Antifreeze - not just for cars

[Stormin Mormon]

I wrote it, meant it, said it, and stand by it. "We put RV antifreeze...."

[Stormin Mormon]

Yeah, the supply pipes have the potential to be a real issue.

[Stormin Mormon]

Hint: the furnace requires electricity.

[Stormin Mormon]

Sewage processing plants have to dump the water some where. Oddly enough, things (like antibiotics, and medications) have made the full circle from sewer back to domestic water. Which is why the old "flush pills down the toilet" is poor advice. Much better they should be wrapped in several layers of plastic bag, and put in the trash.

[Stormin Mormon]

I've had glass crack, in the freezer. Many years ago, and my parents were not pleased. Admittedly it was a full glass bottle with a cap screwed on. I'm fairly sure ice expands sidways, so it would crack in any case.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

The Ball canning guide says otherwise. Many uncracked jars in my freezer over the years are also evidence to the contrary. But this doesn't matter. If you think there is NOT room for expansion in the u-shaped drain traps, I really want to hear about it. I'm a very curious guy.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

OK. I didn't realize we were talking about incorrectly installed pipes. My bad.

Just shut off the water and then rent a movie, fer cryin' out loud. :-)

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Does your theory apply to everywhere in the country, regardless of the source of drinking water?

This is a trap. Tread carefully.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

So, what you're saying is that you used RV antifreeze?

[Jeff The Drunk]

Water freezing in a drain trap will expand without breaking the surrounding plumbing.

[salty]

Guess again!

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Even if a trap cracked, how much water is in the typical trap? Between a cup and a quart at the most? How's that going to cause major damage to a house?

[hallerb]

. [e-mail]...

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think toilet trap, cracked toilets, traps buried in cielings etc etc.

its best to blow down the supply lines but he did the best he could....

I once worked where the building froze, the management thught they drained the sprinkler system:)

but trapped water split some sprinlker lines and caused a deluge when water was turned back on by authorties....

the company finally closed completely

[Stormin Mormon]

Hmm. Sounds like a drain trap trap?

[Stormin Mormon]

There is a slight chance that might be what I meant. I'll have to go scroll back and see.

[Stormin Mormon]

You mean, if the trap freezes, the faucets aren't affected?

[Stormin Mormon]

Rental property. Next tenants may very well be idiots.

[Stormin Mormon]

Very well said.

That's essentially what I was thinking.

[salty]

No one said that it would cause MAJOR damage. Might be a good idea to prevent it from happening, though. Especially since preventing it is so much cheaper and easier than having to repair it. And trapped water in the inards of a toilet can cost you a toilet, too.

[DD_BobK]

JSB & CY-

I've frozen a few things in glass over the years in the freezer and outside.....jsut a curious kid with an understanding dad.

My comment is...if the glass has any importance, dont do it.

Sometimes they break but most of the time they don't. I think it has to do with the shape of the containter AND with how (from where) it starts to freeze. My theory is, if the top froze first, it created a "cap" and didnt allow the ice to grow in height.

CY- When water freezes it expansion in all directions. Just like when a homogeneous material (like a block of metal) is subject to unifrom heating, it grows in all three axes.

But lets not get started on a discussion of what happens when a metal washer is heated.... :)

cheers Bob