#$^%# Frozen pipes!

[PhxSooner]

Yes, I live in Phoenix. Yes, our pipes, and apparently a lot of other people's, are frozen and we have no running water. I grew up in Tulsa, and though we were warned about this, it never happened to my parents.

Suggestions? Things we need to watch out for?

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Frozen Sooner]

Yeah. When it thaws, watch out for all the water running around your house. The freezing can crack your pipe ('cause water expands when it freezes) then when it thaws you have yourself a big ol' mess.

[PhxSooner]

Ah, carp. Would calling a plumber now do any good? Do we just wait for the deluge?

[Frozen Sooner]

Just be ready to turn the water off at the standpipe if you need to. Unfortunately, no real way that I know of to know there's a crack until it starts gushing water. I could very well be wrong, though. Wouldn't hurt to call one and ask.

A few years back, the pipes in my upstairs bathroom froze and burst while I was at work. I got a panicked call from the condo association telling me there was water pouring out my front door-I told them to please shut my water off and I'd be there ASAP.

Anyhow, the upstairs bathroom is directly above the downstairs bathroom-which is where the litter box is kept. The leak was right above the dang thing. THAT was a fun cleanup job, lemme tell you.

[Okla-homey]

Yes, I live in Phoenix. Yes, our pipes, and apparently a lot of other people's, are frozen and we have no running water. I grew up in Tulsa, and though we were warned about this, it never happened to my parents.

Suggestions? Things we need to watch out for?

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Like Froze says, just in case they burst, good idea to go out and turn off the water at the main to help avoid douching out your whole house when they thaw. The water between your house and the main will still get in if they burst, but at least it won't be under pressure.

You probably have a place in your yard with a cover you can remove and access the valve. There is a tool made for the purpose, but you can use pliers to turn it off.

If, after things thaw out, you don't note any moisture, puddles, etc. forming anywhere around or in the the house, turn it back on and then pay real close attention to make sure you haven't sprung a leak anywhere. Also, I'm assuming you have a crawlspace under the house, so check under there real good to make sure no puddling is occurring under there.

[Newbomb Turk]

If the pipes are already frozen and you have no running water, I'd shut the water off now.

edit - homey beat me to the punch.

[Newbomb Turk]

If you know where the frozen pipe is, you can open a faucet the pipe feeds, and try to thaw the pipe with a hairdryer - if the pipe is exposed.

[SoonerSid]

Wrap your pipes with blankets or towels under your sinks or where it is frozen at.
1. It will insulate your lines
2. It will reduce water damage to your house once it thaws.
3. Get some heat going where your lines are.

[PhxSooner]

Thanks, guys. We now have trickles of water, so we're gonna cover up the outside lines and hope for no breakage.

The plumber we called said that about half the Valley has frozen pipes. I'm gonna say that our stuff just isn't insulated well enough out here. F'in hillbillies, I tell ya.;)

[olevetonahill]

Hell if its already trickling out you should be ok , How cold did it get ?, Ive screwed around let mine freez up several times , Just have to wait em to thaw , when the trickling thing starts I open em up full blast .

[SoonerSid]

Check and see if you have weirsbo water lines. If you do then you won't have any problem of your lines cracking and splitting.

[BoogercountySooner]

Thats what you get for livin way up north in Cave Creek!;)

[OUHOMER]

what kind of pipes do you PVC or Copper?

[PhxSooner]

what kind of pipes do you PVC or Copper?
PVC.

It got down to about 18 or so up here, which is unbelievably cold for us wussie Phoenicians. The news says it's the coldest since 1990. My husband called the city, and tons of people had the same problem. We're just not prepared for actual cold weather. We've wrapped the outside faucets, but I'm not sure what else to do. It's supposed to be even colder tonight.

[PhxSooner]

Thats what you get for livin way up north in Cave Creek!;)
:mad: :mad: :O Ah, the joys of the suburbs.

[olevetonahill]

Has it thawed out ? If so leave it running a little bit at the furthest point from the Main . Make sure you leave hot and cold dripping

[OUHOMER]

Has it thawed out ? If so leave it running a little bit at the furthest point from the Main . Make sure you leave hot and cold dripping

yea, what Ole said, leave them dripping. keeps them from refreezing, also open all you cabent doors open so heat can get to the pipes

[Penguin]

('cause water expands when it freezes)

That's Mother Nature's little joke on all of us. Water is one of only two chemicals on this planet that actually expands when it freezes. Water actually contracts to its smallest size at 4 degrees C. So, right before it freezes, there is more water in your pipes than what they normally hold.

[1stTimeCaller]

That's Mother Nature's little joke on all of us. Water is one of only two chemicals on this planet that actually expands when it freezes. Water actually contracts to its smallest size at 4 degrees C. So, right before it freezes, there is more water in your pipes than what they normally hold.

what's the other?

[Flagstaffsooner]

what's the other?moose urine.

[Penguin]

what's the other?

I don't remember. Mercury, maybe?

[Preservation Parcels]

yea, what Ole said, leave them dripping. keeps them from refreezing, also open all you cabent doors open so heat can get to the pipes

This is sound advice. Also, if you have access to the supply pipe right near where it comes into the house, hang a utility light from the pipe. One light bulb will generate enough heat to keep it from freezing at that point. If you have a basement or crawlspace, consider placing one or two more light/heat sources at different points along the way.

Make sure the inside shutoff valves for your outdoor faucets are turned off and the outdoor valves are open and drained to keep them from bursting.

Lowes or Home Depot should have foam pipe insulation that just wraps around the pipes to help prevent future problems. It's a good idea to have it on your hot water pipes all the time to save on energy costs, but it will help keep them from freezing in case it ever happens again when you're not home to babysit your pipes.

:hot: Warm thoughts are headed your way.