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View Full Version : Frozen water pipes in house. What can I do?


pherrel2014
Jan 6, 2014, 04:38 PM
Temperature is -10. Windchill -30. Friend pipes in house has frozen. How can I unfreeze them. Told her to turn on faucets. Opend doors under sinks. Turn up furnace to 80. She has 1 space heart to sit at kitchen sink. Don't know what else to do. HELP??

ma0641
Jan 6, 2014, 04:40 PM
Start heating the pipes with a hairdryer. Then make sure all vents are closed and you should have her install heat tapes on the pipes.

pherrel2014
Jan 6, 2014, 04:49 PM
Thanks for your advice. What is the vents that we should close? Do we continue to leave the faucets on till the water is flowing?

ma0641
Jan 6, 2014, 06:11 PM
Thanks for your advice. What is the vents that we should close? Do we continue to leave the faucets on till the water is flowing?

A basement or crawl space should have vents for outside air in the summer. They look like small metal boxes inset in the walls. Yes, leave the faucets open.

jlisenbe
Jan 6, 2014, 07:04 PM
If the house is on a slab, you won't have the vents.

ballengerb1
Jan 6, 2014, 07:22 PM
Is it just the kitchen sink, both hot and cold? First remove the aerator to eliminate a clogged screen as the problem. Outside wall of the home with the pipes in the wall I'll bet.

ma0641
Jan 6, 2014, 08:15 PM
I'm so used to crawl or basement homes here in ATl!! BTW, it is 8 degreesF at my house now, 10:15PM-Go Auburn.

ballengerb1
Jan 7, 2014, 04:25 PM
It was -15 here with a -45 below chill, not its 3 degrees, a Chicago heat wave