HOW DO YOU THAW FROZEN PIPES?

1/21/2016 (Permalink)

If you turn on a faucet to find only a little water trickling out, suspect a frozen pipe.  Ideally you’ll want to locate the pipe first. Be sure to check all other faucets in your home as well to find out if you have additional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too.

Once you locate the frozen section, if the pipe is accessible, inspect it by checking for cracks or splits. If you find damage, you may want to get repair materials ready before thawing the pipe. If the pipe is not accessible, read on for techniques to deal with thawing.

Before you start the thawing process, keep the faucet open on the frozen line to allow water, steam or pressure to escape. This will allow water to drain out as the ice melts and will tell you if you have succeeded in melting the obstruction.

Next we’ll want to heat the pipe to start the thawing process.  How you heat the pipe depends upon the type of pipe and the location. But in most cases start nearest the faucet and work outward. Never heat a pipe with direct flame or boiling water. Heating a pipe too quickly can result in bursting, damage and injury.

Thawing Plastic pipes

Accessible pipes can be heated with a hair dryer. Keep the dryer moving and do not focus it on any one place too long.

Hot wet rags can be used to heat pipes. Simply immerse a rag in hot water and wrap it around the pipe. Replace it when it cools.

A grounded, water resistant heating pad can be wrapped around the pipe and set to the lowest heat setting.

Thawing Metal pipes

While a flame could be used in some cases on some copper and steel metal pipes it is not recommended to use a direct flame on any pipe as this increases the risk of damage to the pipe as well as presenting a fire risk. Accessible pipes can be heated with a hair dryer. Keep the dryer moving and do not focus it on any one place too long.

Hot wet rags can be used to heat pipes. Simply immerse a rag in hot water and wrap it around the pipe. If you are able to catch water from under the pipe, you can go a step further by pouring hot (not boiling) water over the rags.

A grounded, water resistant heating pad can be wrapped around the pipe and set to the lowest heat setting.

Thawing Inaccessible pipes

Frozen water pipes located in inaccessible locations can be warmed by raising the ambient temperature. In cases where the pipe is located in an exterior facing wall, open cabinets to allow warm interior air to warm inside the cabinet and wall. Locating pipes may require a little detective work. First consider, most pipes travel through walls in the most direct route to get to the room they service. The water lines are likely to be near the rooms they service. Raising the indoor temperature will increase the temperature in all rooms and help somewhat to heat pipes in exterior walls. But direct application of heat where the pipes run will speed the process even more.

You may place a heat lamp or portable heater facing the wall to warm it. Before using a heat source remove any combustible materials and follow all manufacturers’ recommendations and safety warnings about how close it may be placed to the wall or other obstruction. In the absence of other warnings, place the heat source no closer than 18 inches from the wall or obstruction.

Heating this way will take some time, but it does work.

Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or any other open flame device.

Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you cannot thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.

What Can You Do To Take Additional Future Protection?

Consider relocating exposed pipes to provide increased protection from freezing.

Pipes can be relocated by a professional if the home is remodeled.

Add insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces. Insulation will maintain higher temperatures in these areas.

What to do if a frozen pipe leads to water damage?

Call SERVPRO of Upper Darby, PA or SERVPRO of Bear/New castle, DE at 877-352-0700 immediately for service or advice.  Our next blog will help give you several Water Damage Emergency Do’s and Dont’s for you to follow until help arrives!

SERVPRO of Upper Darby, PA & SERVPRO of Bear/New Castle, DE, proudly serves those in need!  We will be on site quickly and our staff will give you the personalized attention you deserve.  We specialize in the cleanup of water damage, fire damage, smoke damage, mold removal, trauma cleanup, vandalism cleanup, carpet cleaning and duct cleaning.  Let us help you make it, “Like it Never Even Happened!”  Visit either of our websites for assistance.  Pennsylvania customers visit –www.SERVPROofupperdarby.com or www.SERVPROofbearnewcastle.com if you’re located in Delaware.  To speak to a qualified team member, call 1-877-352-0700.