Why hasn't my copper pipe burst after feezing?

[Boden]

Boden

[dpb]

SteveB wrote: ...

If one had the local tube thickness, weld strength/lack, etc., etc., etc., ... as well as the water infill pattern it would undoubtedly make more sense. Simply looking w/o analyzing all the factors would make the cause/effect relationship difficult to pick out, no question...

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[dpb]

[e-mail] wrote: ...

Where might that have been written, pray tell?

A faucet _might_ happen to leak some, but it surely isn't a design feature and highly unlikely to be effective to stop the freeze bursting of a pipe unless left open enough to have an actual water flow...

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[hallerb]

a few years federal legislation was passed requiring all faucets leak if pressure exceeeds 200 pounds or something like that.

prevents frozen pipes from splitting and in fires pipes burrsting.

the rule made the news some years ago. provided no drip at normal pressures you would never know of the change

[dpb]

[e-mail] wrote: ...

... Can you find/reference that????? Seems pretty farfetched to me...

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[dpb]

That is, I'm aware of some modifications requiring anti-scalding valves, probably some updates are made periodically on relief valves, but an ordinary plumbing isolation valve just doesn't seem right, logical or probable...

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[hallerb]

sorry it was a news item cant find a link.

any spring loaded valve should provide over pressure protection, which is built into T&P valves.

pressures from frozen pipe can reach a thousand pounds, such protection is a good idea

[dpb]

Well, given the number of ball and gate valves in use, it certainly isn't widespread.

I still don't believe the precept of any legislation requiring this for the stated purpose, sorry.

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[Big_Jake]

I can't find the source, but I read an article in a plumbing trade magazine about the causes of pipes bursting in cold temperatures. The general gist of things was that it isn't the pressure of the expanding ice that bursts pipe, but extremely high pressure water, compressed between two frozen sections, or against a cap or closed valve. The idea was that the pressure could reach thousands of pounds psi. My experience is that copper pipe tends to either blow apart solder joists or split along long runs, while galvanized tends to crack fittings or break at the threads, where the pipe is thinner from threading.

JK

[jack]

My experience is that copper pipe tends to either blow apart solder joists or split along long runs, while galvanized tends to crack fittings or break at the threads, where the pipe is thinner from threading.

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Is copper more or less likely to break then steel. Steel is obviously stronger, but also more brittle.

[SteveB]

You forgot the anal temperature of the inspector.

Steve