One common misconception is that of using anti-freeze to help keep the system from freezing. Despite what you may have heard, this is not needed and truly not recommended. The reason that this is not recommended, is that this can easily throw the balance of bacteria off and cause issues to develop with the tank. The warm waste water along with the depth that the systems are buried is more than enough to keep the system from freezing in cold weather.
Take a little care to look at the cover of your septic tank. This is an important part of the entire inspection process. Depending on the depth of your cover, either you or a professional will be able to inspect the cover. If it is below ground, then when they come to service your system, the company can do a quick inspection on the cover. If it is above or flush to the ground, then you are easily able to look it over and ensure that it is not loose or in danger of coming off or being damaged. This is one of the most overlooked areas of the entire inspection process when one is getting ready to winterize their system.
Make sure that you do not have anything that runs over your drain field for your septic tank. If you are not careful and run a snow plow through your septic tank, then you run the risk of damaging the pipes and even worse compacting the soil making the operation of the septic tank not as functional or effective. Taking a little time each winter to run over your checklist, will help in making sure that during the winter months you are not dealing with any issues that can cause serious damage to your system. Prevention in this case is one of your best friends. The winter months should not be a reason for you to have expensive septic tank repairs due to minor correctable issues beforehand.