Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

So I have some guys trying to dig out a 20x20 section of ground for an addition I'm putting on my garage/house. The have a monster size backhoe, but the ground is frozen. Normally, the ground freeze here is just a few inches and you can bust through it in one place, then peel it back. But this year we've had the most severe ground-freeze in 30 years in CO. It's frozen to nearly 3 feet!

So, the guys can dig out 2-3 feet of frozen/rocky soil. They are recommending using some company that will thaw out the ground which is going to cost about $1500. I can't remember the company name - it's like "ground busters" or something.

Anyone has this problem before with frozen ground? What did you do?

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Gasoline? Scrotched Earth technique.:giggling:


I've seen a techinque where they drill holes and use heated pipes.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Hmmmm. I wonder how long that takes. The ground buster guys are coming on Monday.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Try these guys CO.

http://www.groundthawing.com/?gclid=...FRJ_Ywodh1jGuA


$1500 sounds steep. The concept is basic so I couldn't see why you can'r McGyver something together.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Wow, that's about 1/2 the price for 6000 sqft. I only have 400 sqft. But, I have a time contraint here. :(

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Just bust out the Oxy/acetylene setup and go to town on the ground.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

I'd get an auger and drill evenly spaced holes 2 feet deep( For a 20' x 20', maybe 16 holes from a 6" auger bit.)

Fill with rock salt or de-icing pellets, and flood em with hot water from a hose directly from your hot water tank. That will definitely do the trick and the salt will keep the water from freezing up.

There are other ways, but they're not that enviromentally friendly.:shhh:

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Three feet deep?

I'd have nice warm ground, and some cinders that I used to call "home". :D

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Now is where I would post some pics of my S tanks and uber sexy Smith torch with some reassuring words, but its too cold outside for me to take pics. Good luck CO.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Pick up a few of these torches,they hook up to propane tanks.


http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=91037

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Wait till Spring? Unless you Wife has liquidated damages on the project completion date :giggling: like mine usually does.

I can't imagine your flatwork and footings would be worth a sh*t if you poured in freezing temps anyway. No comparison to municipal projects by the way, they're using air-entrained, high strength blends with additives that tolerate a wider array of pour conditions.

What you're contractor is likely to pour for residential work is a totally different blend.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Sweet! Thanks!! I was looking for those and forgot about old faithful HF. :cool: I'm going to get one of these to melt snow on my roof. It won't do any good for 3 ft frost though.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Hmmmm. Not sure what 'blend' they are going to pour. It will be about 4 feet deep - below the frost. The daytime temps vary a lot. Sometimes it's 50+. Or, it could be 12 like today. :eek:

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

They unfreeze by driving the pipes into the ground, the pipes are then connected to a steam generator and steam is injected into the soil to thaw it. This method is probably not in your budget and is usually done in large excavation projects.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Get a cup of boiling water and pour on ground.
Dig where it melted.
Repeat... a gagillion times.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

:popcorn: :giggling: :clapping:

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

I bet that's the method one of the outfits proposed. My builder/digger guy said he found one that wanted $5000 to do it.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

I should just sit you on the ground and feed you beans.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

This sounds morbid, but it might be the cheapest

Contact your local cemetary's groundskeeper or caretaker and see if he will do a side job. They bury em in the winter time too and they would have the right tools to do the job.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

That idea could work in theory. But, Ken is way too much of a little girl to come help you in the frigid cold;) :D

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

He said he'd come, but then he piked. :mad: :D

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Always remember; your true friends will always help you. Even when its cold outside. :jump:

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Atomic asparagus wizz.:jump:

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

That, or one of your steaming pirate loafs would do.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Speaking of that... I just put threw a toilet-clogger.:giggling:

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Please see my PM. You'll know what I mean. :D

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Is it really close to your house? You could build a fire on the ground, if you have enough wood. Keep it burning for 2 days and spread the coals around occasionaly. Invite the whole neighborhood over for a barbecue. :popcorn:

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Nope. It's right up next to the house.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

The Ken and beans method?

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Any way you can enclose it with a tarp(1 foot high) and just pump hot air into it?

I couldn't see why you can't thin that ground freeze buy keeping it warm over night.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Problem solved. :giggling:

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

I don't have a hot air pumper! It's going to get below zero tonight.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Hahahaahahaha!!

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

Ha-freaking-Haha... Turds.

I bet that ground sits in the shade most of the winter, huh? Tell them to get a bigger backhoe.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

$15 / day and they'll create summer like temps.

If you could make a tarp bow 2 feet high, I'm sure it would work.

But good luck.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

I would definitely burn the place down. The tarp would catch fire. It would them blow on the house. My neighborhood convenants don't allow me to burn the house down with authorization from the HOA board :D

One of the big problems we have up here is that the ground is so hard, even when it's not frozen. It's all granite.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

What if they used a jack hammer to break through the frost barrier first, in something like a 5x5 area. Could a backhoe get through it after that?

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

They tried that one. They rented a jack hammer and couldn't get through it. The guys who's doing the work has a big backhoe, but it doesn't have bucket on it that has appropriate teeth for tearing it out. He own the backhoe.

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

You know, you wouldn't be having this problem if you lived in Florida. :fdance:

Re: Who knows how to unfreeze the ground?
 

:D :jump: :D


Would you mind if I shipped you my backyard and let it sit in yours for a few days?