My downstairs bathroom has a exterior wall and the water lines are prone to freezing up. I usually leave the cold water trickling when the weather dips but yesterday the hot water froze (now is thawed with the help of a blowdrier). Should I leave the hot and cold both trickling. Any reason not to leave the HOT trickling????
2007-01-14 02:57:34 · 11 answers · asked by Snobuni 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
You could leave the hot water trickling but it will affect your gas bill if your water heater is run by gas, it may be a good idea though if the pipes have already frozen once before..Another thing you could do is if you are at home just turn your water on and off at least twice an hour for about 5 seconds at a time which also is equivalent to trickling water..As long as there is movement in the pipes, they will not freeze
2007-01-14 03:10:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
your water heater will not empty!! BUT the cold water coming into the water heater at such a slow rate fools the stat into thinking that it has to heat up the tank an it turns on. hot water rises and the cold inlet water overcomes the convection current of the waterheater it can overheat and lift the T/P blowoff or worse yet the unusualy hot water can scald someone. find the area that the water freezes and insulate between the pipes and the cold leave the warm facing side of the pipe uncovered. directly insulating th pipe from cold also insulates it from heat.
2007-01-14 08:21:34 · answer #2 · answered by oreos40 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the lines that freeze are inside a vanity with doors,, have you tried leaving the doors open instead?,,this will keep the pipes warmer and prevent them from freezing.
2007-01-14 03:06:06 · answer #3 · answered by donw1357 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Awkward
2016-05-24 00:13:11 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes that will help but if you can get to the pipes put insulation on them.
if you let the sink drip make sure the faucet drips into the drain not on the white porcelin...it will wear off
2007-01-14 03:22:06 · answer #5 · answered by Wicked 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
let it run your lucky in the fact that your drain pipe,in the wall, doesn't freeze also.what a mess that makes if drain freezes and water all over the floor
2007-01-14 03:44:09 · answer #6 · answered by ridgidjoe 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you have to insulate the water pipes coming into the faucet or try that electric heat tape
2007-01-14 03:03:58 · answer #7 · answered by kevin m 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
once the hot water heater empties it could burn up
wrap it in insullation
2007-01-14 03:07:48 · answer #8 · answered by debbie2243 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes!
2007-01-14 03:04:01 · answer #9 · answered by uncle bob 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you should insulate the pipes that are on the outside wall
2007-01-14 03:00:53 · answer #10 · answered by lily 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