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Replies: 31
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Scout Team [187]
TigerPulse: 94%
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Frozen water pipes question
Dec 24, 2022, 9:16 PM
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In Surry County, NC. Temps today got to -5 with wind chill. Highly unusual for us. As a result many of us had our pipes freeze. I’m on well water. I took a space heater out to well house and within minutes cold water came back on. However still no hot water and running it for probably 30 minutes now. Any tips or advice on how long it takes or if there’s anything I can do to get the hot water going. Thanks Tiger nation in advance.
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Orange Beast [6218]
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Re: Frozen water pipes question
Dec 24, 2022, 9:25 PM
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Heat tape from lowes will cure this …thats what i have on my pipes never had any problem
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Clemson Conqueror [11405]
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Are you heat taping all the pipes under you house? Isn't that
Dec 24, 2022, 9:43 PM
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a lot of tape?
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Clemson Conqueror [11405]
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Please clarify...you are getting cold water from your hot
Dec 24, 2022, 9:29 PM
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water faucets, or no water at all from the hot side?
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Ultimate Tiger [34634]
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Re: Frozen water pipes question
Dec 24, 2022, 9:30 PM
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If the hot water is flowing but not getting hot it’s not frozen up, just the hot water heater isn’t working. Check the breaker.
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Clemson Conqueror [11405]
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If it were the breaker, he should at least get some warm
Dec 24, 2022, 9:39 PM
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water, since a tank full of hot water would take several hours to cool completely down after losing power to the water heater.
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110%er [3807]
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Re: Frozen water pipes question
Dec 24, 2022, 10:34 PM
[ in reply to Re: Frozen water pipes question ] |
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Hot water heater? Why does hot water need to be heated? My house only came with a cold water heater. Actually, it's an ambient water heater since it's not actually cooled water, but ambient has been pretty cold today.
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Trainer [49]
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Re: Frozen water pipes question
Dec 24, 2022, 9:30 PM
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A heater in the well house won’t fix the hot water side. That section of pipe is between the water heater and the house. Is the water heater inside the house? In the crawlspace/basement? Attic? Start at the water heater on the hot outlet and go from there.
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Freshman [5]
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Re: Frozen water pipes question
Dec 24, 2022, 9:30 PM
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actually, the mail water lines coming from the well has very little to do with the hot water but may need to heat around the intake of the water heater inlet or outgoing water fittings
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Clemson Conqueror [11405]
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If you put a heat lamp in your well house & keep faucets
Dec 24, 2022, 9:36 PM
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trickling slowly in the house, you should avoid freezing. Is your water heater in your crawl space or an unheated area?
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Trainer [35]
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Re: Frozen water pipes question
Dec 24, 2022, 9:36 PM
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You needed to drip the pipes to keep this from happening. Drip hot and cold water. Put an incandescent light bulb in the pump house in the future. If you can get to the hot water line that is frozen, put a hair dryer on it.
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Trainer [35]
TigerPulse: 95%
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Re: Frozen water pipes question
Dec 24, 2022, 9:38 PM
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You needed to drip the pipes to keep this from happening. Drip both hot and cold water lines. Put an incandescent light bulb in the pump house in the future to keep it warm. If you can get to the hot water line that is frozen, put a hair dryer on it.
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Clemson Conqueror [11405]
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It is amazing that people don't think to drip their pipes!
Dec 24, 2022, 10:14 PM
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I like a little more flow than a drip...as slow of a steady stream as I can get. With just a slow drip, I have seen faucets stop dripping. Just got to keep the water moving!
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Trainer [35]
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Re: Frozen water pipes question
Dec 24, 2022, 9:41 PM
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Use a hair dryer to slowly defrost the hot water line. Watch for leaks in the water line. Hot water freezes quicker than cold water( as a side note).
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Varsity [104]
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Re: Frozen water pipes question
Dec 24, 2022, 9:53 PM
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And make sure you have the hot faucets open as you heat up the line. Otherwise you’ll get a bust.
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Ultimate Clemson Legend [102982]
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Hot water does not freeze quicker than cold water.
Dec 24, 2022, 10:11 PM
[ in reply to Re: Frozen water pipes question ] |
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That, my friend, is an old wives tale founded on some old woman putting a ice tray of hot water in the fridge freezer and the compressor kicking on and staying on because the freezer temperature changed radically. They mistook the quick freezing on the water temperature and it was due to its effect on the freezing unit.
Radiators on cars with no antifreeze will freeze quicker when running because the thermostat keeps the iced cold water in the engine block before it gets hot enough to open the thermostat in the cooling system. That delay is prevents the water in the radiator from moving long enough for conduction (air rushing through the radiator) to remove the heat.
