Biggs Storm Shelters

01/23/2026

Roadways are going to be hazardous Friday evening into Monday -we will not be sending techs out while the roads are hazardous - Oklahoma Highway Patrol is recommending staying off the highways throughout the weekend (our city roads and side roads will be worse and will take longer to become driveable) - we’ll start sending our service techs out as soon as most of the roads are safe - but they will only be handling emergencies until the outside temps are above freezing.

If you have a septic emergency it may be a day or two before we can get to you. During frigid weather days it’s vital that you minimize water usuage - temping as it is to catch up on laundry or take long hot baths while you’re stuck inside at home - don’t do it. This will lessen the amount of water your sprinklers will have to spray. Take short showers (not baths) and spread out your laundry to one load per day until the daily temp reaches above freezing. We recommend this for everyone with an aerobic system.

If your system alarms and you are having toilets or drains that are running slowly or gurgling - STOP ALL WATER USE IMMEDIATELY! You are in the process of backing up. Call us! If this occurs at night we will call you back in the morning.

If you lose power your system can not function - stop all water usage - you will backup. There’s nothing we can do for you if your home is without power - if you have a sump pump you can pump down the tank if you begin to backup - call us and we’ll talk you through which lid to open to pump from.

We’ll talk you through as much as we can on the phone and more than likely we will be able to help you remotely - if your situation requires a service call our current customers will be our priority and it may be Thursday or Friday before we can get to you, it will just depend on how long the day time temps stay below freezing.

Most of our aerobic customers did not experience any issues during the two week plus winter storm in December of 2022 - WE ARE STILL RECOMMENDING MINIMAL WATER USAGE – TAKE A BREAK FROM BATHS AND DOING LAUNDRY - The less your system has to work the less likely you are to experience issues and you don’t want septic issues when we can’t get out to come help you.

Call us if you experience issues, we’ll be on standby to assist you as best we can. Remember to be patient - I promise we’ll be working diligently to answer or return every call. You can also contact us through our website.

01/21/2026

****Extreme Winter Weather Aerobic Septic System Information****

****If you have an aerobic septic system this is how freezing temperatures can affect you****

Aerobic septic systems have sprinklers that are set to pop up and spray in the middle of the night (by DEQ regulations) which is close to the lowest temps of the day. This can saturate the ground with moisture and when the sprinklers retract back down to ground level the water they just sprayed (especially the water that collects around the sprinkler base) can freeze. When this happens it can freeze your sprinkler head where it will not pop up to spray and your system will not be able to spray out the excess water. This will cause the tank to fill and this can cause the septic to back up in the house. During freezing temps you should be able to see the frozen water in a ring around the sprinkler heads first thing in the morning. If your system is spraying then it is functioning.

Here’s some things you can do to minimize your chances of having trouble with your aerobic system during freezing temps:

1. Minimize your water usage to minimize the amount of water your sprinklers will have to spray. Take short showers (not baths) and spread out your laundry to one load per day until the daily temp reaches above freezing. We recommend this for everyone with an aerobic system.

2. This tip (mostly used when we have prolonged snow or ice accumulation predicted) is not a necessity but does add a layer of insulation to your sprinkler heads as added prevention to minimize the chance of them freezing -
Place a 5 gallon bucket filled with straw or hay over your sprinkler heads and put a brick or something of similar weight on top of the bucket (most aerobics have 2-3 heads - you only need one functioning to get by). This will insulate the head and allow the sprinkler to run and hopefully give the ground time to absorb the excess water before it can freeze. You should be able to tell if your sprinkler is working by looking under the bucket or around the edge on the ground of the bucket. If your sprinkler heads freeze they are typically pretty easy to thaw them. (We’ll cover that below)

If your sprinklers freeze it will cause your system to alarm. If your system alarms we typically want you to contact us so we can come check it out. Your septic system has a control board that will set off the alarm anytime it senses something out of the ordinary - like a power surge or flicker. If it senses one or more component working less effectively it will set off the alarm. There are many different things that can cause your system to alarm and your system can still be functioning.

Your system is still functioning without serious issues if your sprinklers go off once during a 24 hour period which is typically between 1am and 4am on most systems but can spray at a different time. If your system is spraying more than once per 24 hour period it’s a sign of extra water usage - but your system is functioning - try to minimize your water useage.

