Help! Frozen pipes...again

[frannn]

My shower and tub (separate) in my upstairs bathroom have no running water for the second time in a week. We should have left the water tricling, but didn't realize. We don't know where the pipes froze, maybe in the wall. We have been trying to defrost with a blowdryer & DH is picking up a space heater on his way home from work. Any advice? Where should we be heating? There one wall between the shower and bathtub, that's where we think the pipes are. The floor by the tub and the shower wall are cold. What can I do to help it defrost without bursting? TIA!

 

[ratsrule]

1) defrost slowly
2) find where you belive they are frozen. Most likely will be near an outside wall, If the is not easy to get to try access pannel to get to the tub.

If that is where it is frozen take towels soaked in HOT HOT water and apply them to the pipes.

Or you can call a plumber that has a special machine for this but it will cost $$$


Good Luck

 

[antkim]

I'm in the same boat as you except it's my washing machine and downstairs sink.Yesterday it was my dishwasher also.Did the same thing you are doing now-space heater and blow dryer!
GOOD LUCK!
Kim

 

[cati]

I know how you feel. I am on day 3 with no water in any of my rooms. I just hate not being able to take a shower, wash the dishes. I sure hope they thaw quick!!

 

[Mskanga]

I'm on the flip side....the drain in the bathtub upstairs is not draining, dh says the elbow is frozen ( I don't know, he's the plumber not me ) but I tried to throw down a boiling hot pot of water and nothing has changed so I think it may be clogged also because when I use the plunger, black stuff comes up. I'm going to let him play with it this weekend, he's the plumber not me.

 

[CourtasanSatine]

make that 2 sinks,both bathrooms,and the dog dish(but the dish was refilled)

 

[nativetxn]

Good luck to all with frozen pipes. We've been lucky so far and haven't had to deal with the problem. Hope we never do have to deal with this problem.

Katholyn

 

[CourtasanSatine]

finally got the toliets to flush

 

[piratesmate]

We're without water in the kitchen. We live in an old (175 yrs+) farmhouse with stone walls & 18" window sills. The kitchen, however, was an addition. It has no basement - only a 12 inch "crawl space" - and very little insulation.

Last night I turned on the water to a trickle, but DH insisted that was the WRONG thing to do! In the past when it would get this cold our landlord would call & remind us to leave it on. She had to go into a nursing home a couple weeks ago & wasn't here to remind us.

I'm really starting to worry about DH's memory! He's been forgetting an awful lot lately - but this is the first thing with such drastic consequences! I guess I should have insisted - but I really thought that I was the one who remembered wrong.

Good luck to all with frozen pipes. If I'd been smart, I'd have planned a dinner with paper plates instead of making MORE dishes.

Deb