Set a pan of cold and a pan of hot water outside with a thermometer in each and you'll see heat loss is linear. Each volume of water changes temperature one degree at a time and that change will be equal with both subjects.
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Heisman Winner [79312]
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Re: Hot water does not freeze quicker than cold water.
Dec 25, 2022, 1:17 AM
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It’s most definitely not linear, but yes the hot water will freeze after the cold water just because it will take some time for the hot water to cool down to the temperature that the cold water started at. And the time from that point to freezing will be the same as the cold water takes.
Radiative cooling goes at the fourth power of the temperature difference between the object and ambient.
Evaporative cooling would also be greater when warmer than cooler in the open tray example, but not in a pipe.
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Dynasty Maker [3120]
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Re: Hot water does not freeze quicker than cold water.
Dec 25, 2022, 6:10 AM
[ in reply to Hot water does not freeze quicker than cold water. ] |
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I put two containers in my freezer to see for myself and the hot water did freeze faster. I found it hard to believe too.
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Ultimate Clemson Legend [102982]
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Would you put them both in at the same time and please....
Dec 25, 2022, 10:01 AM
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use identical containers and volumes of water.
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110%er [3666]
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Re: Frozen water pipes question
Dec 25, 2022, 12:38 AM
[ in reply to Re: Frozen water pipes question ] |
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"Hot water freezes quicker than cold water."
Please explain. On the surface this is a ridiculous statement, so I must be misunderstanding the context.
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Ultimate Clemson Legend [102982]
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A welder is the quickest way to thaw out frozen pipes.
Dec 24, 2022, 9:52 PM
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You have to have a long ground lead and be setup to use the machine with a suitable power outlet.
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Clemson Conqueror [11405]
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But that will only work on galvanized pipe! :)***
Dec 24, 2022, 9:57 PM
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Ultimate Clemson Legend [102982]
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Most house plumbing is copper.
Dec 24, 2022, 10:19 PM
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It will work on PVC and PLEX if you hook a lead to the water meter.
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National Champion [7227]
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Re: Most house plumbing is copper.
Dec 25, 2022, 12:12 AM
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Only if your pipes are full of Salt water.
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Clemson Conqueror [11405]
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Looking back at original post, sounds like you have water on
Dec 24, 2022, 10:02 PM
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the hot side, it just never got hot? That would mean it isn't frozen, but an electrical problem! Check the water heater breaker.
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Game Changer [1669]
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Re: Looking back at original post, sounds like you have water on
Dec 24, 2022, 10:23 PM
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Agree if your getting water from hot side that isn’t hot it would be a heater problem.. maybe tripped breaker or blown elements, though both blowing at the same time isn’t likely. If no water from hot side thaw any pipe exposed going in or out near the water heater
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Ultimate Clemson Legend [102982]
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If the WH is outside or in the crawlspace one element...
Dec 24, 2022, 11:34 PM
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working wouldn't be noticed with water being near freezing when it encountered the element. It's cold going in and loses heat on the way to the faucets It could be the thermostat, breaker or just one element.
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Orange Immortal [62866]
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Re: Frozen water pipes question
Dec 24, 2022, 11:56 PM
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Yes, heat your home to about 80 for about 3 hours, or until the hot water starts to flow, and it's best to leave the hot water faucets turned all the on at the sinks closest to your hot water heater.
Sister-in-law lives in Greensboro, calls and says her cold and hot water was frozen, I told her to put their little buddy heater under the house, turn the inside temp to 80 degrees, she calls back about two hours later saying that all was fine!!!
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Valley Legend [12751]
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Re: Frozen water pipes question
Dec 25, 2022, 9:16 AM
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When turning on a faucet in your house to a trickle, choose the faucet furtherest from where the water pipe enters you house. More of a trickle than a drip.
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Game Changer [1961]
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Re: Frozen water pipes question
Dec 25, 2022, 9:57 AM
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After reading sone of the advice - it affirms there are genuine and really smart folks on Tnet. Merry Christmas everyone!
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CU Medallion [19041]
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Have well also. I had it freeze one time, and it was the
Dec 25, 2022, 4:52 PM
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small little tube from the main line to the pressure switch (it's maybe 3/8" pipe vs. 1"). I insulated that tube and have had no issues.
I agree with other comments that the hot water is probably an electrical issue. If you have water flow when your turn on the hot water, it's electrical. Breaker is a possibility.
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Clemson Conqueror [11311]
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Re: Frozen water pipes question
Dec 25, 2022, 11:19 PM
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I believe that everyone is waiting on more details and an update. Fortunately, I was visiting family in the upstate for Christmas, and I was able to fix two busted water lines for them.
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Replies: 31
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