I live in MO and my water pipes are right under the house. It is freezing down there and my pipes are freezing. I have been defrosting them by dropping a space heater down a hole in the floor but am afraid the pipes are going to burst eventually.

Should I keep a space heater down there? Leave the hot or cold water dripping? To get new pipes put in to prevent this will cost quite a bit and will not be able to be done until Spring. This is past annoying.

The first thing I would do is to go around the outside of the house and make sure there are no drafts coming in from cracks, pipe holes, wire holes, or vents. If you have vents in your foundation close them or block them off with something.

Eliminating drafts will help considerably. secondly, if you use a forced air furnace for heat, you might be able to cut in a vent that will blow heat into the crawl space near where the freezing problem is. I don’t recommend the space heater and am not fond of heat tapes.

Another option is to insulate the walls of your crawl space (if possible to move around in there) with 1 inch thick styrofoam insulation. You may be able to just get some pipe insulation, if you choose this option make sure you completely cover all exposed copper piping. copper pipe transfers temperature very rapidly, so even if you leave a small portion uncovered, it can still freeze if it gets a draft.

Seal the insulation with duct tape. If you’re only having a freezing problem in certain areas, chances are this is the best place to start looking for drafts from the foundation. expanding foam or some type of silicone caulk will fill most cracks or holes.

It may also be easier to do this from the crawl space as it will be easier to see light coming in from the outside. Get a pair of coveralls and something you can push around to lay on and fill them in.

Good luck.

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Defrosting and  Protecting Pipes

Exposure to temperatures below 20 degrees can cause pipes to freeze and break. A few simple steps can help protect pipes from freezing or defrost them when they do.

Duration : 0:2:50

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How to fix a busted, frozen, broken, copper water pipe. Part 1

How to fix a frozen, busted copper water pipe. www.poormansfix.com

Duration : 0:8:16

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Coming to your NY apartment after a long holiday to be greeted by a flooded kitchen, soaked appliances, and waterlogged computers is no fun. Instead of unpacking your suitcases, you call over your local New York plumber for express emergency repair. Freezing pipes is a common plumbing problem during winter. As temperature drops, water running through exposed lines may freeze and take up more space inside pipe. When pipe is allowed to freeze completely, ice will break through the pipe. Split or burst pipes will let melted water escape and flood your home. Save yourself from expensive water related damages by avoiding frozen pipes all together.

Plumbers in NY will always recommend pipe insulation as your first line of defense against freezing pipes. Foam rubber sleeves or fiberglass are great pipe insulators that can keep exposed pipes warm during the cold months of the year. Wrapped around pipes, electrical powered heating stripes will heat the section of the line vulnerable to freezing. Both insulation and heating stripes will minimize chances of frozen pipes.

Without applying insulation to vulnerable pipes, we should not be too surprised when encountering freezing pipes. Ice inside freezing sections along pipeline will obstruct water flow and cause reductions in water pressure. Dropping water pressure is your warning sign indicating that parts of the pipe are frozen. Pick up on this red flag and repair early the pipe to avoid expensive water related damage to your home.

NYC plumbing companies instruct consumers to shut off water supply once detecting freezing pipes. Next, turn on a couple of faucets to let out trapped steam and melting water. Freezing pipes require gentle thawing to melt ice and relieve pipe from extra weight. Applying direct heat on the frozen section may cause more damage than good. Intense and direct heat may turn trapped ice into boiling water that in turn will also split open the pipe due to steam pressure. As a thumb rule, do not let pipes heat up to the extent that they become too hot to touch. Gentle thawing of freezing pipes can be conducted using one of the following methods:

1. “Blow dry” the frozen section of the pipe with a hairdryer2. Direct a space heater towards the frozen section.3. Dip rags in hot water and wrap around the frozen section. 4. Cover frozen section with electrical powered heating stripes.

Pay attention to your plumbing pipes. Catching early freezing pipes can save you time and money otherwise invested in repairing burst pipes and draining water from your home. NYC plumbers recommend the simple way out – just insulate exposed pipes and lines running along external walls, and spare the time consuming hassle of freezing pipes.

Samantha Richardson

New York Plumber

http://www.new-york-plumber.com.

http://www.new-york-plumber.com/service/pipe-fitting.

