Dover
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Wed Feb-02-11 05:16 AM
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Oh Danny Boy, the pipes the pipes aren't flowing!! The winter's come... |
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Oh Danny Boy,
What to do? So obviously my pipes are frozen because so more water is coming out. Now what? Just hope the water flows again (without leaks/breakage) when if warms up again outside in a few days? I've got bottles of water on hand, and so glad I did the laundry, dishes, etc. before this happened...but still, one can't function for long without running water.
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Dover
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Wed Feb-02-11 05:20 AM
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1. WHAT? All I get is a friggin' "recommend"???? I need advice...any plumbers in the house? |
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Edited on Wed Feb-02-11 06:19 AM by Dover
Or those with more winter survival experience? :P
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brer cat
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Wed Feb-02-11 05:27 AM
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2. How do you get your water? |
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Well? City/county? Is your electricity on? Pumps usually need that to work. Do you have snow or ice to melt to flush toilets?
More info, please.
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Dover
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Wed Feb-02-11 05:31 AM
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4. Well. Electric is on. No snow or ice on the ground. |
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I'm in central Texas so it's not like I can't just go buy some more water if I run out. But I'm concerned about the pipes. I didn't leave them dripping, but instead took the advice on the news to wrap up the outdoor spigots well. So I did, but had to turn them off to do that.
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Bonobo
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Wed Feb-02-11 05:29 AM
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Try to warm the pipes with a heater, blow dryer, anything.
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Dover
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Wed Feb-02-11 05:39 AM
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5. Seems like that might work for a minute but I can't heat ALL the pipes |
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and I'm guessing they'll freeze again when I stop, yes? I'm also guessing that the frozen pipes are outside and the ground is just so cold they froze.
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Festivito
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Wed Feb-02-11 05:46 AM
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8. We drain our pipes each fall and close them from inside, here up north. |
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Try to get them to drip again, a little movement can stop icing.
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ET Awful
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Wed Feb-02-11 07:23 AM
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10. Once you get it flowing, keep a trickle flowing, keep the water moving. |
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It's wasteful, but it'll keep them from re-freezing usually.
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WhiteTara
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Wed Feb-02-11 09:17 AM
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16. Dover, once you get the water flowing again |
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don't let it stop. Let a TINY trickle keep flowing and the pipes won't freeze.
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Dover
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Wed Feb-02-11 09:39 PM
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17. Thanks. But no luck getting the water to run yet. |
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I don't know WHY it didn't occur to me to let the indoor faucets trickle. I had let the outdoor ones trickle, but then took the advice of the weather guys to cover them with an insulating sock (which required I turn off their drip). So I did that but needed to then turn on the inside ones. Sigh...oh well. Lesson learned. I just hope they thaw out without bursting in a few days. At least I have plenty of water onhand to drink and cook with. But a hot bath sure would feel good!
haha...I was so concerned to inform DUers about this storm early enough so people could prepare in time and then I go and do this....too funny.
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Festivito
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Wed Feb-02-11 05:42 AM
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6. Agree. Here in the north our thermostats won't go lower than 45 degrees. |
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Ice in a pipe is SERIOUS and ultimately hugely expensive, burst pipe, water damage, expensive drying techniques avoiding eventual mold. Waste the money on heat now.
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brer cat
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Wed Feb-02-11 05:44 AM
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7. and open all cabinet doors where pipes are |
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in the kitchen, bathrooms, etc. check them frequently for dripping is case one burst. most have a cut-off valve, hopefully before, not after where the leak is. Do you know how to turn off the main water supply to the house? If there is a leak and you can't cut the water supply from inside the house, you will have to turn off all the water until a plumber can come replace the burst pipe. Work with the pipes near exterior walls first.
Wish I could send you happy solutions...am sending you good vibes.
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Dover
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Wed Feb-02-11 05:51 AM
Response to Reply #7 |
9. Thanks. Yes I can turn off the main valve if needed. No burst pipes that I know of...yet. |
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Edited on Wed Feb-02-11 05:55 AM by Dover
Problem is I'm just not sure where they are frozen (in the house or in the ground outside).
But I'm taking everyone's advice and opening cabinets/doors and heating up the pipes under the kitchen sink. It won't get above freezing for a few days so if I can't get any flow going I guess I'm out of luck until it warms up again. And then I hope there are no burst pipes.
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tigereye
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Wed Feb-02-11 07:45 AM
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13. that's not always a good idea- that can start fires... |
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or so they say on the news...
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liberal N proud
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Wed Feb-02-11 07:33 AM
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11. If you can get to your pipes, inspect them for splits |
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Edited on Wed Feb-02-11 07:34 AM by liberal N proud
Then try to get some additional heat to them. Do not use an open flame. If you use a space heater make sure it is to so close to cause a fire.
If there are splits (leaks) in your pipes, shut off the main and call a plumber.
If you get them thawed, let the water drip from the hot and cold side of your faucets it will keep them from freezing again.
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Dover
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Wed Feb-02-11 09:46 PM
Response to Reply #11 |
18. Thanks. I don't see any splits but there may be some pipes I haven't found yet. |
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I've opened all the cabinets to expose the pipes to indoor heat and added a heat lamp in one small room that doesn't get central heat, the washer/dryer room. Still no running water as of tonight so guess I'm just going to have to wait it out. But I'll follow your advice if for some reason they start to run again. I should have done that from the get go.
Thanks for the advice! :hi:
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bluerum
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Wed Feb-02-11 07:44 AM
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12. Err. Step 1. Turn on heat. 2. Open faucets to relieve pressure. 3. Wait for water. |
GoCubsGo
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Wed Feb-02-11 07:57 AM
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Edited on Wed Feb-02-11 07:59 AM by GoCubsGo
Should have read all the posts..
The others have already offered excellent advice on thawing your pipes. Can't add to it.
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Tesha
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Wed Feb-02-11 08:21 AM
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15. Do you have heat? Is it still on? |
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If so, then there's not too much reason to assume that any of your pipes in "the conditioned space" (~inside) are frozen. There's also little likelihood that any underground pipes are frozen; it takes more than a day or two for a freeze to get down even a foot or so into the ground.
That leaves pipes in unconditioned spaces like uninsulated walls or crawl spaces. Is that what we're talking about here?
And again, as others have mentioned, if a pipe actually has burst from freezing, it often won't be apparent until after it thaws again.
Tesha
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Dover
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Wed Feb-02-11 09:56 PM
Response to Reply #15 |
19. Well that's good, clear deductive thinking. Thanks Tesha. |
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Makes sense to me. I put a heat lamp in the one non-heated space early this morning and still no running water tonight, so 1) either that's not the problem area or 2) the lamp isn't putting out enough heat to thaw the pipes if they are frozen in that wall (which is a northwest wall and I believe the wall through which water enters the house - where I have a washer/dryer). So maybe I'll consider other ways to heat that wall just in case it IS the problem area. Other than that I don't know what else to do but wait it out with fingers crossed.
Thank you for the advice. I think I'll be readier for the next storm!
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Thu May 02nd 2024, 06:35 PM
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