Cold weather tips: Stopping your pipes from freezing

DublinWriter

A lot of people are now experiencing problems with frozen pipes in their attics.

A simple way to prevent this is to leave your attic door open!

It happened to us this morning. A couple of hours with the heating full on soon fixed the problem.

This will also reduce the chances of pipes bursting and eventually flooding.

mike65

its no longer a cold snap

AckwelFoley

DublinWriter wrote: »

A lot of people are now experiencing problems with frozen pipes in their attics.

A simple way to prevent this is to leave your attic door open!

It happened to us this morning. A couple of hours with the heating full on soon fixed the problem.

This will also reduce the chances of pipes bursting and eventually flooding.

Thanks for the Tip MacGyver

Joey the lips

Nahh leave the attic door in most modern houses open and half the house will catch pnuemonia.

An easier solution would be to run a 100w bulb up through a hole in the door. Yes this does work...and leave your down stairs tap on a very slow drip. If you are really over concerned.

DublinWriter

snyper wrote: »

Thanks for the Tip MacGyver

Hey, don't thank me, thank the Moon's gravitational pull.

Gordon

DublinWriter wrote: »

A lot of people are now experiencing problems with frozen pipes in their attics.

A simple way to prevent this is to leave your attic door open!

It happened to us this morning. A couple of hours with the heating full on soon fixed the problem.

This will also reduce the chances of pipes bursting and eventually flooding.

Where would such a thread exist? I can post an announcement pointing people to the thread/forum that this is discussed in if you want to set up a thread there?

-Chris-

TBH, the place that comes to mind for me is the Lifehacks forum.

Gordon

Someone create a thread about cold(snap) tips and I'll announce it.

Actually, forget that, I'll move this thread there. If the mods don't want it here, feel free to move to where you think it's better placed.

jumpguy

Joey the lips wrote: »

Nahh leave the attic door in most modern houses open and half the house will catch pnuemonia.

An easier solution would be to run a 100w bulb up through a hole in the door. Yes this does work...and leave your down stairs tap on a very slow drip. If you are really over concerned.

Running a 100w bulb is what we do too and it never fails. However, I'd advise against a dripping tap, you're destroying our water infrastructure. With burst pipes, the water supply in many areas is now under extreme pressure. If more people start leaving their taps dripping, there'll most definetly be severe shortages.

ravima

shower is not working - water inlet pipe to shower is frozen. how can i prevent this happening once water resumes later tomorrow??

newtoboards

Another tip I just read in the paper is to insulate the external stopcock by putting rags or foam or an old piece of carpet over it.

galwaytt

jumpguy wrote: »

........ However, I'd advise against a dripping tap, you're destroying our water infrastructure. ........

....makes you a match for the local authority so, given their incompetence.....

martyc5674

jumpguy wrote: »

Running a 100w bulb is what we do too and it never fails. However, I'd advise against a dripping tap, you're destroying our water infrastructure. With burst pipes, the water supply in many areas is now under extreme pressure. If more people start leaving their taps dripping, there'll most definetly be severe shortages.

How do you expect the heat generated from a 100W bulb to heat your attic sufficiently to prevent the temp dropping below zero?????
Its just coincidence it "never fails".

Best thing to ensure is that your attic pipes are insulated or @ least under the insulation, also your attic tank should have insulation on all sides and on the top(not the bottom)

Marty.

jumpguy

galwaytt wrote: »

....makes you a match for the local authority so, given their incompetence.....

Sorry buddy, you can give me snide remarks all you want, but that's the truth.

martyc5674 wrote: »

How do you expect the heat generated from a 100W bulb to heat your attic sufficiently to prevent the temp dropping below zero?????
Its just coincidence it "never fails".

Best thing to ensure is that your attic pipes are insulated or @ least under the insulation, also your attic tank should have insulation on all sides and on the top(not the bottom)

Marty.

Not sure, of course insulation is definetly the best thing to do, and make sure the house is warm. But if you have a bulb in the attic - leave it on. You do know that bulbs are all that keep incubators and the likes warm? They defo help in the attic.

martyc5674

jumpguy wrote: »

You do know that bulbs are all that keep incubators and the likes warm?

