Does anybody know an inexpensive way to fix frozen water pipes?

Question

Our water pipes are frozen solid and the only my dad knows of to fix it is by buying these really expensive things. Okay maybe not that expensive, but they're like $300-$400. My dad is waiting for his check to come, but until then, we have no water. Please help. I really need to take a shower. The check was supposed to come yesterday, too, but I guess our family is just unlucky. I would really appreciate any help at all. Thanks.

Answer 1

When ours froze a few years ago I used a blow torch. I worked with in minutes.

Answer 2

Wow. If the line is not very long you can try a combination coal, wood fire over the line to thaw it out. The fire must be tended for several days and each time it goes out, dig out the soil so the next fire can be set deeper in the ground with the coal helping the fire be hotter and longer lasting. This method will work but it can be discouraging to keep the fire going long enough. Another thought is to break the line near the foundation wall and feed a hot water line up in the pipe. it must be a fairly small pipe and it will take lots of hot water off your hot water tank to make this happen. The plastic line from the house to the well is usually a 1 inch line so look for as small a plastic line [like pex] to under take this. If you luck out and do not hit a collapsed area or a union in the line these two methods will give you the best bet for the least amount of money, just your time. The next method is to construct a heat taped plastic waterline above the ground for the whole distance. It must be insulated and kept dry if this is to work. It will be fairly expensive and will run the electric bill up but should work for the rest of the winter.

Answer 3

I wouldn't recommend using a torch, unless you are a plumber and can fix any problem you might cause in the process.

Hair dryers or industrial heat guns (not on high) work very well. Open the tap and apply the hair dryer heat to the pipe at the point closest to the tap, where it is likely frozen and work your way back to the supply side. This way the water has somewhere to go and expand while you are heating it.

Special heat tapes with thermostats are often the least expensive remedy. I can't offer more based on tis description.

Answer 4

Any kind of heater pointed directly where the problem is will work make sure you have the water to a nearby sink on, to releive pressure and also leave it on with a drip to prevent freezing. The small flow of water will keep the pipes from getting so cold they freeze. Oh yeah and if you decide to super heat it with a blow torch or something. Work from the open end of the pipe towards the mass of ice and becareful not to unsolder any of your joints.

Answer 5

Cheapest way I know is the hot water way. Go to the store buy a gallon of water. Start boiling some water, a liitle more with each rag filled. Soak rags in the boiling water and then quickly apply the rags to the closest "l" you can find. Depending on the depth of freeze usually will free ice within 30/45 minutes.

Answer 6

A small hand held Propane Torch will work but you will have to be careful and not catch anything on fire,also if you have plastic pipes be careful and don't melt them,don't hold the torch in one place move it around so you want melt anything and keep checking the pipes to make sure you're not damaging them,otherwise you will have melted pipes to fix also...You can get a propane torch at WAL MART...Maybe this will help with your problem

Answer 7

Take a portable baby bottle warmer and wrap it around the pipes.
My be a bit slow but it should free up the ice.
Here's a link to what I'm talking about. There are other similar products all over the place.

http://www.mpdirect.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=647

Answer 8

Wrap the pipes in some Duct Tape... Or skipe the pipes all together and make your entire plumping system made of Duct Tape!

Answer 9

I used a hair dryer before and it worked, but I was lucky enough for it not to be badly frozen.

Answer 10

If u live in nor-cal [e-mail] Ido service work for the people that need help good luck