 New invention
Sunday, February 01, 2004
Needed: People with gravity-based
septic systems to test invention
By Michelle Ruckdaschel
Staff Writer
mruckdaschel@bemidjipioneer.com
A Northfield, Minn., man with
a vision to prevent frozen septic systems is looking for people to test his Septic Heater
invention this winter.
“My
septic froze up last winter,” said Chris Norgaard, president of the Northfield-based
The Septic Heater Company. He lived in Bemidji during his elementary school years, and
still has family in the area.
After his
system froze last year, Norgaard stood out in his drain field and wondered how he could
have prevented the septic mess.
His
answer: warm air.
For the
past nine months, Norgaard has been designing and testing a septic heater to prevent
gravity-based septic systems from freezing up.
Norgaard
quit his job as a project manager and an estimator for an earth moving company to pursue
developing his invention full time.
He added
that if he didn’t try, he would always scratch his head and wonder if his idea would
work. A patent is pending for the Septic Heater.
The Septic
Heater is a device that attaches to the riser pipe above a drop box in the drain field. It
is powered with a heavy-duty outdoor extension cord and activated by a sensor in the drop
box.
When water
in the drop box gets cold enough, the heater activates and blows warm air into the system
until the water is heated to a certain temperature. When the water cools again, the heater
is reactivated.
And,
Norgaard added, the warm air is naturally vented out the existing soil stack.
“They
can put this thing on and they don’t even have to think about it,” he said.
“It will just save a lot of headache and hassle.”
Norgaard
said his invention would be especially ideal for people with cabins who are only there
occasionally.
“Primarily,
septic systems that don’t get used often tend to freeze up,” he said.
Adding
heat in the water right before it goes into the drain field also helps to break down
bacteria, Norgaard added. Safety features are built in to prevent overheating, and a light
on the unit indicates that it is running correctly.
Norgaard
calls his invention the first and only proactive way to prevent frozen systems. He said
preventative tactics including piling hay or straw over a system don’t always work.
The straw also requires cleanup in springtime, he said.
He added
that the Septic Heater is not meant to thaw frozen pipes, and should be installed before
pipes freeze.
Norgaard
is looking for 10 people with gravity-based septic systems to test his Septic Heater this
winter.
“So
far, my testing has been inside a refrigerated semi trailer,” he said.
Inside the
trailer, he tested his invention at intake air temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees,
with and without a trickle of water flowing through the pipes. The trailer had 150 feet of
pipes kept at temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees, which simulates frozen ground. The
heater generated enough heat to keep the pipes from freezing, Norgaard said.
Although
frosty Minnesota temperatures reach below minus 20 degrees, he said such cold isn’t
usually for a prolonged period. And frost, he added, takes time to penetrate the ground.
After some tweaking, Norgaard said he feels his Septic Heater is
ready for real life testing. Anyone interested in testing the Septic Heater on their
gravity septic system may contact Norgaard toll-free at (888) 41-SEPTIC or
chris@septicheater.com. |
