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Frozen Pipes
A faucet that won't
yield water is the first
sign of frozen pipes. If
a severe cold snap hits,
prevent freezing and
subsequent bursting of
pipes by following the
suggestions below. Even
if the pipes do freeze,
you can thaw them before
they burst if you act
quickly. When
temperatures fall very
low, here's how to keep
your pipes from
freezing:
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Keep a trickle of water running from the faucets.
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Beam a heat lamp or small heater at exposed pipes.
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Wrap uninsulated pipes with newspapers, heating wires, foam, or
self-adhesive
insulating tape.
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Keep doors ajar between heated and unheated rooms.
Thawing Frozen Pipes
If a pipe freezes:
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Shut off the water at the main shutoff valve and open the faucet
nearest to the
frozen pipe so it
can drain as it
thaws.
-
Waterproof the area with containers and plastic drop clothes in
case leaks occur.
-
Use one of the following methods to gradually warm the frozen
pipe. Be sure to
work from the faucet
toward the iced-up
area.
-
Don't let the pipe get too hot to touch.
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Hair Dryer: use a hair dryer like a torch, a dryer will gently
defrost the pipe.
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Heating Pad: wrap a length of pipe with a heating pad.
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Heat Lamp: for pipes behind walls, floors, or ceilings, beam a
heat lamp 8 or more
inches from the
surface.
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Hot Water: If no other method is available, wrap the pipe
(except plastic) in
rags and pour
boiling water on it.
DRAINING THE
SILLCOCKS FOR WINTER
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Despite the way it might
sound, a sillcock is not
a bird, but a spigot.
Before outdoor
temperatures drop below
freezing, water to each
outside sillcock should
be turned off and the
pipe drained. Here's
how...
·
Turn off the valves.
Locate the valve that
controls water flow to
each sillcock.
There probably will be
one for each and are
often located in the
mechanical room or
unfinished portion of
the basement. Just reach
up and turn them off.
·
Do the double drain. Go
outside and open the
sillcocks fully so that
all water in the pipe
can drain out. Return to
the valves in basement —
if they have a small
drain port on the side
of the valve, open it
up. The port allows air
to enter the system to
facilitate drainage.
·
The sillcocks may be
left open all winter. In
the spring, once the
temperatures remain
above freezing, remember
to complete all of the
steps you did in the
fall in REVERSE order.
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