Obviously we are in a bit of a chill, and I just returned off of a business trip from Tampa. I just turned off my outside lines to a carriage house that appears to have frozen. What is the proper way to de-thaw them once we get warmer? Is it going to be an issue where I def. will be in need of a plumber. I have no water leaking now, but I know that usually that happens once de-thawed. Is it a definite problem, or is there something I can do now to prevent it, ie hairdryer et al.?
Cold/frozen water expands. It expands out the ends of the pipes like you're thinkin' with opening up the valve, but it also expands "outwards" when the pipes are completely frozen putting pressure on the walls of the pipes = burst pipes. Moving water does not freeze and unfrozen water does not expand. Get the pipes warm any way you can and the water will "shrink."
I'm not a plumber, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
First, check the area around the carriage house.........is there any skirting missing or anything like that? If so, at least get plastic up. If not, get heat under that structure ASAP. A small frozen spot may not burst. A larger spot likely will unless the pipes are PEX (sp?). If that doesn't help, it's frozen under ground and you've got some digging to do to find it.
From the cold storage facility in N Idaho and frozen pipes over 2 years........
we are in a "ARTIC BLAST" thats the media's name for anything under 40degs in western wa but its been under 32deg most the week
I leave my kitchen tap running, been on for a few days, only one problem, my septic system(gravity to tank, then pumps up to field), we put more fluid in to the system then normal, yesterday the pump alarm came on.......just more fluid than the pump is timed for. As the ground is frozen we didn't want to up the pumping into the lines, so we just ran the hose off a spliter in the kitchen and outside the house. By the end of the day the pump was catching up with its normal timing.
not that this is your issue but something to think about.
in the past when my lines have froze, I just turned on the bathroom and kitchen taps and waited for the lines to defrost, never had a problem, All outside hoses shut off and insulated(I just get a bundle of insulation, some twine and plastic bags and wrap em all up, wrap the well tank, leave a light on in the well house.
Thanks for all the replies. I opened the valves and heated the pipes I could and everything is fine. Water flowed and no leaking to be found anywhere. Now I just have the main water valve to the carriage house off and the valves open for expansion. Few more days of the cold and should be back in business.
Why not turn the water on and just let it drip? Moving water doesn't freeze.
Without the water moving since you turned off the valve, there's still the chance the water sitting still in the pipes past the main water valve may freeze and expand causing burst pipes. Eliminate all possible threat. Just let all the water run so there's no freezing at all.
Just a thought.
Why not turn the water on and just let it drip? Moving water doesn't freeze.
Without the water moving since you turned off the valve, there's still the chance the water sitting still in the pipes past the main water valve may freeze and expand causing burst pipes. Eliminate all possible threat. Just let all the water run so there's no freezing at all.
Just a thought.
but its been under 32deg most the week
