My hot water pipes froze overnight! I live in Chicago, it's 8 below zero with a windchill of 24 below! My basement apartment faces South and I put the cold water taps on a drip to keep from freezing. Unfortunately, I didn't do the same for the hot water tap and now they're frozen. The laundry room is just outside my kitchen door where the pipes are located; the hot water heater is in the SW corner of that area too. I don't think the hot water heater has been all all night....it's a big one...can the water in there freeze too? I have a big space heater turned on now out there. It's frigid but sunny so the pipe wall is getting sunlight. What else can I do? Calling for a service call is out of the question....no money, no credit cards for this kind of situation (I'm paying off my Mom's medical bills & funeral costs, so I'm broke). PLEASE, ANY HELP OR SUGGESTIONS!
2007-02-04 02:22:58 · 7 answers · asked by DogLady 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
09:43 the dryer is in the basement (as is the apartment I live in) just in front from the water pipes, the vent is about 12" higher than the pipes...the hot water heater is about 12 feet away......the dryer works just fine, so does the washer (with the cold water setting only)....how do I tell if the pilot light is on for the hot water heater? I looked but can't tell.....the outside of the tank feels cold but I think that's because it's about 20-30 degrees in the laundry room. would the hot water tank heat anyway (assuming the pilot light is on) or only if the hot water was running......I haven't used the hot water for about 24 hours (I've been trying to conserve gas consumption to save $$ so I use as little hot water as possible). would the cold cause the pilot to go out? The boiler for my radiator heat on the North side of the house is just fine! Good grief, I'm confused and now my car won't start either! Lord help me!!
2007-02-04 02:52:54 · update #1
If the heater is operating normally,( going on and off periodically to keep ) the water warm, the tank won't freeze. Open the frozen tap just a little and use a gentle heat source, like you're doing or I use a hairdryer NOT AN OPEN FLAME, and start warming things starting from the tap and moving backwards. If the blockage is in the "slushy" stage it might not take too long and no broken pipes result but if it's actually frozen solid it might have cracked a pipe which will begin to leak as it thaws. So, YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHERE THE SHUT-OFF VALVE FOR THE WATER IS. If it's indeed the hot line then there should be a shut-off somewhere on the water tank-easy. But if it's the cold line, finding a shut-off valve might not be so easy. Good luck.
2007-02-04 02:43:50 · answer #1 · answered by Don H 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you will need to caulk every hole on the outside of your taps if you have heater ducks closed in the basement or crawl space open them up, heat always goes up never down so this way everything under the house or pipe area will stay warmer and the heat will find it-way up into the living area. other that that i would suggest you shut the water supply off because if the cold continues it will burst the pipes and then you will be in a real problem with plumbing repairs. sometime the cost of a small problem would be a wise one.
2007-02-04 02:36:01 · answer #2 · answered by t-bone 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If your pilot light has been on all night then the water in your water heater should not freeze as it keeps the water in the tank warm. As soon as the pipes are open make sure to run the hot water through them to get them good and warm and of course be sure to let them drip etc.
2007-02-04 02:32:18 · answer #3 · answered by Dale 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As the first reader said.....if the pilot light has been on all night then it is almost impossible for the water heater to have frozen (cause it has had heat on it all night) and the same if its a electric one...heat has been on it all night.
Now for the pipes....as soon as it thaws it will need some type of insulation around it. Now they sell electric sleeves for pipes....they just wrapped around them and plug in (keeps just enough heat on them to keep them from freezing).....if this is something you cannot afford then I suggest that you get some plain insulation and wrap the pipes....it will work as good. And from then just remember to keep pipes leaking in frigid temperatures.
Good Luck
2007-02-04 02:39:49 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You may not need a plumber - does your clothes dryer vent under the laundry room close to the hot water heater?
We had the same thing happen, and turned the dryer on to dry a load of clothes, and Presto ! the water started running !!
2007-02-04 02:35:00 · answer #5 · answered by sgthaw 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
their is a poduct called heat tape which you can place on the pipes to defrost. I dont think they are very expensive. It may help if you insulate the pipes. Good Luck!! Just be grateful that they didnt bust!!
2007-02-04 02:36:37 · answer #6 · answered by cleanfreak 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
EST but yes twilight feels more like it sometimes
2016-03-29 04:23:29 · answer #7 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