Pipes are pipes and water freezes. Keep doing what you are doing and they won’t freeze. A builder’s advice.

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I leave my faucets at a light stream (more than dripping but not all the way on either) I am so sick of this, my landlord says its just the way it is in a trailer…but I have never had this bad of a problem before in my other trailer homes. Is there ANYTHING else I can do? Is it common for them to freeze even when there is a more than steady drip? I already have read about the heat tape, and I’m going to try and buy some….any other suggestions?

The skirting around the trailer should be all tight with no holes or breaks in it. This keeps the cold wind out. Next-Wrap a heat tape right where the water pipe comes up out of the ground to feed your trailer. Wrap the heat tape around this pipe (make sure it does not touch itself. Keep the thermostat out to the open (don’t wrap it).

Next install a layer of heat tape insulation overtop of the heat tape. Wrap this insulation loosely using several layers. Hold it in place with some nylon zip ties. Plug in the heat tape to a working outside outlet. Buy several bales of straw and place these bales around the pipe coming out of the ground, this helps keep the ground from freezing around the top 1′ of soil around your water pipe.

If the heavy carboard underliner of the trailer is all in good shape. *This is the liner that you should see under the trailer. It keeps air from getting into the trailer through the floor, all your plumbing lines and heat ducts are above this liner. Patch any holes or tears with good quality duct tape.

Keep cabinet doors and vanity base doors open under the sinks-this lets warm air closer to water lines. For really cold situations I have even taken out a floor register and cut some small holes in the ductwork from above in the bathroom area and kitchen sink area. This lets a little of the heat from the ductwork go under the trailer between the floor and the cardboard liner.

You lose some valuable heat, but it will keep the plumbing from freezing up. Check where your water heater is. Sometimes on a trailer they are only accessible from the outside by taking off a panel of siding. You may need a heat tape on the cold water side of the water line. If it is inside the trailer and not on an outside wall it is probably ok.

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I’m a new homeowner and I also drive semi truck. I am gone five days out of the week, so economically it is more efficient for me to leave my heat off and I also turn off my hot water heater when I leave for the week. I live in mid-Michigan, and it’s starting to get pretty cold out now.

Just wondering at what outdoor temperature I should start leaving my heat set at 50F so that my pipes don’t freeze? Also, should I be leaving my hot water heater running during the week in the winter?

Thanks in advance!

I live in Wisconsin, so we have similar weather. I also travel a lot, so I have the same concerns. I installed a “T” in my city water inlet with a valve and compressor fitting. I also set up bypass valves in the hot water heater so I wasn’t pressurizing the hot water tank. I leave the compressor right in the basement, so when I have to leave, I hook up the air and blow out my lines.

I also drain the water heater. (Make sure you shut off the electric before you drain) It takes me about 1/2 hour to empty the water lines. When I leave, I know if the furnace fails, my water lines are safe. I also leave the heat set at 40 degrees. It doesn’t use that much fuel, and it keeps the paint in the house from extreme temperature changes which can cause damage. I do my road trips without worry about freezing pipes and it only takes 5 minutes to turn on the valves and restore water to my house.

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I live in Florida and it doesn’t freeze here often. But tonight we’re expecting a hard freeze which will last about 10 hours. I’ve wrapped my outdoor water faucets loosely with towels to protect them from the cold. But will this work as well as leaving a drip going? Also, with the freeze not expected to last more than 10 hours, how much protection do I really need to plan for? The TV news stations don’t let up with the whole protect your pipes things, but it’s not like we live in Michigan! What’s the truth?

I would let drip, because if you have only a small leak on spigot you will wet towel and cause the spigot to freeze even quicker.

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I’m in NC. The boiler conked out in a 4-unit apartment building I own. Today is Friday. A new boiler will be installed on Tuesday. The night time temperature is supposed to get down to 14 degrees F. on Sunday, which is very cold for here. Day time temperatures will be a little above freezing.

How can I keep the pipes from freezing? I can’t put a heavy load on the electrical system. What’s best – - leave the water running a little? (which faucets??)? a kerosene space heater? electric pipe wrap? (on which pipes?) something else? I’m prepared to spend some money. (No problem with the tenants; they are getting rent relief.) Desperate in Durham

You’ll probably be fine if you keep all the faucets at a drip. It is highly unlikely that you will have a freeze-up at those temperatures for a short time. We have freeze-ups in the north east when the temperature is in the teens for 3 days straight. I don’t recommend kerosene heaters. they make you light headed after an hour. A small space heater near the meter, and one in each apartment would probably be sufficient, and not an overload on the electrical box. GL…..Rich

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Product Specification :

ISBN :0788145533
Format :Hardcover
Publisher iane Pub Co
Date Published :06/01/1996
List price :25

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You’re going to have to get dirty! Get under the home and wrap your pipes (they sale wrap just for keeping your pipes warm). Also any place around the skirting of your mobile home that lets alot of air thru should be insulated to prevent as much air flow (not all).

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There are 3 sinks and one bathtub. Do I have to have every one of the faucets dripping to prevent freezing?

Thanks

I would drip them all just in case. Keep in mind though that depending on how cold it is where you live, there may be nothing you can do to prevent this. Sometimes its just too dang cold.

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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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It’s best to let the facuets drip cold water just to keep the water flowing.

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