How to defrost a pipe with water on the street. How to quickly and correctly defrost a pipe with water underground? Defrosting water and sewer pipes

In winter, it is not uncommon for water pipes to freeze in private homes. If pipelines are laid underground, then most often the reasons are insufficient deepening and insulation of pipelines in combination with stagnation in pipes. If the pipes located in the walls freeze, then this phenomenon can occur due to very severe frosts. In any case, the owner of the house needs to know how to defrost the water pipes in a private house. Below we will look at how to eliminate ice plugs in metal and plastic lines.

It is not enough to know how to unfreeze a pipe underground. First you need to find the immediate place of freezing. This can be done in a simple and proven way. Shut off the water supply to the water supply. After that, it is necessary to unscrew any detachable connection that is located after the tap. A plumbing cable is launched into the opened hole. It is gradually introduced into the pipeline until its end rests against an ice plug.

This will be the place of freezing. To mark its position on the outside of the pipe, the cable can simply be applied to the ground for the same length as it entered the pipe. In this place, you should look for a place of freezing. In such a simple way, you can find the right place in a pipe made of any material.

Methods for defrosting pipelines

Of no small importance when defrosting pipes is the material from which it is made. It depends on how the pipeline is affected.

Defrosting metal pipes

Consider how to defrost metal water pipes in a private house. Usually they pass underground, so there are certain difficulties in digging a trench in winter, although their location in open areas is also possible. After the pipeline is exposed, it is affected in the following ways:

• Use an open flame. For example, from a gas burner or blowtorch. You can also make a fire on a frozen section of the pipe;
• Use a welding transformer. One wire from it is connected to one frozen section of the pipe, and the second wire to the second. The ice plug melts very quickly;
• Pipes are poured with boiling water, after wrapping them with rags.

Important: In the process of defrosting the pipeline, the water taps must be kept open. This is necessary for the free flow of defrosted water from the pipes.

It is easier to defrost a sewer pipe, since all the melted ice will go into the drain, and the situation is reversed with the water supply. The freed water will have nowhere to go, so it is advisable to disconnect the pipe from the taps or at least open the taps.

How to defrost plastic pipes

Plastic pipes require a more careful attitude due to the lower strength of the material. Let's figure out how to defrost water in a plastic pipe that is in plain sight:

We considered the heating of an open section of the pipeline. And how to defrost a water plastic pipe underground? There are also several ways to do this:

1. Hot water supply. The plastic pipe is disconnected from the tap. In some large container, for example, a barrel, water is heated. A smaller diameter hose is used that freely enters the pipe. It is pushed inside the pipe until it reaches the frozen area. After that, hot water is supplied to the pipeline. This can be done with a pressure pump.

The melted water will gradually flow out of the pipe along with the hot water supplied. The end of the hose should be pushed further and further until all the ice plug is eliminated. After that, water will flow under strong pressure.

Tip: Plastic or metal-plastic pipes should be pre-insulated in open areas to avoid additional ice plugs.

2. The use of a steam generator. The plastic pipe is disconnected from the taps. A special sleeve from the steam generator with a special nozzle at the end is introduced into it. It is injected until it reaches the frozen area. Steam is fed through the sleeve into the pipe, quickly melting the ice. As the frozen plug melts, the sleeve moves deeper into the pipe. With such a device, there is no question of how to defrost a pipe located in a wall or underground.

3. Use of electricity. This method works on the principle of heating water with a boiler. To do this, stock up on a thick two-wire wire of sufficient length. The veins are separated. Each of them is released from insulation, and then twisted. Two thick twists are obtained, located at a distance of 1-2 cm from each other. It is impossible to allow the possibility of their connection with each other in order to avoid the occurrence of a short circuit.

The wire is pushed inside the pipe to the place of the plug. After that, the end of the wire is connected to the mains. The melting of ice occurs due to its heating by electric current. In this case, the plastic walls do not heat up, since only the conductive water is heated. As the ice melts, the wire moves further along the pipeline.