If your system alarms and you are having toilets or drains that are running slowly or gurgling - STOP ALL WATER USE IMMEDIATELY! You are in the process of backing up. Call us! If this occurs after dark we will call you back in the morning.

More than likely we are going to be overrun with calls during this next week. Here is a DYI that you can do if your system alarms which may save you the service call fee and or the wait for us to get to you.

If your system alarms and your sprinklers have not spray out in a 24 hour period (this could be because of a couple different reasons including the sprinkler heads being frozen) you can check to see if your sprinklers are frozen by trying to thaw them out.

You can thaw your sprinklers out by pouring a gallon of hot water from your faucet (not heated water from the microwave or stove - you do not need the water to be hot enough to burn you - hot water from your sink will work ) onto one of your sprinklers. This should unfreeze it and allow it to pop up and instantly start spraying. (Beware!! You should be prepared because you are very likely going to get sprayed during this process if this works).

If your sprinkler pops up and starts spraying then your system should pump down and spray out your excess water. You only need one sprinkler to do this so don’t worry about repeating the process with all your sprinklers. You have more than one sprinkler to spread out the excess septic water or distribute the water to a greater area to keep one small area from being saturated all the time. It’ll be okay for a couple of days to allow just one sprinkler to run. Your alarm will go off after a couple of hours when the system has time to pump out the excess water and reset itself.

If your sprinkler does not pop up and start spraying try the same method with a second sprinkler - if that doesn’t work then you more than likely have a pump problem. Call us.

We can not work on septic systems in the dark so night time emergency calls have to wait until the next day. If your system alarms after dark - Stop your water usage and only use necessity water (toilets) and call us.

Most of our aerobic septic customers did not experience any issues during the two week plus winter storm in December of 2022. We fully expect most of you to be fine - we’re still recommending minimal water usage - take a break from baths and doing laundry, the less your system has to work the less likely you are to experience issues. Call us if you experience issues, we’ll be on standby to assist you as best we can. Remember to be patient - I promise we’ll be working diligently to answer or return every call. You can also contact us through our website.

11/06/2025

08/13/2025

BIGGS BACKHOE
******NOW HIRING!!!*******

Septic Service Technicians & Pump Truck Operator

We’re growing and looking for motivated, reliable people to join our team!
We need:
• 4 Septic Service Technicians – No experience required; we’ll train the right candidates.
• 1 Septic Pump Truck Operator – CDL preferred, experience operating vacuum trucks a plus. We will train the right candidates.

What We Offer:
• Competitive pay (based on
experience)
• Matching 401 K
• On-the-job training
• Steady, year-round work
• Opportunity for advancement
• Friendly, team-oriented environment

Requirements:
• Valid driver’s license
• Ability to work outdoors in all weather
• Good communication skills
• Strong work ethic and reliability

If you’re ready to work with a dependable local company and want a career—not just a job—we want to hear from you!

📞 Call 405-373-2530
📧 Email [email protected]
🏢 Apply in person at 8727 Piedmont Road North, Piedmont, OK

03/08/2025

Biggs Backhoe has been installing storm shelters for over 35 years which makes us one of the oldest and most reputable storm shelter companies in the state. We have installed thousands of storm shelters and saferooms in central and western Oklahoma and have an amazing reputation. Our shelters have protected countless families during some of the most catastrophic tornadoes including the May 3rd tornado in 1999. We’re experts at providing quality service and assisting our customers with a sense of security and piece of mind during Oklahoma’s severe weather. Give us a call at 405-373-2530 and let us answer any questions you have and help you select the shelter that best suites you and your family.

**Spring Storm Shelter Installation Sale **

Biggs Backhoe is offering a $200 discount for the entire month of March on all our tornado shelters and saferooms when you mention this ad.

Visit our website at www.biggsbackhoe.com for more pictures and pricing.

12/14/2024

Our crews put in lots of hard work this year installing storm shelters, installing new septic systems, repairing old septic systems, doing routine maintenance on aerobic systems, and hauling lots of sand, dirt and gravel. So today we celebrated a fun day of exchanging gifts, eating, and trying our wits at The Sanctuary Escape. We have the best team at Biggs Backhoe!

