karenmeal 0 #1 November 30, 2006 So... some of our pipes are frozen! I know, I know, we should have left them dripping at night. I just didn't think they would freeze that easily. Now that they are frozen, we've got a hairdryer that's been warming the pipe for about an hour and a half and we have the water turned on. It is starting to drip sporadically. Since it is dripping, does that mean we're out of danger for having our pipes explode? And are there any other remedies that will help me expedite this process so that I don't have to wash our dishes in the bathtub? "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seejanefall 0 #2 November 30, 2006 Have you crawled under the house to make sure they didn't burst? Might be worth doing. _____________ PMS #394 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Twoply 0 #3 November 30, 2006 Not if it will be exposed to cold again obviously. Keep heating it to thaw the blockage but I wonder if a hair dryer is the best way. A heating pad or some other contact heat source would work more efficiently if it's accessible. Almost any hardware store has heat trace line which is fancy lingo for wirelike tape that wraps around your pipes and then plugs into a socket or wires right into a thermostat. It keeps the wrapped pipe above freezing temperatures to prevent a break. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenmeal 0 #4 November 30, 2006 There is no place to crawl! I wouldn't know where to look to check and see if they burst. Oh, and we have the hair-dryer pretty much directly on the pipe. The pipe is warm/hot to the touch. "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpinfarmer 0 #5 November 30, 2006 An arc welder is the best thing to use, but I'm sure you don't have one just sitting around. Be carefull with heat tape. There is a reason why they call it insurance tape Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billeisele 130 #6 November 30, 2006 the best solution is to live where it is warm, we had 70 degrees last weekend, will be 60 this weekend seriously - be careful, if you do it incorrectly you will have a real mess, check this http://www.prepare.org/basic/frozen.htmGive one city to the thugs so they can all live together. I vote for Chicago where they have strict gun laws. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bhammond 0 #7 November 30, 2006 sounds like your new to the cold climate... not sure where you are...its about 12 deg f here in Colorado right now. most people will make sure the hoses are taken off out side and put a foam cover on the spigot... keep the house warm and when you go to bed open the cabinet doors under the sink to allow the remaining heat to keep them above freezing.. if you have exposed pipes in the basment make sure they are wrapped.. most basments have a small heater to keep the ambient temp above 0... good luck!!!!! winter starts in about 3.5 weeks Barry Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,120 #8 November 30, 2006 >Since it is dripping, does that mean we're out of danger for having our pipes explode? Nope, all it means is that there's a way for water to leak past the blockage. Once it gets running reasonably well, then warmer water will start melting the ice and you're out of danger. If the flow is gradually getting better then you are probably OK. >And are there any other remedies . . . Let's see - hot water bath (if the pipe will accommodate it) would work. Blowtorches work well (as long as there's nothing flammable nearby, that is!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenmeal 0 #9 November 30, 2006 Not really new to cold climates.. we just didn't think it was that cold. My boyfriend lived in Montana for about 7 years and he was shocked that there was a problem. But the place we are renting is the exposed basement of a house, I think it was converted over into a duplex in a somewhat shoddy manner.. cheap plumbing add-ons with out insulation. "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #10 November 30, 2006 If you have a crawl space, block off all the vents with cardboard to trap heat under the house. A radiant space heater is a good way to warm the wall the pipe is in. Good luck. I hope you didn't bust the pipe. That's a lot of work fixing those, depending on the location. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justinb138 0 #11 November 30, 2006 It was nearly 80 as I drove home from work today and now it's near 40, with snow expected overnight....this Texas weather is evil.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenmeal 0 #12 November 30, 2006 Fuck. House is flooded. What do I do now? "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest 1010 #13 November 30, 2006 ick get important, water-sensitive things off the floor - picstures, computers, etc. Be careful with electrical things so you don't complete a circuit with your feet in the water. Um, open a door to let the wwater out (sorry) ... remember to stay dressed warmly, and that it's only stuff ... not that big a deal in the long run! edit: Call your insurance guy in the AM, but only if there is a lot of damage. I wouldn't bother with an insurance claim for less than $1000. You can have it good, fast, or cheap: pick two. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 140 #14 November 30, 2006 QuoteFuck. House is flooded.-let it freeze -go buy a pair of ice skates Bonne chancescissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slug 1 #15 November 30, 2006 QuoteFuck. House is flooded. What do I do now? Hi K Shut water off and find a convenient motel. Good news your a renter not the owner. Contact the owner and tell them you need what and when. Start making a list, keep reciepts notes etc in case you have to go to small claims court. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HeatherB 0 #16 November 30, 2006 QuoteIt was nearly 80 as I drove home from work today and now it's near 40, with snow expected overnight....this Texas weather is evil.... There's snow accumulating here already. This is out in the boonies, north of Ft Worth. Dallas probably doesn't have anything yet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fast 0 #17 November 30, 2006 QuoteQuoteFuck. House is flooded. What do I do now? Hi K Shut water off and find a convenient motel. Good news your a renter not the owner. Contact the owner and tell them you need what and when. Start making a list, keep reciepts notes etc in case you have to go to small claims court. yeah, get your stuff out of the water and call the owner of the property. They have a responsibility to not let that kind of stuff happen. It isn't your problem, it is thier problem.~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenmeal 0 #18 November 30, 2006 Well, so I called the landlord at 1:00 am. He brought his wet-vac over and got to work. We got the place pretty much drained, the carpets just need to be dried. Our friend, the carpet guy, is coming in a little bit to salvage some of the carpet, and our bedroom gets new carpet. (yay!) The main worry now is how hard it will be to find the leak and fix it. The plumbers in Seattle are fairly booked right now as this was extremely atypical weather and a lot of people have this problem. Oh man, last night sucked. But it was sooo good to have a landlord who came over and took care of things. As far as our stuff getting damaged, the floor is not level, and thankfully our spare bedroom with the computer and a bunch of rigs waiting for repacks and the entertainment portion of the living room are on high ground. The only real damage we sustained was to a Richard Dawkins book that I was reading. But that is a little sad. This is the fifth time in 2 and a 1/2 years that our home has flooded! (We moved in June.) When will it end?? "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