They are heat lamps in incubators though...a 100W bulb is designed to light not to heat (however traditional filament bulbs are inefficient and do give off heat)
In any case 100W in you attic is piddly...it wont warm it the slightest.

To give you an idea a rad in a typical sitting room would be somewhere between 2KW and 3KW (20 to 30 100W light bulbs)...its designed to give out heat...your room is insulated and designed to keep in heat.
Attics arent insulated and there is a gap around your eaves for ventilation(ie open window!!)

So dont waste your time sticking bulbs up the attics for gods sake!!
Maybe a super ser up there!!
Marty

gipi

newtoboards wrote: »

Another tip I just read in the paper is to insulate the external stopcock by putting rags or foam or an old piece of carpet over it.

Covering the stopcock has worked for me - water pipes froze twice over Christmas (inc Christmas Day), I read about defrosting the stopcock by pouring warm water around it which worked a treat!

I then moved the pet's wooden kennel over the stopcock (it's close to my back door, in case anyone thinks I'm tripping up the neighbours!!), and despite the temps getting down to -7 last night, water hasn't frozen since I covered it (yeh, I know I'm tempting fate now, aren't I!).

milltown

martyc5674 wrote: »

Maybe a super ser up there!!
Marty

That would heat the whole house before too long Albeit briefly.
I believe an insurance co. will now refuse to pay out for any damage caused by these antique death traps.

Plowman

This post has been deleted.

martyc5674

milltown wrote: »

That would heat the whole house before too long Albeit briefly.
I believe an insurance co. will now refuse to pay out for any damage caused by these antique death traps.

Didnt realise they were essentially illegal nowadays...they were all the rage when i was growing up!!
Havent seen one in years...great yokes!! .....click click click BANG BANG BANG... starting em up was always hairy, flames could travel any distance across the room!
Marty

RizzoJR

jumpguy wrote: »

Running a 100w bulb is what we do too and it never fails. However, I'd advise against a dripping tap, you're destroying our water infrastructure. With burst pipes, the water supply in many areas is now under extreme pressure. If more people start leaving their taps dripping, there'll most definetly be severe shortages.

Leave your COLD KITCHEN SINK tap dripping overnight
into a container for re-use next morning

Leaving this tap dripping reduces the chance of your pipes
freezing and you losing water like so many have already.

This is 2010 Ireland, getting economically raped by the bankers, and being fed continuous lies by Fianna Fail.

When you do the supposedly right thing and dont leave your tap dripping, and you lose your water
you wont get ANY help from the government, who will blame the council, who will blame the builders, who are
getting bailed out by government....

Ireland, what can go wrong next???

martyc5674

Plowman wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Ill burst that one for ya!!
The cables wouldnt get warm from a 100W current draw..if youd like to test this put your hand on the cable on any light bulb...it wont be warm.

Joey the lips

jumpguy wrote: »

Running a 100w bulb is what we do too and it never fails. However, I'd advise against a dripping tap, you're destroying our water infrastructure. With burst pipes, the water supply in many areas is now under extreme pressure. If more people start leaving their taps dripping, there'll most definetly be severe shortages.

I should have said i dont support the idea of a dripping tap but if its the difference between a good and bad nights sleep for most i would allow the dripping tap.

My apologies... Never waste water or energy but sometimes there is times which its necessary...

GismoBaby

pipes froze in my house that i rent out cos i went back to college nad the tenants up and left without paying the rent! they hadnt been there all over xmas no heat on and wondered why the pipes froze. anyways leaving the attic door open a tad and putting a wee blow heater up there will defrost the pipes enough then do the whole run the tap into a container to save water for tea trick! but not before you read the meter for the ones who up and left with one days without paying rent.... hehe!!! evil larf!!

InkSlinger67

snyper wrote: »

Thanks for the Tip MacGyver

A typical Mac response would be "Don't thank me! Thank the gravitational pull of the moon!"

