No water, preventative methods

Sniipe

So the lid on top of my "stop cock" is broken (thats the place where the mains comes into my house). Basically the hinge part is broken. Now I know they don't look waterproof for the best of times, but over the years with moss, a lot of them are relatively water proof.

Anyway, I put my hand down into the area with the stop cock and it was frozen at the top by about 5inches. After a bit of hot water (not too much as I don't want to crack anything)on the top of the ice I get the ice down to a breakable thickness. Then I go in with a sponge and soak up about 2 foot of freezing water.

The water still isn't running... but maybe it will run later on.

I've logged the lid being broken with water services and they will fix it but I guess they are busy and won't be here for a good while. What can I stick down the service pipe to the stop cock to prevent it from freezing again in the next few days?

spitballing here:
Should I stuff it full of newspaper (but then if it rains it might make it more difficult after a freeze).
Should I try and create a thin plastic barrier under the lid some how (probably a good idea but don't know how to make it waterproof and stick).
Should I throw on the water 24/7 like the rest of the idiots? (Don't like this idea as its a blatant misuse of precious water resources and will contribute to the low water level)
Get a load of aero board? This mixed with the water which may come might be more difficult to freeze (dunno?!?)

Sponge Bob

Straw if you can get it or wood shavings and something impermeable on top to stop the water getting back in again.

To thaw the stopcock itself I would try holding a hot coal cinder against the metal ( not the plastic pipe itself obviously) in a tongs , once thawed run it a bit to shift the ice and then pack in the straw/wood.

Never open or close a stopcock fully and leave it there, once you twist fully open or closed then twist back 180 degrees towards the closed or open position again.

They tend to lock up at full open or full close and break internally as you try to shift them ...years later usually with these things.

Pet shops sell wood shavings !!

Good luck.

PopeBuckfastXVI

Not really a Galway City topic, opening this up to the collective experience and knowledge of the b.ie Engineers.

Sniipe

PopeBuckfastXVI wrote: »

Not really a Galway City topic, opening this up to the collective experience and knowledge of the b.ie Engineers.

True, sorry - just saw the low pressure thread and mistakenly automatically put it in the same thread.

Thanks Sponge Bob - as always you appear to be a hive of information. Although a hot coal cinder may be difficult to get a hold of with my heating system. I do however have wood chipping that I can bung into the hole... but wonder if this is ... frowned upon? Wouldn't someone in the future have trouble turning on/off the water supply?

I don't think I need to open the stop cock at all, so I won't be going at that. I'm sure with some luke warm water and taking the water out over an hour will be enough to thaw it out. Then I'll put in the chipping and try and seal it for now with some thick plastic film that can be punctured down the line...

Sponge Bob

Wood chipping burns to fast to transmit heat usefully.

The reason I did not recommend flooding with hot water is because it will likely be freezing again by the time you sponge it out ( ) for the next lot of hot water.

You only need to flood the bottom around the stopcock I suppose ...don't overfill with the boiling water.

Cheeble

Stuff it with bubble-wrap?

Cheeble-eers

Sniipe

Cheeble wrote: »

Stuff it with bubble-wrap?

Cheeble-eers

Another idea, but the water would get around that...

The water services called round today and spray painted the lid... I hope the next step isn't too long away.

I still have no water. Had a look in the attic. I've 2 reservoir and they are 4/5 full and no sign of ice. Happy enough with that.

I stuffed the cock stop service area with wood chippings after I took out the water. I probably should have stayed at it longer with the hot water to thaw the pipes. I think I'll remove the chipping again tomorrow morning when I have light and pour hot (not boiling) water down and keep doing that every 20 min till I get water. I'm convinced this service area is the problem...

Sniipe

Well the above didn't work out. Over 2 hours I poured 5 kettle loads of water.
Another day and still no water! I'm living in Terryland, Galway City. Both my neighbors have water. I'm getting desperate. The coal cinder didn't work either. Someone said to me to try and heat up the driveway some how!!!

The driveway may be a problem. The drive way got a make over; it was very step and now its angle has been reduced, so I guess there is less insulation between the concrete and the pipe. OMG this is a nightmare, the drive way is a special concrete and would cost a good bit to rip up and replace... I'm not even 100% its the problem.