Question about frozen pipes

luvmykids wrote: All my outside spigots are frozen, is it ok to leave them that way? Or am I supposed to try to thaw them, which seems silly since they will freeze right up again, literally....I was carrying buckets of water out to the horses and spilled some and an hour later it's a patch of ice

I know last year they would be frozen in the morning but thawed out on their own, I'm just a little worried since we've been so much colder than usual and our highs have only been in the 20's so they aren't thawing out, I know it might sound dumb but I don't know how everything is hooked up and don't want to accidentally do something to cause problems with the frozen parts.

grapfruit replied: Here's an article off our website about frozen pipes. Specific to your question. We didn't do anything to protect our outside spigot one year and it burst under the kitchen cabinet (it was on that wall) SOO, if there's some way to get some heat to it (like leave a cabinet door open) I would...


Avoiding the big freeze in pipes


Ah, the joys of winter. Bone-chilling cold, cars buried in snow and sidewalks that double as ice skating rinks. Even when things are at their worst on the outside, there is always the warmth and dry shelter inside the home. But for as many as a quarter-million people each year, their toasty refuge becomes a house of rain as frozen pipes rupture and pour water down on their walls, ceilings, carpets and personal effects.
The winter months provide a good opportunity to sit down with your clients to not only discuss the impact of cold weather on their home, but also to review their homeowners coverage to make sure they are adequately covered to protect the investment they’ve made in their home.
Bursting pipes occur when frozen water in them creates water pressure buildup between the ice blockage and the closed faucet. The pipes, both plastic and copper, can then rupture at their weakest point. While this can happen anywhere in the home, certain areas are more susceptible to freezing in extremely cold weather. Pipes located in outside walls, attics and crawl spaces are common danger zones.
As the cold tightens its grip, now is the perfect time to remind your insureds of what they can do to prevent this potential disaster.
An ounce of prevention
- Cover exposed pipes with foam or fiberglass insulation sleeves or UL-approved heat tape. Make sure no gaps remain that would expose the pipe to cold air.
- Seal any leaks that allow cold air inside where pipes are located with caulking, paying particular attention to wiring, dryer vents and pipes.

- Open cabinet doors during extreme cold to allow warm air to circulate around pipes.

- Run a slow trickle of water through faucets that are located in an unheated or unprotected area of the home.

- Shut off and drain all pipes leading to outdoor faucets.
When away from home
- Leave the heat on and set the thermostat no lower than 55 degrees (12 degrees Celsius). A lower temperature may save on the heating bill, but the cost could be much higher if cold weather freezes the pipes.
- Have someone check the house daily to ensure the heat is still running.

- Shut off and drain the water system, except for indoor sprinkler systems.
If Jack Frost nips at the pipes
- If no water comes out when a faucet is opened, leave it open and call a plumber immediately.
- If a pipe has burst, turn off the water at the main shut-off valve and leave faucets open until any repairs are finished.

- Never attempt to thaw a frozen pipe with an open flame, such as a torch. There are worse things than water damage, such as starting a house fire.

- A hair dryer might be able to thaw a pipe. Slowly apply heat, starting close to the faucet and leaving the faucet open, working toward the coldest section of the pipe.
- If there is standing water, do not use electrical appliances because of the risk of electrocution.
For more information on frozen water pipes, visit the Institute for Business and Home Safety Web site. To request free copies of the “Loss Control Insider: You Can Prevent Frozen Water Pipes” (PR-18668) to share with your insureds, contact Supply.

Crystalina replied: DH always tells me to try to thaw them when he's not home because they may bust and cause bigger problems.

::ETA::
LOL Casey, I've done the blow dryer thing before. We only have one pipe that is a problem for us and of course it effects the entire house so when it's really cold at night we have a light bulb we stick next to it.

lisar replied: Anytime its going to get under 32 degrees here we leave our water running in our pipes so that they dont freeze. Ofcourse we dont stay below freezing for more than a couple hours so I am not sure it might be diffrent where your at.

luvmykids replied: I left an inside faucet running, I just don't know how to keep the outside ones from freezing other than shut off the supply valve which I can't find...and can't get them to thaw either I've been outside with my blow dryer for the better part of the day.....nothing

Maddie&EthansMom replied: Darn it. I thought it said Frozen PIES! Now I'm hungry for pie.

MyBlueEyedBabies replied: we blew out our sprinklers as soon as it started freezing and the hose do dads closed off inside or something weird. when we would turn it off it would drain for like 30 more seconds because all the water between would run out.
Sorry no help on unfreezing. Would pouring a boiling tea pot on it help??

luvmykids replied: I can get the actual handle to turn, it's just that nothing comes out and I don't know where in the wall it's frozen...I put heat lamps on two spots that I am guessing might be the problem, and used my blow dryer up and down the wall where the actual spigot is....nada

I'm guessing either the whole part that controls the spigots is frozen, or the frozen part is in a spot I don't know about or can't get to

I'm so flipping annoyed, this crap ONLY happens when DH is gone

Cece00 replied: Wait, didnt you buy those covers for them & put them on??

Frozen pipes can be a big PIA....do they go into your brick/walls?

luvmykids replied: Yes, I put the covers on them last night and even stuffed newspaper in for extra insulation. I don't know where my pipes are, since none of my inside water is affected I'm kind of thinking I have two sets of pipes? Between my exterior and interior walls?

I know nothing about plumbing LOL, that's just my theory based on the fact that inside works and outside doesn't.

eta: In case I'm not making sense, I got the actual faucets thawed, and they turn, but nothing comes out. I have spigots on all four sides of the house, so I'm having a hard time figuring out where exactly they're frozen and can't try to thaw every wall, kwim?

grapfruit replied: Isn't somebody on here a plumber?

Cece00 replied:
Hm. Well, I am stumped then.

Do you NEED them to work right now??? If so, call a plumber, but I dont live in an extremely cold area so I am not sure how common that is.

luvmykids replied: I really need one to work, at least...but my biggest concern is just having some problem like something cracking.