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How far down does frost go in Michigan?
The frost line depth for most of Michigan is 42 inches. Areas with nearby heat sources or asphalt generally remain warmer and do not freeze as deeply. Frost depth is taken into account when building, as footings and foundations are often required by law to be buried at a minimum depth to prevent damage.
How deep are water lines in Michigan?
12 inches
Water service pipe shall be installed not less than 12 inches (305 mm) deep and not less than 6 inches (152 mm) below the frost line.
How deep is the frost line go?
0 to 8 feet
The line varies by latitude, it is deeper closer to the poles. Per Federal Highway Administration Publication Number FHWA-HRT-08-057, the maximum frost depth observed in the contiguous United States ranges from 0 to 8 feet (2.4 m). Below that depth, the temperature varies, but is always above 32 °F (0 °C).
How deep are sewer lines buried in Michigan?
Michigan plumbing code requires that municipal sewers be 42 inches deep or more, however sewers feeding into a septic tank need only be 12 inches deep, and so in Michigan these are the depths that municipal sewers and septic system sewers are commonly layed.
How deep is the frost line in Michigan?
The frost line depth for most of Michigan is 42 inches. This is the depth at which groundwater present in the soil freezes.
When is the average first frost in Michigan?
Plantmaps has derived zones indicating the Interactive map of average annual First frost dates for the state of Michigan
When do foundations have to be below the frost line in Michigan?
And, since MI has pretty rigorous building code enforcement, the footings probably are below the frost line. Michigan code requires footing inspections before and after pouring the concrete.
Where do I get my frost depth data?
Frost depth data shown in this map is queried from the North Central River Forecast Center (NCRFC) database late morning each day. Frost depth reports here are commonly from frost tube instruments, visual reports from construction or cemetery sites, or other types of electronic probes.