my kitchen pipes are "frozen"...I think!anyway i tried the blowdryer thing and it didnt work,?

Answer 1

If the pipes are frozen under the sink, follow the pipesdown as far as you can. The frozen area will be where the pipes are closest to the outside wall. Heat that area, with the faucets opened. You may want to keep the doors under the sink open so that the heat from the room can infiltrate the area. If that doesn't work, check out the basement and heat the pipes where they are closest to the outside wall! Good Luck!!

Answer 2

this has other options too

My kitchen / bathroom drain has frozen up...
The main thing to remember about freezing and pipes is that water expands as it freezes. It "gets bigger". Pipes which burst due to a severe frost actually burst as they freeze, but you only get the message as they thaw afterwards. Ice can't leak...water can. Of course, water also expands as it warms up - that's why your central heating system will probably have something called an "expansion tank". This also accounts for sea level rises due to global warming. Water actually has it's maximum density at about 4 degrees Celsius...the temperature found at the bottom of many deep lakes.


When I try to thaw out a frozen drain pipe I start from an end...usually the "top" end. I put an egg-cup full of cooking salt - sodium chloride - Na Cl - down the drain. Salt water is denser than fresh water, so it sinks to the bottom. I know there is water already in the sink - that's how you became aware of the freeze-up...but if you can't / choose not to remove it, simply pour the salt over the plug hole area and it should do its work. Salt water - like sea water - freezes at a lower temperature than fresh water, so the salt will usually flow down and cause the ice to thaw out as it becomes salty. Give it a while - 15 minutes say - then add more salt if necessary. You should be rewarded with occasional crunchy noises as the ice melts.


What else can you try? A hairdryer or an electric heat gun can be applied with care to metal pipes, and plastic ones too, but don't melt the plastic. Again, try to work from an end, rather than from some point in the middle. Forget blow lamps and other portable flame machines unless you know what you are doing. If you heat the middle section of a frozen pipe, you could conceivably cause it to burst due to localised expansion of the water.


I have also inserted a rubber hose pipe down the drain as far as it will go, and poured hot water down it, but that was only because I didn't have any salt!


Once the drain is flowing, pour some hot water through it to clear the remaining ice. If further freezing temperatures are forecast, put some salt down the sink / bath drain last thing at night to try to prevent the same thing happening in the morning. You could also "lag" the outside parts of the drain where the water comes out by covering it with some plastic shopping bags, or a bin liner, filled with screwed up newspapers, and tied shut. This will act like a blanket to keep the heat in. Weigh it down to stop it blowing away.

Answer 3

How do you know they are frozen? Did someone turn off your water and then not turn it back on? Go check, even if you think you are sure.
Some people put a garage kerosene bullet heater on them and that helps.
All I know how to do is to keep them from getting frozen. Such as wrap the pipes where they come out of the ground and are exposed to the freezing weather. Or, barring that, you could put a light bulb right next to the pipes and leave it on all the time. The subtle heat will keep them unstuck.

Answer 4

The biggest problem with frozen pipes is when they thaw. If the pipes expanded they may have cracked. Make sure you are around when they thaw so you don't have a flooded home. You may want to use a hair dryer to thaw the pipes. Turn off main supply when your not at home until you know know it is safe.
If your sink is on a outside wall always leave cabinet doors open during cold weather to avoid further problems. Good luck.

Answer 5

It's sub zero temps outside (and underground inside your pipes) so put a bit of salt down the sink with the waste water and don't worry about it til the temp rises - the more you mess with it the more likely you will have problems with cracked pipes etc........

Answer 6

Call a plumber! This is no job for an amateur. Listen to their advice on how to prevent this in the future.