House water pipes frozen | FerrariChat

House water pipes frozen

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by 62 250 GTO, Jan 14, 2004.

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  1. 62 250 GTO

    62 250 GTO F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
    7,765
    Nova Scotia Canada
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    Neil
    3 level house upstairs bathroom has no water comming from any hot water pipe. The cold water is ice cold but hot water taps have no water at all. Frozen pipes? Probably yes. Anything I can do? Or is it plumer time?
    TIA.
     
  2. Matt LaMotte

    Matt LaMotte Formula 3

    Oct 30, 2002
    1,874
  3. Enzo

    Enzo F1 Rookie

    Feb 14, 2002
    4,088
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    Pat Pasqualini
    Heat tape or turn up the heat in the house and open all doors underneath sinks (if that is where the problem is).
     
  4. 62 250 GTO

    62 250 GTO F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
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    Neil
    These pipes travell frome the basement to the top {3rd floor}. The problem could be anywhere. We have been hit with a cold streak {-35 today and pretty much all of last week too} Is it possible for the heat to be cranked up all over the house to solve this??? The plumber wil be here in "a couple of hours".
     
  5. Enzo

    Enzo F1 Rookie

    Feb 14, 2002
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    Pat Pasqualini
    -35 below is pretty cold. That might be your biggest problem right there. But is baffles me that the cold pipes haven't froze.
     
  6. JamesH

    JamesH Formula Junior

    May 11, 2001
    268
    San Carlos, Californ
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    James Hom
    Hopefully, if your pipes are frozen, they did not crack, if so, when it thaws out, water will be running down your walls till you find the break in the pipe. Unless the pipes are outdoors, they should not have frozen if your house is kept warm. Anyways, good luck with your plumbing problem. One trick I learned was to kept the water running at the last fixture, just a little bit, and the pipes wont freeze.
     
  7. fanatic1

    fanatic1 Guest

    Nov 1, 2003
    561
    columbus
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    philip
    the cold water probably hasn't frozen, because overall it's used more in the house, so since it is turned on somewhere more often, it keeps the water from freezing.............try a hairdryer....although that probably won't work.............the biggest danger is the pipes bursting........try a hairdryer at all accessable points.........if no hot water is coming out of any faucet in the house, then it's probably frozen in the basement somewhere..........that's good for you............after whomever get the water running, if the temp stays that low, turn on a faucet, just to a drip......that keeps the water moving and it will not freeze anymore.
     
  8. 62 250 GTO

    62 250 GTO F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
    7,765
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    Neil
    I think the hot goes to ice first because the hot water molecules would cool down so much faster than the cold. I have another problem... I can't see any pipes leading from the warer heater. I have a finished basement and can't see where the pipes go. I have 3 bathrooms {1 on each floor and 3 other sinks spread around the house. I have heaters directed at the walls in my kitchen. Looks like I'm going to just start punching holes in the wall to see if I can locate the pipes. What a mess!!!
     
  9. 62 250 GTO

    62 250 GTO F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
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    Neil
    As for the useage of water. I haven't been home all day and the g/f has been in bed, just using the water cooler.
     
  10. rob

    rob F1 Rookie

    May 22, 2002
    4,129
    Vt
    I have been dealing with this quite a bit for the last week. I take care of 3 level townhomes on a ski mountain and it sounds like your place is set-up pretty much the same way as the ones I caretake. First off you should definately call a plumber if you do get the pipes thawed yourself there is a good chance they will break. Second turn the main water off to prevent any flooding, and turn up the heat thruout the house.
    If this town house is a second home and you leave it empty occasionaly you should turn the main water off whenever it is unoccupied (unless your domestic water supplies to a sprinkler system in your house) and leave the heat in your upper bedroom/ bath to at least sixty if not more. Good luck and believe me don't feel bad you are not alone!
     
  11. 62 250 GTO

    62 250 GTO F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
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    Thanks for the help. I have already done everything in your list. My g/f just came back from the hospital and is in bed for the next month {historectomy, if that's how you spell it}. She isn't going to like this, she worries like you wouldn't believe. I guess I should start knocking holes in the walls then. No blueprints and a big ol' house equals problem!
     
  12. 62 250 GTO

    62 250 GTO F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
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    It's 3:30 am and I can have a shower now in the upstairs bathroom! Thanks for all of the help. Now it's off to work I go.
     
  13. 62 250 GTO

    62 250 GTO F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
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    Perhaps one more queation. Now that I have had hot water running through both sets of taps for 10 hours, is it alright to turn them off now?
     
  14. Dr C

    Dr C Formula Junior

    Dec 1, 2002
    480
    Kansas City
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    Ed
    As long as it stays really cold, you need to keep the water running, slowly on both hot and cold water. Running just a little bit.

    If your g/f just had a hysterectomy, you better take good care of her. She needs a lot more TLC than your water pipes. Been there, done that.
     
  15. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
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    Jul 20, 2003
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    At least she won't be hysterical.
     
  16. 62 250 GTO

    62 250 GTO F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
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    She had a FULL hysterectomy at 24 years of age! The doctor told me to "watch out". I'm just wondering if she will go back to normal once the hormones get sorted out. Any ideas?
     
  17. 62 250 GTO

    62 250 GTO F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
    7,765
    Nova Scotia Canada
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    Neil
    I'm outta here next June! Nail bitting time, will I have enough for a house or not? Because I'm not renting again and I'm not living in an apartment again.
     
  18. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
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    My "hysterical" comment was a bit tongue-in-cheek, but I felt the subject would come up sooner or later, as evidenced by your response - including your wise Doc's experience.
    Having seen a couple of High School Sweethearts turn into Marriages with a relatively early hysterectomy turn into wigouts - it was no fun for them. But for every "no fun" situation, there are several times more successes.

    As always, protect your assets, just in case she wigs out - for any reason. Assets should be protected anyway, so hysterectomy should be a non-issue as far as that goes. Think of it as protecting your plumbing - you're prepared for the worst, but hope for the best.

    Now that the bad news is out of the way - as this study indicates, the majority of women, including those of child-bearing age, do well. Seems to me - she's in good company with you as her partner, so click here for more Google results on emotional support and hysterectomy.

    None of the above was meant to be alarmist - just do whatchagottado, and you'll both come through this with flying colors, if not rolling pins.
     
  19. 62 250 GTO

    62 250 GTO F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
    7,765
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    Her father has the cash and the time to bury me so thanks for the hints but I'm good on paper. She may be good for the soul but she's hard on the wallet.
     
  20. writerguy

    writerguy F1 Veteran

    Sep 30, 2003
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    Damn we do have some weird topics sliding into OT these days... Amazing the kind of info FC'ers have
     

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