4. Hydrodynamic cleaning. With the help of a hydrodynamic machine, any ice plug in the pipe can be eliminated. Hot water is supplied to it under pressure through a special nozzle, which contributes to the destruction of ice in a very short time. As the plug breaks, the hose with the nozzle moves further along the pipe. It should be noted that such equipment is mainly in the hands of specialists due to its high cost.

5. Another way to defrost the water supply is shown in the photo.

Freeze Prevention

We looked at how to defrost polypropylene pipes (and pipes made from other types of plastic) or metal pipelines. Equally important is the prevention of freezing of pipelines. The occurrence of this unpleasant situation can be avoided if you follow some rules:

We have analyzed the main ways to get rid of ice plugs in water pipes. However, it is much easier to prevent freezing of water in pipelines than to fix problems later.

July 22, 2016
Specialization: Capital construction works (laying the foundation, erecting walls, constructing the roof, etc.). Internal construction works (laying of internal communications, rough and fine finishing). Hobbies: mobile communication, high technologies, computer equipment, programming.

Many times I told many people about the technologies for manufacturing engineering systems in private homes. And all the time he paid attention to the fact that pipelines must be laid below the freezing point or carefully insulated. However, from time to time I get asked how to defrost a plastic water pipe.

I remember a case when a neighbor in the country called me in mid-January and tearfully asked me to fix the water supply. As it turned out, he planned to spend the anniversary outside the city, and when he arrived at the site after a long stay in warm countries, he was faced with the fact that water was not flowing from the taps. And all the complex electronics that provide water to the cottage also do not work.

As it turned out, the ice plug was to blame, which clogged a metal-plastic pipe laid underground. And since he could only sign business papers with his own hands, he had to call me for help.

Of course, we coped with the problem, and I turned out to be the most honored guest at his holiday. I decided to tell you about how to defrost plastic pipes for water supply and sewerage. Suddenly, the instruction below will be of invaluable help to you. Especially when a reliable plumber friend is not around.

Causes of pipeline freezing

In my practice, I very rarely met people who make or order modern engineering networks (water supply, sewerage) from steel pipes. More common plastic.

And that I think is right, because the price of pipes made of polymers is constantly decreasing, and the operational properties of such a solution have always been at their best:

• plastic pipelines have an attractive appearance;
• pipes are not subject to corrosion during the entire period of operation;
• to mount the engineering network as simply as possible without the use of electric welding (maximum - a soldering iron);
• pipes do not conduct electricity and do not accumulate static electricity.

The only thing that cannot be got rid of under any circumstances is the danger of freezing the liquid in them. However, I know for sure that people encounter this trouble only in those cases when they entrusted the installation to an illiterate engineer.

Only such a person can lay a water pipe at an insufficient depth in the ground or fail to insulate the engineering system. As a result, you come to the cottage to celebrate your birthday, and nothing flows from the tap. Sadness.

To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to dig a deep enough trench for the water and sewer pipes. The average depth of soil freezing in the Moscow area is 1.4 meters. However, this indicator depends on many other factors, therefore, to determine the exact value, it is better to contact specialists or use special maps with tables.

By the way, many people ask why central water pipes in cities do not freeze. I will answer without hesitation. There, the flow of water does not stop around the clock, so the liquid is in motion does not turn into ice.

And in the country, pumping equipment is turned on only from time to time. Therefore, it is imperative to take measures to insulate water transport pipes.

Pay special attention to the insulation and deepening of drain systems where water flows at a low speed. Otherwise, a plug will form and you will have to decide how to defrost a plastic sewer pipe. This is hard work and far from pleasant.

If for some reason it is not possible to dig a ditch of a suitable depth, it is necessary to wrap the pipes in heat-insulating materials or come up with systems for heating them. Or use both.

If you know that your pipes are poorly insulated, and they promise a very severe frost at night, leave the water on for the night to ensure the flow in the pipe.
In this case, the probability of ice formation is significantly reduced.

But it often happens that people return to the issues of pipe insulation only when they are already faced with freezing water. There is nothing left, you have to melt the ice. I will tell you about this now.

Defrosting water transport communications made of plastic

Underground

First, let's figure out how to defrost a plastic water pipe underground. This, in my opinion, is the most time-consuming and lengthy process. Especially in winter, when not only the water in the pipes froze, but the very ground where they were laid.

