Preventing Frozen Water Pipes and Pipe Repair

As winter temperatures plunge into the single digits and lower in some parts of the country, water pipes can freeze and leave families with no water, no heat or floods. On very cold, windy days, steps should be taken to help avoid this inconvenience and possibly costly repairs.

While this was witten last year, it is very timely as the temp in New Jersey is only 16 at noon with brisk wind gusts.

Short Term Steps. The following are very short term. easy steps, to help avoid the problem:
1) Turn up the heat. If you set the thermostats in low 70’s or 60’s to conserve energy, turn it up to warm the entire place on the coldest days and nights. At least 75 degrees is usually recommended. Then you can turn it back down to normal when outside temperature back up.
2) Open cabinet doors. Open the cabinet doors in kitchen and bathrooms to let air circulate around the pipes.
3) Leave faucets dripping. Flowing water freezes more slowly, so leave faucets dripping slowly. If you have two stories, make sure that upstairs is also flowing.
4) Make sure no air in heating pipes. If use circulating water for heating, flush air out of the pipes to make sure they are not blocked.
5) Consider using fans to circulate air. The temperature variation from floor level outside wall to an indoor thermostat location can be substantial. Keeping the air circulating will reduce this difference. Ceiling fans run at low speeds are ideal for this.
6) Use a Light Bulb for Local Heat. A lit light bulb in a confined or critical area may be just enough to prevent freezing. An unshaded lamp or a drop light can be used for this, but be sure no flammable materials are nearby.

Treatment.
1) Use a hair dryer or hot air gun to thaw the pipes. Don’t only heat one spot, but run the appliance up and down the length of the pipe. Hot air guns are also used to remove paint and wallpaper and are available at hardware and home supply stores. Look for ones with attachments that spread the heat.
2) Don’t use open flame due to fire danger of fire.
3) For frozen drains, very hot boiling water might open it if caught early.
4) Call a plumber. They have equipment to deal with the problem and have done it many times before. It is one of the most common calls this time of year. Don’t expect it to be quick or inexpensive.

Prevention.
1) In fall remove outside hoses. An outside faucet is a commonly effected location. It may freeze and burst in winter or later in the spring. Remove the hose and, if available, turn off inside shut-off valve and drain the line. Wrap the outside faucet with insulation or a heavy blanket.
2) Seal up outside cracks and crevices. Cracks around the around foundation or in outside walls are a prime source of winds to drive colder air inside. Sealing them will not only reduce chance of frozen pipes but also overall heating costs.
3) Apply insulation to exposed pipes. Home supply companies have slit tubes that slip onto exposed pipes to provide insulation. Consider also having a plumber apply electrical heating tape to very vulnerable (outside wall) pipes.
4) For hot water heating systems, anti-freeze can be used to avoid freezing. This is highly corrosive and this should be done by a plumber.

When the winter temperature plunges to extreme lows, taking steps to avoid frozen pipes can help to avoid the inconvenience and cost of plumbing repairs.