How to Prevent Drain Pipes From Freezing & Thaw Frozen Pipes

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How to Prevent Drain Pipes From Freezing & Thaw Frozen Pipes

How to Prevent Drain Pipes From Freezing & Thaw Frozen Pipes
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Frozen pipes aren’t just an issue for those in cold climates, despite what many people believe. This problem can happen for homeowners in warmer climates if the pipes are not properly insulated. A frozen pipe can happen to anybody at any time if the correct precautions are not taken.

Frozen pipes are an issue because they can eventually cause a burst pipe if not dealt with promptly. This can cause floods, ruin your possessions, and be a very costly issue to fix.

Some pipes are more prone to freezing than others because of their location in the home. Pipes most at risk for freezing include:

  • Exposed pipes in unheated areas of your home.
  • Pipes located in your exterior walls.
  • Any plumbing on the exterior of your home.

Make sure you keep an eye on these pipes in particular. Let’s talk about how you can prevent frozen pipes and thaw them if a freeze still occurs.

Preventing Frozen Pipes

There are a number of ways you can work on preventing frozen pipes. It’s a good idea to keep your property warm even if you are out of the house. This can be offputting as a billpayer, but a frozen/burst pipe can end up being more costly in the long run.

Make sure you work on fixing any holes or cracks near pipes, as they can let warm air out and cold air in, causing water in the pipes to freeze. Electrical heating tape may be an option to keep them from freezing, and this tape can be applied directly to the pipe. If you’re unsure of how to do it, there are many tutorials online that could help you. Do not guess, as this tape can be dangerous.

There are two types of heating tape you can choose. One turns on and off by itself when it senses that the pipes need heat, while the other type of tape needs to be plugged in and unplugged when it isn’t in use. Safety procedures must be followed exactly, as they can be dangerous if they aren’t installed properly.

Extra insulation or lagging could also be the cure for any pipe in the home that needs to stay warm. Foam rubber or fibreglass sleeves can be used to combat freezing. Make sure you wear protective gear if you plan on adding these things to your pipes yourself. It may be less hassle to hire a professional plumber to do it for you when you take into account all of the equipment you will need to purchase (if you don’t already have it).

If you have a particularly large area to protect, you can keep the heat in with a barrier built out of foam board. Both faced and unfaced foam board can work. The board is simple to cut, all you need to do is use a carpenter’s pencil or a Sharpie to mark the surface, and then score with a utility knife. You may need to do both sides, before snapping on the line.

If you’re picturing a worst case scenario, turning off the main water valve while you’re out of the house or sleeping can be an option. This way, if a pipe freezes, only the water in the pipe will spill.

Thawing Frozen Pipes

Thawing frozen pipes needs to be undertaken carefully. If you find a pipe that has frozen behind a wall or ceiling, the job is going to be tough. You can either wait while you heat up your home, cut out a section of the wall to access the pipe, or use an infrared lamp to help heat up the specific section.

However, you will have an easier job of thawing your pipe if it is exposed. Make sure you start to heat the pipe from the faucet towards the frozen area, whichever method you decide to use. Water will flow out as the ice begins to melt.

Using a hair dryer is a safe and easy option to thaw your pipe. A heat lamp, such as an infrared lamp or incandescent lamp can also be used. Electric pipe heat tape can be wrapped around the pipe and plugged into the wall too. If you have a personal heater on hand, you may also like to try this. Whatever you do, you should never use a blowtorch or something equally as dangerous to thaw out your frozen pipe.

Make sure you act quickly but take your time with the thawing out process to avoid any further issues.

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