Winter is coming and when it arrives, it will bring snow, cold and freezing temperatures. Every year, homes and apartments throughout the country suffer when winter storms cause power outages and water pipes freeze up overnight. There are several ways to thaw out those frozen pipes; some are quite safe, while others have caused unnecessary bathroom repairs, fires and financial loss. In this article, we will look at how to thaw out frozen water pipes safely.
Water pipes are subject to freezing whenever they are unnecessarily exposed to sub-zero temperatures. In the house, or apartment building, water pipes are run in the basement or crawl space, in the attic, through walls, and under floor joists. These areas are outside the usual living space of a home, so they tend to go unnoticed until they freeze. If they burst, as copper pipe is prone to do, flooding and serious damage to floors, walls, ceiling and furniture is likely to result. Bathroom repairs, always quite expensive, must be made to prevent further damage, and it suddenly becomes a busy time for plumbers.
The best way to prevent water pipes from freezing up is to make sure that they are properly protected from exposure to the cold air. Air leaks, from cracks in a building's foundation or small holes in the wall, will become frigid air streams when the temperature drops below freezing. It doesn't take long for the water inside an exposed pipe to freeze when subjected to subzero blasts of air. Therefore, you should examine your water pipes, wherever they are located, and make sure that they are properly insulated for protection. This applies to both hot and cold water pipes, as it's a good idea to protect hot water pipes from energy loss as well. You should make sure that even the smallest section of exposed water pipe, especially around bends and joints, is well insulated with foam or fiberglass wrap that is specially designed for this purpose.
Now, what should you do if your water pipes do freeze up? First, a word about safety. Using an open flame from any source is strongly not recommended. Open flames cause fires, and house fires in sub-zero weather is definitely a most unpleasant thing. I hope that you will never have to experience one. They are entirely preventable, yet they still happen every year. The alternative is to use a radiant form of heat, say radiant heater, which can be directed at the frozen section of pipe and solve the problem quickly and safely.
The best and most obvious source of radiant heat is the hand-held hair blow dryer, although a household radiant heater will work as well. These can generate quite a lot of heat on the high temperature setting and they direct the heat safely to wherever it's needed. They will quickly thaw the pipe without damage and you can quickly get back to your daily routine. Naturally, you should go back to the pipe and insulate it before the next bout of freezing weather arrives. You should identify the source of the air leak and plug up the hole with expanding foam or by adding more insulation.
Expanding foam is manufactured in aerosol cans and is easy to use for plugging up holes, both large and small. There are different types of foam, each intended for use in specific applications. You should ask your hardware salesperson for advice, if you are unsure about which type to buy. You should wear a pair of rubber or latex painter's gloves when applying it, because it will stick to your hands if you do not protect them.
The old saw about "an ounce of prevention being worth an pound of cure" applies well here. Taking a little time to make sure that your home or apartment is properly insulated, has all the cracks and crevices plugged up, and all the exposed sections of water pipe are insulated. Doing so will save you quite a bit a misery when the temperatures are at their lowest. Occasionally, and despite your best efforts against freezing temperatures, water pipes do freeze, and if they do, you should break out the hair dryer or radiant heater to thaw frozen water pipes and get them back in working order quickly.