Joey the lips

RizzoJR wrote: »

Leave your COLD KITCHEN SINK tap dripping overnight
into a container for re-use next morning

Leaving this tap dripping reduces the chance of your pipes
freezing and you losing water like so many have already.

This is 2010 Ireland, getting economically raped by the bankers, and being fed continuous lies by Fianna Fail.

When you do the supposedly right thing and dont leave your tap dripping, and you lose your water
you wont get ANY help from the government, who will blame the council, who will blame the builders, who are
getting bailed out by government....

Ireland, what can go wrong next???

No point leaving your cold kitchen tap running. This is the mains before it comes into your house. You leave the cold bathroom tap running. pref the one downstairs if you have a cold bathroom tap downstairs.

The light bulb is a very old remedy given on the radio many years ago. I dont know if it works to be honest but you climb into many of the attics of an old house and you will see the light bulb hanging over the water tank.

Now i dont know about you but there is not many reasons i would hang a light over a water tank.

damone

its no myth ,the heat of the bulb takes the bite out of the cold in you re attic ,has worked for all of my 37 years and plenty of folk i know ,it get ****in cold and drafty in attics so leavin the trapdoor open isnt always a good idea!!!by the way over the tank is definitly not the place to put any electrical object obviously !!!

subiedunne

Our water supplies are running dangerously low please do not leave your taps running, and if your attic is up to date with insulation it should be okay. Keep the light on if it makes you feel better but it won't do much in heating the attic..

subiedunne

do not leave your taps on nation cannot cope, we are very low on water as it is...

martyc5674

damone wrote: »

its no myth ,the heat of the bulb takes the bite out of the cold in you re attic ,has worked for all of my 37 years and plenty of folk i know ,!

Sorry but its a myth!!...A 100W bulb wouldnt warm your socks never mind a large uninsulated draughty attic..its nonsense and you have just been lucky/your pipes are well covered.

subiedunne speaks sense...listen to him/her!

Marty.

jumpguy

RizzoJR wrote: »

Leave your COLD KITCHEN SINK tap dripping overnight
into a container for re-use next morning

Leaving this tap dripping reduces the chance of your pipes
freezing and you losing water like so many have already.

This is 2010 Ireland, getting economically raped by the bankers, and being fed continuous lies by Fianna Fail.

When you do the supposedly right thing and dont leave your tap dripping, and you lose your water
you wont get ANY help from the government, who will blame the council, who will blame the builders, who are
getting bailed out by government....

Ireland, what can go wrong next???

Right, I'm not bringing politics into this (it's brought into every argument now, but this is one argument where it's not relevant at ALL) but just look at it like this. Pipes are bursting around the country and this is draining reservoirs rapidly, and decreasing mains water pressure. Water pressure is important for certain machines, and most commonly electric showers. If people start advising to leave water dripping, this is going to exasperate the problem immensely, and the water will have to be switched off at night (I heard it already is being switched off in some places). Then we'll see how much water-flow problems you have.

I'm pretty sure the bulb (not sure if the one in this attic is 100W) must help somewhat. Ours is hanging over the water tank too. It can only help and there have never been frozen attic pipes. Call it a coincidence or not, that's the case.

looksee

We used have what I think was called a chick lamp, a huge bulb that was red on the lower part, we used that to stop the pipes freezing in the attic but that was years ago. In the house we are in now the chimney runs up through the centre of the house and the water tank is beside it. It isn't usually cold enough to test this theory but so far we havent had any frozen pipes.

alwaysadub

Buy an infrared bulb and holder for attic-they actualy do give off heat.
Or(if you can manage to source one)buy a frost watch. You just plug it in and when temp gets below a certain degree it kicks in and blows out 500w of warm air.

CamillaRhodes

Why was this thread announced to the whole of boards.ie? I kinda assume when there's an announcement that it'll be more like a 'pronouncement' thread of some sort, not just a typical boards-ish rambling argument thread... No offence to y'all, it's a good discussion to be having and you're welcome to it, but did it really need to be announced to everyone? Perhaps if a definitive answer as to the lightbulb/running tap dilemma were found, that could be shared? (though, still....?!?)

dee o gee

In relation to running the tap overnight id be careful about doing that, someone I know did that and woke up the next morning to find the kitchen flooded because the water in the sink froze around the plug hole and blocked it.

jumpguy

You're meant to leave it "drip".

