How do I unfreeze inaccessible pipes under my house?

Question

We live in an older mobile home, the pipes are wraped well, however it got below 0 the past few days and isn't warming up enough during the day to unfreeze by itself. This is going on three days now with now hot water. I can't get to the pipes to take a blow dryer or anything to them. We turned up the tempature on the hot water heater last night, still nothing. Now this morning there is no cold water in the bathroom, but there is in the kitchen. I hate the cold! HELP!

Answer 1

I live in a mobile home too, and the worst thing is frozen pipes. If your pipes are wrapped good, then it's probably frozen outside the house. throw a few old towels in the dryer... go to where the main water supply comes in to your house, it's probably gonna be exposed... wrap the hot towels around the pipes. It may take a while, but, if you get under your house with a blow dryer not only are you risking gettng shocked, but, if those pipes thaw too fast, they will bust, then you'll have no choice but to call a plumber. Good luck. I hate cold weather too...

Answer 2

How To Unfreeze Water Pipes

Answer 3

Unfreeze Pipes

Answer 4

I am not sure about actually thawing them out but I am posting about turning the hot water heater up.
I could be wrong here but If there is no hot water I am thinking it is because the main line that brings water to the tank in frozen. So your hot water heater is running to heat up nothing. Which I am thinking could either burn up your heater element or even cause a fire.
Here is some info from the Red Cross on how to maybe dethaw the pipes.
To Thaw Frozen Pipes

If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe. Locate the suspected frozen area of the water pipe. Likely places include pipes running against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation.

Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt more ice in the pipe.
Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, and electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device. A blowtorch can make water in a frozen pipe boil and cause the pipe to explode. All open flames in homes present a serious fire danger, as well as a severe risk of exposure to lethal carbon monoxide.
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 can not thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.
Check all other faucets in your home to find out if you have additional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too.

Answer 5

Put the hairdryer on the pipes under the bath sink to warm them up. If they are copper, the heat will conduct down.
Run the water where it will run, that water is at least 50F, and will add some heat under the house. Even the water running down the drains under the house will add some heat.
Turn up the heat in the house as much as you can bear, and some of it will transfer down as the floors get warm.
If you can find anyplace to stick a hairdryer under the house, and prop it up so it will just run down there, it will add heat. If you can stick a space heater under there safely, you could do that too.
Do what you can to seal the underside from the outside...don't leave any holes if possible.
All these together might do it.
And pray you didn't rupture any pipes...or you WILL need to get access!

Answer 6

If you have to any kind of work to the pipes, have them wrapped in pipe insulation and heater tape (made for copper pipes). You plug in the heater tape when it gets below 10 degress or so being that it is a trailer house. We did this a couple years ago and haven't had any problems since.
You can pick up the heater tape at Home Depot or any Hardware Store

Answer 7

Get ready to move. Your pipes are made of plastic, and when they thaw, they will release water under the trailer.
Your problems have only just begun. The pipes are already broken, you need to shut off the water at the main and move.
if you own the trailer, be prepared to have the pipes replaced when the weather warms up and get the skirting replaced with concrete blocks. Best done by digging and putting in a starter substrat for the blocks to set on.
When the blocks are in, get someone to go under and insulate them to hold the heat.
Finally, when finished and it gets below freezine, leave "each tap" at a trickle. Put a "not" in the toilet tank flush link to keep the flush 'leaking' water.
These tips come from a former residant of the state of MAINE.
Trailers kill in winter.
DO NOT LEAVE ANY HEATER RUNNING UNDER THE TRAILER! IT CAN EASI;LY SET FIRE TO IT.....

Answer 8

are they plastic or metal pipes? Plastic pipes u can get heat wrap tape which works like a electric blanket. If it is metal, most plumber have a device which they hook up to the pipe that gives it a electric heat charge which helps to unfreeze. if no pipes have burst or leaking, it is better to shut your main supply off at night and open a outside hose bib to release pipe pressure. when water freezes it expands.

Answer 9

You must be careful but you can get a "salamander" heater, open up one part of your skirting, (under the back bedroom) and place the salamander under your trailer (pointed toward the front kitchen/living room/tongue end) and turn it on. Within a couple of hours, you'll have water. I do not know any other way to do it. You can rent a salamander at your local tool rental store. BE CAREFUL not to burn the place down... keep watch on the heater.

Answer 10

Get a plumber out there, if the pipes break you will have bigger problems.