What is a Septic Heater?
The Septic Heater is a device that prevents septic systems from freezing in the winter. It fits securely to the existing access pipe
(4" SDR35) above a septic tank, a lift station, or a drop box in the drainfield of a
septic system and blows warm air into the system.
The air is naturally vented out the existing soil stack (main vent) of the
home. The Septic Heater is easy to install,
it simply slides over your and onto your 4" pipe! The heater is
powered using an outdoor extension cord. It is put on in early winter,
and removed in the spring.
The Septic Heater comes with a three year limited warranty
and has an expected life of 20,000 hours, or 20 seasons.
Why a Septic Heater?
Installing a Septic Heater is the safest and most dependable way to prevent
septic system freeze-up.
-
Other
heaters such as stock tank heaters are not designed for septic systems.
They short out and can be dangerous. Use in a septic tank is NOT
recommended by heater manufacturers and is illegal.
-
Placing
straw or hay over a septic system can help insulate if placed on early
enough and thick enough. However, it's labor intensive, attracts mice,
requires messy spring clean-up, and has marginal success rates.
-
Steaming or jetting your pipes after freeze-up is expensive and will damage
your pipes.
-
Pumping
out your tank every few weeks when your line is frozen is expensive and
inconvenient because water use is so limited (you'll want to know where the
nearest Laundromat is).
-
An
undetected freeze-up will cause raw sewage to back up into your home or cabin. Damage
to drywall and flooring can cost thousands of dollars.
Installation
Installation is simple and can be done by a homeowner or
an onsite professional. The
Septic Heater is installed on an existing 4” riser/access pipe
extending from the tank or drop box of a septic system. Because our
pipe is a standard size, adapters can be purchased to make the Septic Heater
mountable on any system.
The Septic Heater is installed above the tank if pipe
is freezing
between the house and tank or in the tank itself. If it is freezing in the
drainfield, the Septic Heater is installed above a drop box or cleanout in gravity systems
(no pumps) or above
the lift station in mound systems.
Airflow is critical.
The Septic Heater must be placed such that the air has an escape route. In gravity
systems the air will naturally vent out of the main vent (on your roof).
In a mound system, though, you would not install the Septic Heater in the
mound (after the pump) because the air cannot vent
thru the pump.
Instead you would place it over the lift station so air can vent out the
main vent of the
house.
Gravity septic system
Mound septic system
 
IMPORTANT
The Septic
Heater must be installed on a properly functioning septic system.
All traps
must have water in them to prevent gases from entering the home or cabin.
The Septic Heater is not intended
to thaw frozen septic systems...but it will eventually thaw a frozen
tank. If a pipe is completely block with ice, it must be
professionally thawed. Then install a Septic Heater to prevent future freeze-ups.
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