Fozen pipe prevention

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mtweller

mtweller

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Hey Folks,
Thought I'd tap into one of the smartest group of folks and wealth of knowledge I have at my fingertips. Now that I've gotten you buttered up, I'm looking for advice on preventing frozen pipes.

We've got temps that a NC native is not really accustomed to. I set our two outdoor pipes to drip, but wound up with this, this morning:

IMG_7654.webp


I plan to get in the crawlspace today and ensure the pipes are insulated, but we are leaving town for a couple nights and I'm pretty concerned. Would it be advisable to turn the water off and drain those pipes while gone? We'll be sure and leave the heat on normal temps while gone and open cabinets, but beyond that, I'm at a loss.

Thanks everyone, stay warm!

:beer: Ramon
 
EDITED FOR CLARITY

Two (preventative) fixes for external drains:

1. Frostless faucet. Doesn't help you now, but would prevent this in the future:
423090.jpg


2. Hose bib insulating cover. Prevents it from freezing. Setting hose to drip is not ideal, this is if you don't have a frostless faucet. Once you defrost, put this on.

107867.jpg
 
Last edited:
Im rocking the styrofoam cups and a fire in the basement :)

They do make a plug in heat tape for a last minute bit of insurance if needed. Plugs into 110 and has element in fabric tape if you have power source in crawlspace. Can tuck it inside std pipe insulation.
 
If you're going out of town and are worried about it, do you have a valve inside that can shut off the water to that exterior faucet? Could put an insulating cap over the top and shut off the water while you're away. Eventually it'll thaw out.
 
Start with letting all faucets, shower too, dripping a bit. The parts Johnny showed will also help (if not already frozen) When in the crawl space check to see if there are valves to shut off just the outside hose bibs and shut them off. Before closing them down I would thaw with a torch, keep it moving. Once thawed and running close off the valves inside if you have them. Some hose bib runs might have a drain of some sort on the inside as well, generally only if there is a valve to cut water to that line. If so cut the water off and open the drain valves.

As Jason mentioned you can get heat tape to wrap the pipes in the crawl space. I did that to my house in PA and never had a freeze.

Turning off all the water at the main is not such a good idea, it can allow the standing water in the pipes to freeze. Dripping keeps the water moving in the pipes. Dripping outside, not so much.

My outside hose bib froze night before last, it stubs up from the ground, no cut off inside and used daily. A little time with the torch opened it back up no issue. I keep that covered with a bucket filled with hay. Usually works unless temps are like recent. Only the second time it froze in 8 years.
 
Good advice, thanks all. I just checked and the crawlspace isn't crazy cold. There is plastic piping out to the hose stubs that are copper. The hose pipe on the rear of the house is not frozen like the one in the picture, which is on the side of the house, adjacent to the garage. There is a cutoff for that one, didn't check the rear one as closely since it isn't frozen.

Guess I'll try and get it flowing with some heat and then turn off the inside valve and insulate the outside somehow.

Thanks all!!
 
Once you get it thawed, insulate the outside with the "hose bib insulating cover" I posted above. I have one on my house, have never had an issue.
 
Be careful with the heat. Be gentle if using a torch, especially if you have PEX close to the copper you're heating. A hair dryer works well, if you're concerned, but takes a lot longer. Also, PEX has some natural elasticity that helps deal with water hammer and freeze damage, and it's better in the heat transfer department than copper when the temps get this low. Pipes in exterior walls are what you need to be most concerned with.

If you have easy access, you could also consider putting in a shutoff valve between the supply and the hose bib close to the supply, then leave the bib open. Sharkbite PTF stuff makes it so easy on PEX or copper.

The 110v heater is nice, too. So is a heating pad that doesn't have a timed shutoff. Either of them on a GFCI only.

But I'll suggest the cover that Johnny mentioned. The fancy one is still under $2 each. But thaw that pipe first.
 
I had the frostless water spikets put in when I had my house replumbed. I still put covers over them.

I am a big fan of shutting the water off anytime I am away for more than a day. I would shut the water off but leave the handles partially open so If there is water and it freezes it has a way of expanding.
 
All set now, thanks. I had gotten Emma some of those sodium-acetate "hot hands" and activated one on the faucet - that thawed it and got it flowing. I then closed the cutoff in the crawlspace. The rear faucet doesn't have a cutoff, but it seems to be far better protected in the center of the house. Hoping to pick up some of the covers today as well.

Thanks!!
 
GLTHFJ60 said:
EDITED FOR CLARITY

Two (preventative) fixes for external drains:

1. Frostless faucet. Doesn't help you now, but would prevent this in the future:
423090.jpg


2. Hose bib insulating cover. Prevents it from freezing. Setting hose to drip is not ideal, this is if you don't have a frostless faucet. Once you defrost, put this on.

107867.jpg
Click to expand...

I do use the styrofoam cups but not the frost prevention faucets. My plumber told me they were a waste and he only uses decent regular brass ones...knock on wood I've been good so far.

I would definitely turn off your water at the street while you're out of town coming up...will not hurt.
 
For those that don’t know, the freeze proof, or frostless, faucet works by relocating the actual internal stopper (the thing that stops the water flow, not the handle) from right at the handle to further inside the pipe. In the pic, it’d be on the right, near the end of the copper stub. This puts the stopper in a warmer environment and you then open the faucet to drain any water left between the stopper and faucet. Ideally, it will not be cold enough inboard of the stopper for any supply water to freeze. They are offered in different lengths depending on how far into the wall or space they need to penetrate. Downside is that most of them need a 1.25-1.50” hole to fit through...not really a quick fix if you have brick.
 
Luckily this house has the frostless valves but I also put cups over them just to be sure.

The drains for my condensation pump for my furnace did freeze so I had to remove my pump from the system and use a bucket. I bought an electric syphon pump and drain it every evening until the drain unfreezes.
 
if I was heading out of town, I would cut the water off at the curb, this will prevent any water damages while you are away. unless you need a reason to remodel
 
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