For God's sake people, if you're gonna do it (and you're strongly advised not to do it) DON'T LEAVE THE TAP FLOWING...ESPECIALLY IF IT'S OUTSIDE! Just had a look out and I heard water flowing. I through perhaps some misfortune of my neighbour had a pipe burst but I had a look for it and they'd left their outdoor tap flowing overnight. The yard is covered in water, and their lawn is quickly flooding, if it keeps going, it'll be all over the place.

I actually felt a little sad someone was that stupid.

snow scorpion

Gordon wrote: »

Someone create a thread about cold(snap) tips and I'll announce it.

Actually, forget that, I'll move this thread there. If the mods don't want it here, feel free to move to where you think it's better placed.

The best tip I know for feeling warm when you have to venture out in the cold is: keep your neck warm. Wear a scarf, wear a gaiter, anything that completely surrounds your neck and throat.

Over here in the Bronx, I go for a run each morning and the real-feel temperature has been in single digits Fahrenheit -- that's about -12 degrees Celsius. I wear two layers around my neck: a cotton turtleneck shirt and a nylon windbreaker that zips up to my chin. Result: from my chin down I'm as warm as toast. The cold doesn't touch me at all.

My face, on the other hand, gets so cold that it hurts. Well, no system is perfect.

damone

martyc5674 wrote: »

Sorry but its a myth!!...A 100W bulb wouldnt warm your socks never mind a large uninsulated draughty attic..its nonsense and you have just been lucky/your pipes are well covered.

subiedunne speaks sense...listen to him/her!

Marty.[/quote
i work in the construction biz martyboy and im saying this from personal experience and from endless lunch hour chats with plumbers and other tradesmen of all ages and all trades over the years ,it works ,if you have anthing else other than telling me whether my pipes are insulated when you clearly cudnt know or how lucky i am ,get back to me !!

dvdfan

Now i dont know about you but there is not many reasons i would hang a light over a water tank.

Why, In case the house turned upside down?

SandStone

martyc5674 wrote: »

Sorry but its a myth!!...A 100W bulb wouldnt warm your socks never mind a large uninsulated draughty attic..its nonsense and you have just been lucky/your pipes are well covered.

Light bulbs radiate heat, so they don't need to warm up the whole attic to have an effect on objects close by. And if you think a 100W bulb wouldn't warm your socks, I'd like to see how long you could hold one while it's on.

steamengine

gipi wrote: »

Covering the stopcock has worked for me - water pipes froze twice over Christmas (inc Christmas Day), I read about defrosting the stopcock by pouring warm water around it which worked a treat!

I then moved the pet's wooden kennel over the stopcock (it's close to my back door, in case anyone thinks I'm tripping up the neighbours!!), and despite the temps getting down to -7 last night, water hasn't frozen since I covered it (yeh, I know I'm tempting fate now, aren't I!).

+1 ........... IMO this is a post worth emphasising as it presents a solution to a widespread problem countrywide at the moment.

It might be worth moving the kennel idea a little further on. I would suggest a box over the stopcock hole with a fan heater inside. Cover the box with old carpet etc. When you're finished heating stuff the hole with insulation as well.

Secondly, check for other weak areas eg where the mains pipe enters the house and use a fan heater as well and possibly rig up a box as well. Also cover with insulation - old carpet etc.

Just be careful with electricity out of doors. Suggest you switch the heater on and off from indoors.

Rylan

dvdfan wrote: »

Why, In case the house turned upside down?

Laughing for the last 10 minutes at that post. Thanks.:D

HereSince2003

dvdfan wrote: »

Why, In case the house turned upside down?

