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What happens when your pits freeze?

OurTown

OurTown

Well-known member
It's going to be stupid cold here for a day or two and wondered if pits or its plumbing can be damaged from freezing. Will it just form ice on top? What do you cover them with if you were to shut down? Does anyone put stock tank heaters in them? We have doors on the exit side so I think we are okay for now. I'm thinking ahead for next year after our new pitched roof and raised ceiling project that will leave us without doors.
 
Put lots of salt and keep the heat up! You might need to close the wash if the temps get really bad especially if you are within the big polar vortex. Be careful stay safe.
 
OurTown said:
It's going to be stupid cold here for a day or two and wondered if pits or its plumbing can be damaged from freezing. Will it just form ice on top? What do you cover them with if you were to shut down? Does anyone put stock tank heaters in them? We have doors on the exit side so I think we are okay for now. I'm thinking ahead for next year after our new pitched roof and raised ceiling project that will leave us without doors.
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We had a non deiced outside open bay at one time. I remember using a stock tank heater. While it worked ... the watts really added up & it did increase each month's electric bill more than one might think. I later on had a contractor put a roof on the bay back in 1979 which solved one problem but had the trade-off of adding large overhead truck-RV bay doors that needed to be maintained.
 
My truck bay pit froze 5-6 years ago solid enough I couldn't break through the ice. I dumped a bunch of salt on top and poured hot water on till it broke through. I don't think it would have been good if it had froze down into the drain! From then on when I close any of the bays down, I put a 2 x 12 wrapped in a blue tarp over the open holes in the pit grate. Then put (2) 5 gallon buckets of used antifreeze on top of the board to deter theft. I've never had a pit freeze since.

For square pits, you could cut a 1/2" piece of plywood and cover them. Anything to help keep the cold out.

I just left the wash...All bays are winterized and closed down. Pits are covered for the next few days. All is good! Time for a mixed drink! No Worries!
 
You might want to use magnesium chloride or better yet calcium chloride. They work in lower temps than salt
 
soapy said:
You might want to use magnesium chloride or better yet calcium chloride. They work in lower temps than salt
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Very true, significantly lower temps:

NaCl (sodium chloride): +16 F
CaCl (Calcium chloride): -13 F
MgCl (magnesium chloride): -25 F

Also Ca and Mg melt the ice a lot faster than Na;
Ca and Mg are more expensive, but you dont need to use as much;
And just to confuse things a little further, Na is slightly less environmentally "toxic".

Since I need to use less Mg/Ca when I spread it on the lot, there is less of the white residue for customers to see and drive through. (I know, that doesnt apply to the pits, just throwing it out there.)
 
What was the ambient temp when the pit froze? I cant see it freezing here in Eastern Ohio. the ambient is going to be -10 at worst with wind chill of -30. but the ground temp should be higher based on your floor heat.

PLEASE correct me if Im wrong. this is my first winter and i am learning as I go. Just don't want to have this issue.
 
That was back in 2015 in February....Here were the stats for the month.

21 days Max. temp was below 32°
29 days Min. temp was below 32°
19 days Min. Temp was below 15°
7 days Min. temp was below zero
Coldest night was -15°

It was very cold for a long time. My pit grates are 16" wide 1/4" plate with 1" holes. The pits are two stage with a dam that traps the mud before going to the section that has the drain. Washes with bigger, deeper pits might be ok. I like the saying, "All carwashes are the same, they are different"!
 
I have refrained from chiming in on this, because all I had was a smarta$$ reply "The water on top gets hard". I have very big pits and it's never been an issue. I can see that it could be if your pits were small and shallow, but it's never been a problem in my 50 years around this biz.
 
I really, really enjoy reading about issues like this. Sort of like an alien abduction thing. Sitting having lunch at an outdoor bar in south west Florida. And it is kind of cold today. High only 72. Will go and check the pits though.
 
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