what temp must it reach to pose a freeze threat to household plumbing,such as water pipes,causing them to bust

Answer 1

Any time it gets below freezing, 32 centigrade, there is a threat to plumbing.

Answer 2

Depends on several things. If the pipe is against an outside wall, below 30 degrees may cause problems after a time. Also, wind that will lower the wind chill will add to it. If you can, wrap a heat tape around it, or insulate it. You can get these at any hardware store. If you can't do anything for a while, leave the water trickling a little; running water won't freeze as fast.

Answer 3

Depends of many things, where are the pipes located inside wall or out side, how well is the house constructed, is it insulated? if so how much. I lived in a house years ago that I cracked a faucet when it got down to 30 F. My present home, 14 below has been the lowest official temp, and I have not cracked a faucet yet.

A good old galvanized pipe will stand a lot before it will bust, my experience has been sweat copper, and plastic will split good flare copper will swell up and eventually crack.

I am each person has had different experiences.

Answer 4

I see that you received at least one reasonable answer. The norm is -28° for more that 4 hours. But, there are circumstances that can mitigate those numbers.

For example, if the plumbing is totally enclosed in an insulated wall or cieling, it may never freeze. If you leave a faucet at the far end of the system cracked so a trickle can flow, that may prevent freezeing. If there is air circulation in the area where you plumbing is exposed to the cold, that may prevent freezing.

Where I live, it is normal for the temperatures to dip into the low 20's for ten or twelve days in "bad" years. My plumbing is all enclosed within the crawl space, and buried in 12" of fiberglass insulation. I've never had a freezeup.

Answer 5

Well hello, the temperature outside is different from the temperature below the ground where the pipes are berried for example if the temp outside is -10 degrees Celsius the earth or ground is about 0 so there is a fair difference, i would say it has to be at least -40 Celsius in order for the pipes to bust, it would be -4 in the ground for maybe 5-6 hours and pipes would freeze and bust........

Answer 6

Below 28 degrees for more than 4 hours.Wow some crazy answers down there I live in south La and had many rent houses and had to change um if they broke so I keep up with the weather channel wind chill has no effect on an inannimate object and exposeure does have some to do with it if it goes below 28 for more than 4 hours a slight drip will help them from freezing to bursting

Answer 7

depends on location in house, by cold wall I would b concerned. Just leave the water run slowly all night and tomarrow no worries, or wrap them with electrical tape. Whatever temp water freezes at is the temp it'll freeze. We used to put bales of straw around the house, if you can keep the doors open under the sink, and keep inside house temp above 30F. Plus if you let the house get cold, the walls may crack. Now outside pipes not burried, I never heard of it.

Answer 8

Usually a consistent cold temp can cause damage. Proper insulation of your pipes are key to protection. For instance if the pipes are located between walls. Also, older pipes bust much quicker then newer pipes.

Answer 9

You should be less concerned about what causes household pipes to freeze and more concerned about preventing it.

Preventing Frozen Pipes; http://www.statefarm.com/learning/loss_prevent/learning_lossprevention_frozpipes.asp

Just about any water pipe exposed to prolong temperatures below freezing could freeze. Simplest thing to do is to keep water flowing.

We all know the old saying, "an ounce of prevention is worth .....................". Well, just change ounce to drops.

Answer 10

32 degrees is the freezing point. It would however take a few hours for your pipes to freeze since they are a tiny bit insulated by the plastic and metal piping. If the wind is blowing on the pipes they will freeze even faster.

Answer 11

It depends on how exposed the pipes are. You could have pipes freeze at 35 degrees F. if the windchill factor is below freezing and the pipes are exposed to the wind.