My husband tells me that if you do not have cast iron pipes that you do not have to worry about your pipes freezing in the winter. Is that true? If water expands when it freezes, then it makes sense to me that it doesn't matter what kind of pipes you have. The reason I ask is because we are having an investment property totally renovated and the contractor is dragging his feet. The plumbing is in but the new ductwork and furnace have not yet been installed. I'm afraid that if it freezes, the pipes will freeze and we will have a horrible problem. Please advise and thank you in advance

I can tell you we had copper pipes to freeze in a rehab that we bought... It was empty over the winter and when we bught the house it was summer as soon as we had the water turned on the pipes burts all over the basment and bathrooms. A lesson for us.

Not an expert here, but I just don't get his reasoning... we have some excellent plumbers and home repair people here, so hang around for their takes on the subject...

State farm sure seems to think the people they insure should be concerned about freezing pipes, copper or pvc included...

Preventing Frozen Pipes

I guess a question for the experts... if the heating just isn't going to be installed soon enough can the homeowner simply shut off the water at the meter and drain water out of the pipes to the lowest point? I know this can be a hassle if water is needed with the rehab work, but its really not that hard or time consuming to shut the water off at the meter and drain. Just a thought/question.

Have those pipes blown out with air if water is in them and shut off your main. All residential plumbing pipes will freeze and likely burst. I had a copper pipe burst inside a 10" concrete wall, that's how forceful freezing water can be.

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Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Have those pipes blown out with air if water is in them and shut off your main. All residential plumbing pipes will freeze and likely burst. I had a copper pipe burst inside a 10" concrete wall, that's how forceful freezing water can be.

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So you're saying don't shut off inside the house at the meter (like I mentioned), that she should have it shut off in the yard, where the main feeds the house, right? This way there's no exposed line filled with water inside the house (the short line that enters the home and runs to the meter)... just wanted to be sure she knew your suggestion vs what I asked.

You are in the midwest and a hard freeze will evetually reach you but not for several weeks. If the furnace will be in in the next few weeksa you can shut off at either location. If it will be Dec. or later I'd ask the city to shut off in the yard, you can't do this shut off. Dropping to 30 degrees at night may freeze a puddle on your deck or yard but the mass of a foundation will hold enough heat to get you through the next few weeks. However, I would not leave water standing in interior pipes,copper or PVC if the house will drop below freezing overnight.

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Originally Posted by pamgram

My husband tells me that if you do not have cast iron pipes that you do not have to worry about your pipes freezing in the winter. Is that true? If water expands when it freezes, then it makes sense to me that it doesn't matter what kind of pipes you have. The reason I ask is because we are having an investment property totally renovated and the contractor is dragging his feet. The plumbing is in but the new ductwork and furnace have not yet been installed. I'm afraid that if it freezes, the pipes will freeze and we wil have a horrible problem. Please advise and thank you in advance

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Nothing stops ice from expanding.
Regardless of the pipe material if it's full of water and freezes the water will expand and if the pipe is rigid like most are it will burst.

Tell Hubby to go watch the Super Bowl and tell your contractor to winterize the house. All pipes will freeze and all will burst execpt polybutle, the type that looks like a black hose.