Posted on 01/08/2010 8:03:19 AM PST by Skooz
OK. So we had a hard freeze last night -- 17 degrees, which might be sweater weather where you are, but for North Louisiana is cooooold. The high today is supposed to reach 30 and it won't get above freezing until Sunday afternoon.
Last night I left the water running in all my faucets, but didn't think about the washing machine. I went to wash some clothes this morning and, you guessed it, nothing happened (besides a buzzing from the washer). The pipes to the washer are frozen.
This is where your expertise comes in.
Should I:
1. Leave the washer running in the hopes that the water will push through the ice, or;
2. Let the pipes stay as they are and wait until they thaw by themselves.
If I go with option 2, I'm afraid the pipes may burst when they thaw.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
I had one pipe in the bathroom that would always freeze. Before I went to bed, I made sure it was able to run a full stream...if not...I hit it with the hair dryer and left it open a crack...
Ideally, you must find some way to increase the ambient air temperature around the frozen pipe. Think space heater, blow dryer, etc. Don't burn your house down. Good luck.
Seriously.
Call Al Gore or one of the brainwashed morons in the global warming hoax; start with Zero and Rahm Mengele. I would recommend calling DC and asking for Pelosi or Reid:
202-225-3121
Ask their staffers for advise and then tell them to start packing because they’re TOAST come 2010 and 2012.
LITTLE ROCK - With below-freezing temperatures in the weather forecast for the Little Rock-North&! nbsp;Little Rock metropolitan area, water customers should take steps to prevent their plumbing from freezing and consequently interrupting their water service. “We are expecting freezing temperatures and possibly snow over the next few days. Customers might want to take precautionary measures to avoid a problem with frozen water pipes, which can result in expensive plumbing repairs, water damage, and the interruption of water service for a customer,” says Marie A. Crawford, Director of Communications for Central Arkansas Water (CAW).
When temperatures reach into the low double digits and remain below freezing for a few days, one of the most important precautions that a customer can take is to leave a thin stream of water running continuously from at least one cold water tap in the home, especially at night, Crawford advises. “This precaution is really important,” she says. “The slight fl! ow of water helps to protect pipes from freezing.”
If a sink is against an outside wall, open vanity or cabinet doors to allow warm air to reach pipes, she says. Also, if heat is lost in the home, turn on both hot and cold water faucets and allow all to drip. This step also will reduce the chance of pipes freezing, as well, she adds.
Crawford says should a water pipe freeze, there are safety rules for thawing the pipe. “Never thaw a pipe with an open flame,” she says. “The use of an open flame poses the threat of a
fire hazard and personal injury.” To thaw pipes, a customer should use hot air from a hair dryer, the exhaust from a vacuum cleaner, heat tape, or a light bulb. A customer should use a light bulb that is within a protective cage (the trouble-light type) and be sure not to place it near flammable materials. A customer should use only a heavy-duty extension cord with a ground plug to thaw a pipe, and the extension cord should n! ever be of lighter duty than the appliance cord. The extension cord connection and the appliance should have thorough protection from moisture and exposure to the weather.
Crawford says the same freeze precautions and safety rules apply to plumbing in commercial and industrial buildings. She notes that if a customer has an emergency or needs to turn off the water supply to a home or building, the customer should be sure to turn off the electric breaker to the hot water heater, if the hot water heater operates on electricity. She says this
added precaution only applies to hot water heaters that operate on electricity and is to prevent damage to the hot water unit.
1) Turn off the water to the house
2) Apply heat the the affected pipe if you're able - a hair dryer, etc. Don't use open flame!
3) Turn on the water, see if the affected pipe is cleared.
4) repeat if necessary
Blow torch the pipes. lol
Be sure that you know where the shutoff is to those pipes, and the main shutoff to the house... Just in case.
Go tot he hardware store and buy some heating tape and pipe insulation. Follow the directions. OR... call a plumber.
Install some insulation, your pipes shouldn’t freeze at those temps if your house is insulated properly. Insulation is good for both keeping the warmth in for winter and out for summer.
Where do these lines go that they aren’t protected?
...but open flame is so much FUN!
If the pipes are going to break, the ice would have already done that (water expands as it freezes). Thawing it only shows you what has already happened. I would put a space heater near the machine and let it thaw—keep it there as long as the weather remains below freezing. Just be sure to be safe with the heater (nothing around it that can catch fire, no extension cords, etc.
You need to get a heater in there and get the pipes thawed. If they arent broken now, they wont likely break. Then go get some heat tape and wrap them....keep it plugged in until the danger of freezing is over. Winter is only beginning.
You dont say what kind of house you live in. If you have a trailer, you need to get it skirted or use hay bales or something to keep the cold from getting underneath.
This is an excellent, safe method, an can be left in place until the temperature rises, or global warming saves you...
“Call Al Gore or one of the brainwashed morons in the global warming hoax...”
LOL, I love that idea!
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