Post by misty on Feb 13, 2008 22:44:27 GMT -6
Frozen Water Pipes
Beware the unexpected cold snap or deep freeze. Frozen water pipes are a serious risk during very cold winter weather. When water freezes in a pipe it expands and can exert pressure over 2,000 pounds per square inch. This pressure is enough to rupture most any pipe filled with water which provides no place for the ice to expand.
When the pipe bursts it will spill several hundred gallons of water per hour, and that equates to thousands of dollars of damage to your home. Sad when you consider how easy it is to prevent a frozen water pipe.
Risky Locations
Pipes are most susceptible to freezing when located:
# In an outside wall;
# Under a sink on an outside wall;
# In an unheated crawlspace.
Frozen But Not Burst? Then It's Time to Thaw!
In the situation where your pipe is frozen but not yet ruptured, you need to promptly thaw it out.
There are a few thawing techniques we'll review depending on where the frozen pipe is located.
NOTE: Never use a flame torch because of the fire hazard it creates. Open flame torches are the most common cause of pipe thawing related home fires.
First Things First: Preparing for the Thaw
Pipe Thawing Preparation
When pipes are frozen you turn the faucet on and no water comes out or comes out in a trickle. As soon as you realize a pipe is frozen you need to take immediate action.
* Open the faucet supplied by the frozen pipe even if you do not yet know where it is frozen.
* Identify the frozen water supply pipe and find the location of the blockage.
* Follow the pipe back from the faucet to where it runs through cold areas such as an exterior wall, unheated crawl space or in some cases an unheated basement if the pipe is near an outside wall.
* Often the frozen area of the pipe will be frosted or have ice on it. If the situation is getting critical the pipe may be slightly bulged or look slightly fissured.
NOTE: While working on thawing the pipe, if it bursts before it is thawed, then shut off the water at the water main immediately!
homerepair.about.com/od/plumbingrepair/ss/thaw_frzn_pipe_2.htm
Beware the unexpected cold snap or deep freeze. Frozen water pipes are a serious risk during very cold winter weather. When water freezes in a pipe it expands and can exert pressure over 2,000 pounds per square inch. This pressure is enough to rupture most any pipe filled with water which provides no place for the ice to expand.
When the pipe bursts it will spill several hundred gallons of water per hour, and that equates to thousands of dollars of damage to your home. Sad when you consider how easy it is to prevent a frozen water pipe.
Risky Locations
Pipes are most susceptible to freezing when located:
# In an outside wall;
# Under a sink on an outside wall;
# In an unheated crawlspace.
Frozen But Not Burst? Then It's Time to Thaw!
In the situation where your pipe is frozen but not yet ruptured, you need to promptly thaw it out.
There are a few thawing techniques we'll review depending on where the frozen pipe is located.
NOTE: Never use a flame torch because of the fire hazard it creates. Open flame torches are the most common cause of pipe thawing related home fires.
First Things First: Preparing for the Thaw
Pipe Thawing Preparation
When pipes are frozen you turn the faucet on and no water comes out or comes out in a trickle. As soon as you realize a pipe is frozen you need to take immediate action.
* Open the faucet supplied by the frozen pipe even if you do not yet know where it is frozen.
* Identify the frozen water supply pipe and find the location of the blockage.
* Follow the pipe back from the faucet to where it runs through cold areas such as an exterior wall, unheated crawl space or in some cases an unheated basement if the pipe is near an outside wall.
* Often the frozen area of the pipe will be frosted or have ice on it. If the situation is getting critical the pipe may be slightly bulged or look slightly fissured.
NOTE: While working on thawing the pipe, if it bursts before it is thawed, then shut off the water at the water main immediately!
homerepair.about.com/od/plumbingrepair/ss/thaw_frzn_pipe_2.htm
So if a pipe ever burst I'm in big trouble.
Thanks for the idea. Hopefully, I don't have to worry about it until next year. Ludkily, there is an opening to the crawl space right in that room.