Our pipes at home are Frozen

[JanetRose]

we believe - the plumber said there is nothing they can do and we should let the water drip.

Does this sound right?

 

[Tiggeroo]

we've had this happen. If you know it's going to be cold let the water drip all night. Get electrical heat tape and wrap the susceptible pipes. There's a bit of a risk but dh has run a blow dryer or a heat gun over the frozen pipes when they wouldn't thaw.

 

[ziggystardust]

That happened to use numerous times last year. We would leave the water running at night so there would be constant movement in the pipes.

If they are already frozen, keep an eye out though, they could burst. My mom would use a space heater and a hair dryer to warm up the pipes. Not sure if thats recommended, but they didn't want to come home to a flooded house.

 

[SEAlla]

Yup. When we lived in our townhouse our kitchen pipes would freeze up every winter because the sink was on the outside wall and the builder insulated betweed the inside and the pipes not the pipes and the outside wall.

We would open up the faucet and let it drip and also open up the cupboard below the sink. There was also a half bath right outside of the kitchen. I would turn that faucet on hot full blast.

It worked everytime.

Hope you get your pipes flowing again.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

Yes, keep a slow drip going, also - keep the cabinet door open so the heat from the house gets in there too. When we lived in a condo; our association MADE us do that in the winter; if our pipes froze and they discovered we didn't heed their advise they said they wouldn't pay for damages. Although I always wondered how they would enforce that

 

[almacdonald]

I'm from Fort McMurray, AB originally and i'm pretty sure they insulate pipes better up there because it does get so cold (-40°C)!! If we were planning on being away for a couple of days we'd not only get a neighbor to bring in the mail but also flush the toilets a few times per day, that seemed to keep things flowing!

 

[kilee]

In our last house it happened often due to no basement and poor insulation. Got to the point we had to rent what they called a "torpedo heater" a few times. Eventually we got heat tape and really good insulation and it solved the problem. We also kept the water at a slow drip. Our house now has the furnace in the basement- which never seems cold and the pipes aren't an issue.