(888) 317 – 4264
509 E 78th St. 10075 New York

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Has it frozen before? Otherwise check to make sure the well pump breaker is on and that the main valve by the pressure tank is also on.

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My fiance and I are looking at buying a house. The house we are the most interested in currently has burst pipes that got frozen over the winter. If we bought the house it would be our responsibility to fix them. I was just wondering if anyone has a general idea on how much this would cost us…

That’s going to depend entirely on whether you will hire the job out or do it yourself!

Hiring out? Pretty damn expensive.

Do it yourself…after learning how at Home Depot? Go for it, not so expensive.

When I plumbed my entire house, it cost me about 250 dollars in parts, and a bunch of practice…got it right without a leak!

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That sounds pretty strange. Both of the pipes should be running next to each other throughout the house. It seems that if one freezes, the other one would too. Anyway, Keep one of the hot water faucets open. This will relieve any pressure building up in the line. It should thaw out in time, if that is the problem. Next time you are expecting real cold weather, leave one of the hot water faucets running at a trickle. That will keep it from freezing.

Good Luck!

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With temperatures expected to plunge into the teens Wednesday night, crews with the city-county water authority are expecting to get very busy with frozen pipes.

Duration : 0:2:1

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Protect your property with these thoughtful tips and look for other ways to keep your home free from cold-weather mishaps.

The last thing you want to deal with in your home — new or old –is frozen pipes or other winter related mishaps! Here are helpful home safety and maintenance tips to make sure winter doesn’t disrupt your year-round enjoyment of your homestead.

Be sure to use weather stripping around windows and doors — anywhere cold air might get in (and that expensive warm air might get out).

If you are in an older home, adding new double-paned windows is a very worthwhile investment. Not only will they insulate your home in cold weather, they can be a cost-saver in hot summer months as well. They improve your property value, too and some utility companies will even help with the cost to purchase and install double pane windows.

Clear out those rain gutters. Make sure you remove wet leaves and other debris so they don’t freeze (if gutters do get overloaded, icy and heavy, they could even pull right off your house).

Repair any roof leaks fast! Be sure to replace damaged or missing shingles too. Roof leaks can have far-reaching results that lead to very costly damage.

Do you have a small barn, chicken coop or outdoor dog run? Ventilate these spaces so fresh air is available; this is essential to both the animals and to anyone working in these out buildings. Put clean, correctly fitted blankets on your animals* (dogs or horses) when it gets too cold (usually below 30 degrees). *No need to blanket the chickens; they hate that.

Cut back any tree branches that could fall onto your home or out buildings if high winds or other storms blow in. Have you thought about putting up a windbreak? Those can really help keep your place warmer, and prevent property damage.

Cover any exposed pipes with insulating foam wrap. You can pick it up at most home improvement stores at a very affordable price. There are insulated bags available for hoses, too. If you need to keep hoses outdoors (for watering livestock, for example) these can offer a great deal of convenience!

Of course, adding the protection of a home security system (security lighting, house burglar alarms and motion detectors on your windows and entry doors) is a smart way to add home safety no matter what time of year. A home security system can be, quite literally, a real life saver.

Making sure your home is insulated from winter weather can save you time, money and frustration. Protect your property with these thoughtful tips and look for other ways to keep your place free from frustrating cold-weather damage.

S.L. Robertson writes about affordable home landscaping, decorating tips and ADT home security for the budget-conscious home owner. She is considered an expert in the field of home safety systems. Robertson has published hundreds of articles advising consumers what to look for when considering a reliable home security system and practical home and yard maintenance solutions.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Dont-Let-Frozen-Pipes-and-Other-Winter-Related-Mishaps-Disrupt-Your-Homestead&id=3388745

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frozen pipes – How to Winterize your Plumbing System During A Lengthy Power Outage

Homeowners usually know to turn their main water valve off if they are leaving on vacation and to have someone periodically check their home while they are away.

However, what do you do if you experience a power outage and the outdoor temperature is below freezing? The further the temperature gets below freezing, the more likely there could be damage with freezing pipes. Freeze-ups typically occur when it is below 20° and windy. http://www.anthonyphc.com/Anthony%20Videos/Frozen-Pipes.html

Duration : 0:4:12

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