11/04/2024

Biggs Backhoe has been installing storm shelters for over 35 years which makes us one of the oldest and most reputable storm shelter companies in the state. We have installed thousands of storm shelters and saferooms in central and western Oklahoma and have an amazing reputation. Our shelters have protected countless families during some of the most catastrophic tornadoes starting with the May 3rd tornado in 1999. We’re experts at providing quality service and assisting our customers with a sense of security and piece of mind during Oklahoma’s severe weather. Give us a call at 405-373-2530 and let us answer any questions you have and help you select the shelter that best suites you and your family.

****** Pre Black Friday Sale ******

Biggs Backhoe is offering a $100 discount for the entire month of November on all our tornado shelters and saferooms. We’re going to drop our $100 fuel surcharge for all customers who sign up during the month of November to get a storm shelter or saferoom which is a total discount of $200.

Visit our website at www.biggsbackhoe.com for more pictures and pricing.

02/07/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/o1ppEYBEjXUmEuQa/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Anyone know of someone looking for a general labor job? Send them our way!! NO EXPERIENCE needed - we train all new employees.

We are busy!! We need full time general laborers to assist with storm shelter and septic installation and service. We’re looking for five to six people to add to our crews. You must have at least four years post high school working experience and have a good driving record.

We’re a forty year old family owned and run business with a great working environment - we hire people to keep them so we’re like a big family.

We work 40 hours a week with possible overtime - most of our people average 45 hours.

We offer:
Paid lunch break
Paid Long term disability
Six paid holidays
A SIMPLE IRA that we match up
to 3%
Paid PTO days
Health insurance
Starting pay is $15 with performance bonuses and we will raise you up from there as you complete training.
We’re located in Piedmont and it is a job where you will be working outside everyday most days.
If you know of someone who would be interested please send them our way. They can message me or call our office at 405-373-2530 - ask for Elizabeth or Steve

02/07/2024

***** OUR OFFICE POSITIONS HAVE BEEN FILLED!! Thank you to everyone who shared our post and for helping us get the word out that we needed help. *****

Biggs Backhoe in Piedmont is growing! We’re looking for two full time office assistants with at least five years of general office experience to join our team. (QuickBooks, MicroSoft Office, Excel, etc.) Must be customer service oriented and have good communications skills. These are in office positions and can not be done remotely. We have a great group of employees that work hard each day and still manage to have fun along the way. They’re super excited to get some extra help so please join our team.

Starting pay is $16 per hour.
Great Working Environment
Paid holidays
Paid vacation
Company Discounts
Long Term Disability
SIMPLE IRA we match up to 3%.
Health Insurance
If you’re interested please message us or send your resume to Elizabeth at [email protected]

02/07/2024

Anyone know of someone looking for a general labor job? Send them our way!! NO EXPERIENCE needed - we train all new employees.

We are busy!! We need full time general laborers to assist with storm shelter and septic installation and service. We’re looking for five to six people to add to our crews. You must have at least four years post high school working experience and have a good driving record.

We’re a forty year old family owned and run business with a great working environment - we hire people to keep them so we’re like a big family.

We work 40 hours a week with possible overtime - most of our people average 45 hours.

We offer:
Paid lunch break
Paid Long term disability
Six paid holidays
A SIMPLE IRA that we match up
to 3%
Paid PTO days
Health insurance
Starting pay is $15 with performance bonuses and we will raise you up from there as you complete training.
We’re located in Piedmont and it is a job where you will be working outside everyday most days.
If you know of someone who would be interested please send them our way. They can message me or call our office at 405-373-2530 - ask for Elizabeth or Steve

01/12/2024

****Extreme Winter Weather Aerobic Septic System Information****

An aerobic system is a type of septic system where you have one or more tanks buried in your yard and it/they treat your septic waste and then spray out the treated water onto your yard via a sprinkler system.
People with an aerobic septic system can experience performance issues when the ground is covered with frozen precipitation (ice or snow) or when the ground freezes for an extended period of time. We have a frigid weather pattern forecasted to move into the state starting Thursday and remaining throughout most of next week. We’ve had similar weather in 2022 which affected some of our customers.
****If you have an aerobic this is how freezing temperatures and the frozen ground can affect you****

Aerobic systems are designed to discharge the water from the tanks in the middle of the night, this is typically closer to the lowest temps of the day which saturates the ground with moisture and when the sprinkler retracts back down to ground level the water it just sprayed especially the water that collects around the sprinkler base can freeze. When this happens it can freeze your sprinkler head where it will not pop up to spray and your system will not be able to spray out the excess water. This will cause the tank to fill and this can cause the septic to back up in the house. Some systems spray outside of the standard middle of the night and some systems spray more than once a day. During freezing temps you should be able to see that your system sprayed out by looking around the sprinkler heads - they’ll be frozen water in a ring around the sprinkler heads. If your system is spraying - you are fine - your system is functioning.

