sewer vents
- Thread starter mit
- Start date
Research
Research
When I lived in Shaktoolik, at -50-60 temps. the vents in the school would freeze up. I was able to find a company that made a vent pipe heater. But it was many years ago. But they do exist.
Research
When I lived in Shaktoolik, at -50-60 temps. the vents in the school would freeze up. I was able to find a company that made a vent pipe heater. But it was many years ago. But they do exist.
That is what I have been thinking about. Been living in the place for 20 years seems to be getting worse. I think I will crawl up in the attic and insulate the pipe as it goes through.
Did you ever meet the Shishmaref Cannonball while you where at Shaktoolik?
helmuth
New member
type of pipe
type of pipe
What is you sewer vent made of? ABS, PVC, BI ?
type of pipe
What is you sewer vent made of? ABS, PVC, BI ?
ABS......................
Nope
Nope
Did you ever meet the Shishmaref Cannonball while you where at Shaktoolik?
No, never heard of it.
Nope
Did you ever meet the Shishmaref Cannonball while you where at Shaktoolik?
No, never heard of it.
swapdonkey
New member
heat tape
heat tape
You can wrap heat tape like you would use on your well on your vent also. I just go up a couple times a year and dump 5 gallons of hot water down the vent. I have also heard of useing hot RV antifreeze. Just make sure it is the rv stuff so, it doesn't kill the bugs in the septic tank.
heat tape
You can wrap heat tape like you would use on your well on your vent also. I just go up a couple times a year and dump 5 gallons of hot water down the vent. I have also heard of useing hot RV antifreeze. Just make sure it is the rv stuff so, it doesn't kill the bugs in the septic tank.
Fire
Fire
If I remember in my research in Shaktoolik, that fire could be a problem. I don't think wrapping the pipe on the outside would do much good. It would have to get too hot to be effective on the inside of an uninsulated pipe. The tapes I found, went on the inside and were not recommended for PVC.
IF I was going to do it with PVC. I would find an access point inside the house and drill a 3/4 - 1" hole in the vent pipe. Take the heat tape and insert it into a piece of 3/4 copper pipe, cap on one end, 45 elbow on the other with a 1" nipple on the 45. Insert the copper from the top, down to the 1" hole and pull it through and seal around the 1" nipple. (Might have to remove the plug to pull it through) Run the wire from the pipe wrap to an outlet or somewhere you can plug it in if needed to thaw the pipe.
Does this make sense? Then you are heating from the inside of the pipe when you need it and not in direct contact with the PVC.
Does this sound practical to you other do-it-yourselfers?
Fire
If I remember in my research in Shaktoolik, that fire could be a problem. I don't think wrapping the pipe on the outside would do much good. It would have to get too hot to be effective on the inside of an uninsulated pipe. The tapes I found, went on the inside and were not recommended for PVC.
IF I was going to do it with PVC. I would find an access point inside the house and drill a 3/4 - 1" hole in the vent pipe. Take the heat tape and insert it into a piece of 3/4 copper pipe, cap on one end, 45 elbow on the other with a 1" nipple on the 45. Insert the copper from the top, down to the 1" hole and pull it through and seal around the 1" nipple. (Might have to remove the plug to pull it through) Run the wire from the pipe wrap to an outlet or somewhere you can plug it in if needed to thaw the pipe.
Does this make sense? Then you are heating from the inside of the pipe when you need it and not in direct contact with the PVC.
Does this sound practical to you other do-it-yourselfers?
Unalakleet yooper
New member
I painted the pvc pipe black to absorb heat and that helped alot
kioti
New member
frost ?
frost ?
someone once told me to swab the inside of the pipe with vasoline,
frost will no stick to it??
frost ?
someone once told me to swab the inside of the pipe with vasoline,
frost will no stick to it??
This subject came up at work last week too due to the cold temps here in the Interior. One fellow suggested a similar fix in that he said I bends a piece of rebar into a hook that won't fall completely down the vent so that it hooks over the top of the vent. He claims that the rebar will transmit the heat up and won't allow the frost to completely seal off the vent.
Easy and cheap fix if it works. Meanwhile you are up there one more time to clean it out while installing the hook.
Unalakleet yooper
New member
that maybe funny but it worked
Caleb Humphrey
New member
PVC
PVC
PVC is white, ABS is black!!
PVC
The pvc is already black
PVC is white, ABS is black!!
rimfirematt
New member
Hotcity2 has a good suggestion. It might be too late for you to do it. But oversizing the vents is a good way to avoid the ice.
