roots invading your sewer pipes.

Flushing half a cup of the crystals down the toilet should do the trick.

Inserting a 3/4-inch PVC pipe inside of a 2 inch PVC pipe for short distance (10-20 feet).

If a tree trunk or root pushes into the pipe and breaks the 2 inch PVC, that should give the 3/4 inch pipe that's inside some protection.

Placing small rocks under, and on the sides, and finally above the pipe.

If not disturbed once inside the pipes, tree roots will completely fill the pipe, expanding and exerting considerable pressure at the crack or joint where they entered the pipe as the roots continue to grow.

The force exerted by the root growth will break the pipe and may result in total collapse of the pipe.

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