thawing a trailer house sewer line

SDE · Mar 26, 2018

A few years ago there was a water leak next to her trailer. They disturbed the water line insulation and heat tape. To prevent the water line from freezing when the temperature got below zero, she would need to run the water at a slow rate. I now believe that this slow and steady water flow has caused the sewer line to freeze. ( I have fixed the insulation) When she took her last shower, she was only able to wash her hair before the toilet started to gurgle and the water level in the toilet started to rise. Washing laundry is a complete disaster because the toilet will over flow and the tub will have about six inch of water in it. How can we thaw out this sewer line? The line is 3 or 4 inch black pipe. I believe that the blockage is not under the trailer, but out in front of the trailer where the driveway is located. I saw a You Tube video about ACE Liquid Fire. I think it is too dangerous to use and most likely it can not be used in plastic pipes. This line runs for about 40 feet under the trailer, and it is underground for the last 10 feet. I did not see an access plug in that section of the line. This pipe froze two years ago and the service call was $280. I have not looked at the line since then. I would think that they must have cut the line and then added a coupling. Any suggestions on how I can thaw it will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
SDE

Russ from MN · Mar 26, 2018

If there is clean out plug remove it and pump out as much as you can an then pump in hot water, over and over.

Steve@Advance · Mar 26, 2018

If it is just laying on the ground under the trailer, I would suspect that is where the freeze is, unless the weather has warmed above freezing.

Can you get some heat under the house, a torpedo heater, just to see?

Grandpa's Fords · Mar 26, 2018

If it's indeed froze there are different attachments for garden hoses that can inject hot water after you direct the hose to the blockage. It has been several years since I used or have seen one. Maybe someone else on here can chime in and know what I am talking about. I have used one but at least 30 years ago.
Good Luck to you

jeffcat · Mar 26, 2018

The torpedo heater is a good idea. Also the two stage HF heat gun puts out some heavy duty heat. Start at the lowest end of the drain and work back to higher level. You should hear when it lets go. Next step is some heat tape. Run it along the bottom of the pipe and use PLENTY of tywraps to keep good contact. For a super looking job wrap it with duct tape. Will hold everything and look professional.

TimV · Mar 26, 2018

I have a sewer line that will freeze occasionally--once every few years--but it's only a small section--about 3 or 4 feet--right where it goes into the septic tank. I made up a hose hooked to a gallon jug and put a cleanout elbow as close to the section as I could. I can now take out the cleanout plug, feed the hose down to the blockage, and start pouring hot water into the jug. By using the hose, the water gets to the ice plug when it's at its hottest, and once the pipe fills up I can lower the hose while it's still full and it will siphon the water back to a pail I put on the floor for the purpose, then start again with fresh hot water. A few treatments of this will melt the blockage and I'm back in business.

dpendzic · Mar 26, 2018

what I have done if hot water thru a hose is impractical is to get as much water out of the line and then add a gallon or 2 of boiling hot undiluted antifreeze, may take a day or so to work thru

tomturkey · Mar 26, 2018

As some others have said, run a hose from a hot water tap into the pipe, push it in til you hit the iceberg. Use one of those plastic nozzle ends that comes with a water balloon package. It creates a very small jet of water at high velocity to melt a hole into the ice blockage. gobble

SDE · Mar 26, 2018

When it was below zero and the water line had frozen, I had gone under the trailer and the dirt was not frozen. The trailer frame was 55 degrees and because the dirt is so dry it does not freeze. This is why I believe that the line must be froze out beyond the end of the trailer. If that is the case, then it should be the landlord's responsibility. If he is unwilling or unable to resolve this issue in a timely manner, I will be back under the trailer again. Maybe even today.
TY
SDE

da.bees · Mar 26, 2018

I would begin by trying to clear the line with a sewer snake. If you can't get through the blockage,you will at least know exactly where line is blocked.

DENNIS MIN · Mar 26, 2018

sde,

If possible, locate whre you suspect the blockage, start a good wood fire on the ground above that area. It may only take an hour or so but that ground will thaw.

D.

steve706 · Mar 26, 2018

Liqui-fire is great simple stuff that works on frozen drainage pipes for trailers on underground ice plugs that you can?t get access to. It is safe to use on all types of plastics, so damage is not an issue. The only thing it is not recommended for is using on is potable incoming water lines, that?s about it. I?ve used it numerous times on my buried sump piping, and it works without a doubt and hasn?t caused any problems. It has saved me a lot time and grief compared to digging or crawling around under a trailer.

paul · Mar 26, 2018

Actually, that brand you have pictured -is- labeled for drinking water, I think they want you to just flush the lines after use. There are several similar sounding products that are -not- for fresh water lines.

I wonder what the ingredient is? It just has to be some version of antifreeze, an alchohol of some sort. Would work best if it were heavier than water, which might make it a salt solution of some sort? Wonder if it just ends up being calcium chloride.

Typically you have to label the ingredients, but on line they sure keep that info absent from showing! Must be a simpler ingredient that you can buy a lot cheaper than $25 a bottle......

Paul

steve706 · Mar 26, 2018

It?s not certified for use with drinking water due to the company not listing all the ingredients of the product in their MSDS listing. Their claim for omitting some parts, is that their recipe is simple natural products that can be reproduced by anyone knowing all the ingredients. I said not recommended since who wants to drink out of a supply that?s had an unknown agent run through it, that?s the gov?t stance on this product, and I have no problem believing them in this case. I have used it on frozen drainage pipes and that?s the only recommendation I will personally vouch for.

showcrop · Mar 26, 2018

(quoted from post at 09:10:21 03/26/18) Actually, that brand you have pictured -is- labeled for drinking water, I think they want you to just flush the lines after use. There are several similar sounding products that are -not- for fresh water lines.

