In the unfortunate event of losing electric power for days during freezing weather, what is the best way to prevent water pipes from freezing?
Leave each faucet dripping, or turn off water main?
I'm trying to compile a disaster todo list.
BTW, normally pipes inside houses are kept warm by central heating. But what keeps the pipes under the streets from freezing?
If you're there to keep an eye on things, leave the faucets on a slow drip. If you're gone, turn them on full blast and then shut off the main valve to the house. Last, flush all toilets.
The underground pipes don't freeze because (hopefully), they're installed below the frost line - the depth at which the ground freezes in your area.
When we lost power for a long time, I was told to open cabinet doors. The house heat would transfer to the pipes easier, and with proper insulation, water wouldn't freeze for a while. Now this is advice I was given.
later,
tom @
How is turning on the faucets full blast and then shutting of the main valve going to prevent his pipes from freezing and bursting? The solution if the place is going to be left unattended and possibly without power, is to drain the water system and put antifreeze in the toilets
The idea is to leave as little residual water as possible in the pipes.
And how does turning on the water full blast and then shutting of the main valve leave little residual water in the pipes? The pipes are going to still be just about full of water and will certainly freeze and burst. To prevent freezing, they need to be DRAINED.
Worked fine for me in two houses. One house had a valve right by the shutoff, and I opened that as well. This house doesn't have such a valve.
What's your issue with the method? What do you suggest?
Well, you got very lucky. How cold did it actually get in the house? If all you do is open all the faucets, get the water running, and turn off the main valve, the pipes will still be full of water. How can you thiink water will be out of the pipes from just doing that?
The system needs to be drained by turning off the water, opening all the faucets, then opening a drain valve somewhere at the lowest point in the sytem. The toilets then need to be flushed and some antifreexe poured in them, plus all the drains, like bathtub, sinks, etc.
Temp: Hovered below 20 degrees for 4 days in both cases.
Lowest point: Correct. But, some residue isn't going to bust the pipes. Have you ever frozen soup in glass jars? The method involves leaving an inch of space at the top, and NOT tightening the lids until after the freezing is complete. In pipes, as long as the valves are open and there's some room for expansion, you're not likely to have problems. Obviously, this will depend to an extent on whether or not the house has any strange bends in the pipe installation (mine didn't).
The best way ... basically same as a cottage, drain the system (switch off that now empty electric water heater), put antifreeze in the toilet(s). FWIW, my water tanks are in the basement and have drains on the bottom ... can't imagine a tank that doesn't have some means of draining ... e.g. for replacement. A short length of garden hose to the floor drain and I can drain the system ... which I've done to install new copper lines in the basement.
20 degrees inside the house or outside? If it's 20 outside, no big surprise the pipes didn't freeze. If it's 20 inside, I would be very suprised if they didn't freeze and burst. A 20 or 30 foot section of pipe isn;t a wide mouth jar. And if it's just a matter of leaving a faucet open for expansion, what does "strange bends" have to do with it?
20 degrees inside. As far as the rest, I'm not up for a recreational argument just now. If you think my pipes burst and I simply didn't notice, so be it.
Here's some references about how to winterize a home that will be without heat:
Water System Shut off water systems by turning off the pump or shutting the valve if on city water. Drain the pressure tank. Open all faucets. Break a union close to the valve so water will drain out clear to the shut-off valve. Drain pump and run a second or two to be sure all water is out of lines from the pump. Flush toilets and dip all water out of the flush tank. Be sure to drain flexible spray hoses in showers and sinks. Drain water softeners so water will drain back from soft water pipes and controls. Brine tank will probably not freeze. Drain water heaters.
I'd be happy to look at any credible references that support your position that all you have to do is open faucets and shut off the main water valve.
Next time I'm without heat for a few days, you can stop by and watch the pipes not burst.
The antifreeze is a good idea, but I just didn't do it.
As far as references, what did you do before there was an internet? Do you ever believe peoples' experiences if you don't have a web link?
Being without heat for a few days and having no pipes freeze doesn't prove anything. It can take a couple of days for a house to lose heat to begin with. That's very different from a house that's without heat for a week when it's 15 degrees outside.
Just as I thought, no references, just bad advice. It's like saying, I leave my car at the convenience store, with the engine running, and it's never been stolen, so that's good practice.
Read slowly:
20 (TWENTY) degrees FahrenheitInside the house
Duration: 4 days.
I'm sorry you were forced at gunpoint to empty the dishwasher this morning.
Ask your water utility. We do not know whether you are in Wisconsin or Mississippi.
What about Saskatchewan?
Anyone that interested in proving a point is hiding some sort of benevolent agenda. "Don't listen to anyone else or the internet, listen to me" screams 'control issue'.
But, I'm not a psychologist...so this is just my experience, I'm not going to come back and start arguing that you're a "control freak" simply because it's good form as I'm not a professional experienced in fixing control freaks.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.