It's always the hot water first.
2007-02-05 05:56:22 · 5 answers · asked by hewey 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
If there is hot water in the hot water pipes it will take longer to freeze than cold water pipes all else being equal. There are instances when hot water will freeze before cooler water, but this involves evaporative cooling which is not relevant in this case. The rate of heat transfer in hot water pipes is higher than in cooler pipes due to the difference in temperature, but this fact does not mean that the hot pipe will freeze first. Example take a pipe at 120 and a pipe at 70. with the same amount of water in the same location. At the start the hot pipe will cool faster than the cool pipe. As time goes on the hot pipe will cool to 70 degrees. This is where the cool pipe started. And it has been cooling all the while. As you can see the cool pipe will freeze first.
2007-02-05 06:33:31 · answer #1 · answered by BRUZER 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The hot water may be in a place where it's colder, or they're in the path of a cold breeze or air leak, or they're touching the ground. Get the foam pipe insulation wraps, and put them around the pipes. If you can get into the crawlspace and move around comfortably, you can insulate it also.
2007-02-05 06:01:08 · answer #2 · answered by Ralfcoder 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The hot water gets used less. Cold gets used more. Toilets ect.
2007-02-05 06:03:14 · answer #3 · answered by bill a 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The oxygen in hot water is a lot less than it is in the cold water, thus it freezes faster. Good thing to know when you make ice cubes in the summer.
2007-02-05 06:01:23 · answer #4 · answered by Marcus R. 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Water that was once hot has fewer and smaller air bubbles in it than cold water and it conducts heat better.
2007-02-05 06:02:27 · answer #5 · answered by Ret68 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