I wonder what the ingredient is? It just has to be some version of antifreeze, an alchohol of some sort. Would work best if it were heavier than water, which might make it a salt solution of some sort? Wonder if it just ends up being calcium chloride.

Typically you have to label the ingredients, but on line they sure keep that info absent from showing! Must be a simpler ingredient that you can buy a lot cheaper than $25 a bottle......

Paul

Ether

coshoo · Mar 26, 2018

Too bad its not a metal pipe- you could thaw it with an arc welder. Couple of guys were doing just that in Seattle, on copper potable water pipes, of course. Did it at one place, asked the homeowner for 20 bucks, he balked and said "But it only took you 5 minutes". Homeowner yelled at his partner out by the welder, "He doesn't like the price, Ed, reverse the polarity." Homeowner said, "no, no, that's alright" and handed him a 20.

buickanddeere · Mar 26, 2018

Who would install a sewer line without burying it deep enough not to freeze ?

Patsdeere · Mar 26, 2018

I agree about landlord responsibility. I would make him call a plumber to fix it right (like putting a clean out in outside the unit) and right now.

DoubleO7 · Mar 26, 2018

(quoted from post at 13:56:31 03/26/18) I agree about landlord responsibility. I would make him call a plumber to fix it right (like putting a clean out in outside the unit) and right now.

Maybe not be landlord responsibility if it is in a trailer park where you own the trailer and pay lot rent and utilities only.
Maybe only landlord outside trailer perimeter.

DoubleO7 · Mar 26, 2018

May not be frozen.
If septic, maybe the system can not take being flooded with water 24/7 anymore.
Maybe she was running the water more than necessary.

ss55 · Mar 26, 2018

Is the trailer on a municipal sanitary sewer or on it's own septic system? I would think a continuous trickle of water flowing through a sewer line would help prevent the sewer line from freezing. If it is on a septic system, could the septic system be overloaded by too much water?

I would run a snake or a garden hose down the sewer line to verify if it is truly obstructed or not.

dhermesc · Mar 26, 2018

If it is just running slow the line is not frozen. If she's taking a shower and running hot water down the line and it drains but at half speed the entire time its definitely not ice building up in the line - the stream of hot water would clear it. To be honest it sounds like the typical half clogged sewer line.

RedGreenGuy · Mar 26, 2018

Are you sure its frozen underground. I took care of small mobile home park for free rent when in college, If sewer line did not have sufficient fall continuous slow running water always froze the pipe above ground. 40 trailers in the park. One February temp did not get above 0 for 15 days. Had 2 or 3 freeze each day from running stools

paul · Mar 26, 2018

Interesting. I understand your point of view.

The company web site claims differently, but not the first time a company would be 2 faced on safety......

Paul

jeffcat · Mar 26, 2018

Another thought just clicked on. Does this person pour Grease down the drain? Man o man can you ever have a massive plug of stuff in that line. If the line will slowly drain down over night try pouring boiling hot water from your range top down the drain first thing. Will clear frozen or grease mess.

steve706 · Mar 26, 2018

I think it boils down to the fact that whatever items that go into the product are easily accessible to anyone and they want to keep their secret. Can?t blame them, but not going to rely on drinking water claims with no proof other than manufacturers.

mj · Mar 26, 2018

You are probably right about someone disturbing the line being the problem,,,,,,,,,,,look for a 'low spot' in the drain line. Leaving a 'trickle' of water going will cause the water to freeze, The most sure-fire way to thaw under a trailer is to use a torpedo heater. Set it about 4 feet away from the opening in the skirting and using s sheet of ply wood to keep the heat down and going through the hole while 'buffering' the heat so that the chance of catching anything on fire is mitigated. It should take about a half-hour to get enough heat underneath to thaw a 14x70. 8)

Royse · Mar 26, 2018

I had three different plumbing companies come examine a trailer
that would back up like that, but this one did it in the summer too.
What they finally found was that someone repaired the insulation/
added insulation under the house. The added weight of the extra
insulation bowed the plastic drain pipe causing a low spot.
It was all hidden by the "bag" that holds that insulation up there.

Texasmark1 · Mar 27, 2018

Alaskans! No brag, just fact.

showcrop · Mar 27, 2018

(quoted from post at 10:33:28 03/26/18)
Who would install a sewer line without burying it deep enough not to freeze ?

My sewer line here in NH runs only a foot or so down for most of the 200 or so feet because of ledge. No problem. Now if I were to let water run a trickle for hours and hours I could probably get it to freeze up.

mj · Mar 27, 2018

(quoted from post at 11:33:28 03/26/18)
Who would install a sewer line without burying it deep enough not to freeze ?

Me and about a million other people, I reckon. You've got to get it from the trailer to the ground...............I guess that's where 'heat tape' comes in. :roll: Mine runs in the air for about 50 feet, hasn't frozen in over 40 years. Don't forget that a septic system generates it's own heat that will keep most of the drain piping thawed.

MarionGoering · Mar 30, 2018

Have you ever consulted a professional plumber to get this issue solved? If not, then I would advise you to have a word with them to get the clear and effective solution. Without any hesitation you can consult trenchless sewer repairs NJ team who are expert plumbing contractors and can help you out in getting the issue solved soon.

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