Here’s some things you can do to minimize your chances of having trouble during freezing temps:

1. Minimize your water usage to minimize the amount of water your sprinklers will have to spray. Take short showers (not baths) and spread out your laundry to one load per day until the daily temp reaches above freezing. We recommend this for everyone with an aerobic system.

2. This tip is not a necessity but does add a layer of insulation to your sprinkler heads as added prevention to minimize the chance of them freezing -
Place a 5 gallon bucket filled with straw or hay over your sprinkler heads and put a brick or something of similar weight on top of the bucket (most aerobics have 2-3 heads - you only need one functioning to get by). This will insulate the head and allow the sprinkler to run and hopefully give the ground time to absorb the excess water before it can freeze. You should be able to tell if your sprinkler is working by looking under the bucket or around the edge on the ground of the bucket. If your sprinkler heads freeze they are typically pretty easy to thaw them. (We’ll cover that below)

If your sprinklers freeze it will cause your system to alarm. If your system alarms we typically want you to contact us so we can come check it out. Your septic system has a control board that will set off the alarm anytime it senses something out of the ordinary - like a power surge or flicker. If it senses one or more component working less effectively it will set off the alarm. There are many different things that can cause your system to alarm and your system can still be functioning. Your system is still functioning without serious issues if your sprinklers go off once during a 24 hour period and they are timed to go off between 1am and 4am on most systems but can spray at a different time. If your system is spraying more than once per 24 hour period it’s a sign of extra water usage - but your system is functioning. You are fine.

More than likely we are going to be overrun with calls during this next week. Here is some DYI info that you can do if your system alarms that may save you the service call fee and or the wait for us to get to you.

If your system alarms and you are having toilets or drains that are running slowly or gurgling - STOP ALL WATER USE IMMEDIATELY! You are in the process of backing up. Call us! If this occurs at night we will call you back in the morning.

If your system alarms and your sprinklers do not spray out in a 24 hour period (this could be because of a couple different reasons including the sprinkler heads being frozen).
You can check to see if your sprinklers are frozen by trying to thaw them out. You can thaw your sprinklers out by pouring a gallon of hot water from your faucet (not heated water from the microwave or stove - you do not need the water to be hot enough to burn you - hot water from your sink will work ) onto one of your sprinklers. This should unfreeze it and allow it to pop up and instantly start spraying. (Beware!! You should be prepared because you are very likely going to get sprayed during this process if this works).
If your sprinkler pops up and starts spraying then your system should pump down and spray out your excess water. You only need one sprinkler to do this so don’t worry about repeating the process with all your sprinklers. You have more than one sprinkler to spread out the excess septic water or distribute the water to a greater area to keep one small area from being saturated all the time. It’ll be okay for a couple of days to allow just one sprinkler to run. Your alarm will go off after a couple of hours when the system has time to pump out the excess water and reset itself.

If your sprinkler does not pop up and start spraying try the same method with a second sprinkler - if that doesn’t work then you more than likely have a pump problem. Call us.

We can not work on septic systems in the dark so night time emergency calls have to wait until the next day. If your system alarms after dark - Stop your water usage and only use necessity water (toilets).

It’s also difficult for our service techs to work on systems in freezing weather. We will only be handling complete backup issues on Saturday - Tuesday and we will only be taking emergency calls from our contracted customers. We’ll talk you through as much as we can on the phone and more than likely we will be able to help you remotely - if your situation requires a service call our current customers will be our priority and it may be Wednesday or Thursday before we can get to you.

Most of our aerobic customers did not experience any issues during the two week plus winter storm in December of 2022. We fully expect most of you to be fine - we’re still recommending minimal water usage - take a break from baths and doing laundry, the less your system has to work the less likely you are to experience issues. Call us if you experience issues, we’ll be on standby to assist you as best we can. Remember to be patient - I promise we’ll be working diligently to answer or return every call. You can also contact us through our website.

Biggs is Oklahoma’s trusted tornado & storm shelter supplier since 1981. View our guide to help you decide which size and model is right to protect your family.