I think that given most people don't have a lamp over the water tank that they will be just "hanging" one over it. People are generally stupid and therein lies the danger

I know people are saying it works but I can't see it myself. I know during lambing season we use infrared bulbs to keep "abandoned" lambs warn in mini lamb kennels
http://www.1000bulbs.com/1542/?utm_source=SmartFeedNexTag&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_term=250WattR40RubyRedInfraredHeatLamp120Volt5000Life&utm_content=250WattR40RubyRedInfraredHeatLamp120Volt5000Life&utm_campaign=SmartFeedNexTag&site=www.nextag.com

Personally we have been leaving the heat on at the lowest temp in the house over night. Not looking forward to the next gas bill but no point in freezing ours arses off either.

copacetic

Gordon wrote: »

Someone create a thread about cold(snap) tips and I'll announce it.

Actually, forget that, I'll move this thread there. If the mods don't want it here, feel free to move to where you think it's better placed.

there may be a forum with more traffic where more people would see this, weather forum even? No problem with it here though...

gman2k

Rule 1:
Don't have insulation under your cold water storage tank in your attic.
Heat from the house below will keep your tank warm enough to prevent freezing.
Rule 2:
Insulate the sides and top of your tank.
Lag all pipes in the attic, and pipe joints etc. Even lag your overflow pipe.
No need to leave your attic hatch open if the above is done correctly. Proper pipe insulation is best, especially if the pipes are above the attic insulation.
Do not tightly wrap glass fibre or rockwool insulation either around the tank or pipes. If this type of insulation is compressed it no longer acts as an insulator.

Most of the energy consumed from a standard 100w light bulb is emitted as heat, not light. A light bulb will increase the temp in your attic and may help to prevent frost. We normally don't notice this heat from standard bulbs as they are at ceiling level.
An infra-red lamp or bulb emits nearly all energy as heat, and definitely will greatly increase temperature in attic, but you must be careful with these and where you place them, as there is a fire risk if you place them too close to roof felt or some types of insulation.

kebabfest

Some great advice here. If you have a 2nd house that isn't lived in and you cannot get too very often then switch the water off. Also Keep the heat on the timer if you can, especially during the night.
If your pipes are frozen here then at least they won't flood the place by the time you get back there.

argosy2006

kebabfest wrote: »

Some great advice here. If you have a 2nd house that isn't lived in and you cannot get too very often then switch the water off. Also Keep the heat on the timer if you can, especially during the night.
If your pipes are frozen here then at least they won't flood the place by the time you get back there.

thanks, i'll do that to all ten of my houses, what about my castle in de countryside, at tips for that?

darraghw

ravima wrote: »

shower is not working - water inlet pipe to shower is frozen. how can i prevent this happening once water resumes later tomorrow??

Have the same problem, have water in the house just the shower wont work? Anyone have any ideas?

Borzoi

argosy2006 wrote: »

thanks, i'll do that to all ten of my houses, what about my castle in de countryside, at tips for that?

Whip the servants harder, as they attempt to flee, they'll generate enough heat to keep your draughty ol' castle warm.


On a more serious note - when looking for a shovel yesterday I discovered my water supply goes through the garage - in a pipe that prior to yesterday was not insulated (muppet builders)

detoxkid

what is the logic of leaving the attic door open to prevent frozen pipes? I tried it today and it does work but I haven't a clue why? Thanks

copacetic

detoxkid wrote: »

what is the logic of leaving the attic door open to prevent frozen pipes? I tried it today and it does work but I haven't a clue why? Thanks

the heat from the house rises easily into attic.

Bebop

[moved from DIY forum]
our gas boiler stopped working today, its a Worcester Greenstar condensing gas boiler, I rang 2 numbers from the golden pages but they were not interested,

then I looked up the Worcester web page they had a link to some FAQ's for boiler problems in cold weather..one of the issues with condensing boilers is that they have a condensate water drain from the boiler which normally goes to the nearest drain by plastic pipe, this can freeze and cause the boiler to stop working, even though our pipe was lagged it was indeed frozen, I disconnected the pipe from the boiler and rigged a temporary drain to our kitchen sink,the boiler is working fine now, there is only a slight trickle from the pipe and I will fix a more permanent drain when the cold spell is over.

Its worth checking this if you are having trouble with one of the newer condensing boilers