The simplest scheme is as follows:

1. Above the place where the plastic pipe passes, it is necessary to kindle a fire. You can use wood or coal, as well as set fire to a car tire. The latter will burn for a long time, but emit black smoky smoke. Consider this.

The advantage of this method is that not only the water in the pipe should heat up, but the earth itself should also thaw. And we need this in order to move on to the next point of our work.

1. Then I advise you to dig up the pipe to see if it is damaged. This will be easy to do, as the fire softens the ground and it will be easier to swing the shovel.
   Usually high-quality plastic pipes do not burst with ice, so nothing needs to be repaired. The main thing is not to break the pipe already during excavations.
2. After making sure of the integrity of communications, I recommend insulating the pipeline with heat-insulating materials or laying it. If this is not done, then personally I will not give a guarantee that after filling the trench with earth, the water in the pipe will not freeze again.

If you once encountered water freezing, I recommend redoing the engineering system in the summer. After all, your friend will not always come to the rescue in time and dig out this pipe. It will be necessary to either deepen the trenches or insulate the water transport system along its entire length.

By the way, once someone told me that he insulated pipes with empty plastic bottles. The scheme is this:

• dig a pit and check the pipe;
• you take more plastic bottles, wrap corks so that there is air inside;
• you wrap them around the pipe;
• cover everything with earth.

The bottom line here is that the air inside has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity and will not allow the water in the pipes to freeze.

What can I say. In my opinion, you will spend more time collecting bottles than working. Better go to the store and buy basalt shells. It will be clean, tidy, efficient and not very expensive.

And lately I have resorted to all sorts of folk recipes less and less. Unless he himself is confident in their effectiveness.

Another way to eliminate ice blockage is to use hot water. There are several downsides that I can see:

• you will have to disassemble the plumbing system somewhere in order to fill it with water;
• the pipe will remain uninsulated and the liquid may freeze again at any time;
• the method will not work if the ice is at a great distance from the place where you are going to pour boiling water.

However, sometimes I resorted to this method. To make it more effective, I will give some of my own tips that have been formed in the process of work:

1. If your cottage is connected to the central water supply, do not block the taps. Additional pressure from the central water carrier can help break the plug.
2. If water comes from a pumping station (that is, a well or a well), the equipment must be turned off. Otherwise, you will ruin expensive and electronics, as the water will leave the pipes.
3. You can understand that the plug has been eliminated by the fact that the water poured into the pipe will all go away.

Another proven method that I sometimes used to thaw pipes. It must be implemented carefully, as you can get an electric shock. Nevertheless, I will describe the technology, all of a sudden you will not have another way to fix the problem.

The scheme is this:

1. I take an electric wire, separate one core from another and remove part of the insulation. Then I twist one wire into a spiral. I do the same with the second vein, but the twist should be placed a little behind, about two centimeters.
   It is very important here to make sure that these twists do not move in the process of work and do not come into contact with each other. This may result in a short circuit and electric shock. So be very careful to secure the ends of the wire.
2. I put the tool prepared in this way into the pipe until it rests on the ice plug.
3. After that, the wire must be connected to an electrical outlet. The heating of the liquid inside the pipe will occur due to the potential difference on the twists. The walls of the pipe will not melt, the water temperature will not rise to this level in any case.
4. As you thaw, you need to move your device inward until the patency of the engineering system is fully restored.

Remember that thawed water must be drained all the time, otherwise it may freeze again.

There are also special devices for thawing pipes. We are talking about steam generators, autoclaves and hydrodynamic devices. It is not necessary to buy them, it is enough to rent the necessary unit in a specialized building supermarket.

The work is as follows:

1. steam generator. It is necessary to place the hose of the device inside the pipe and put steam under pressure into it. Given that the temperature of the medium is much higher than the boiling point of the liquid, the defrosting process will be very fast, and the plastic will not be damaged.
2. Autoclave. Steam is also used here, but the principle of operation is somewhat different. First, water is heated in a container until steam is formed from it. Then a hose is inserted into the water pipe (up to the ice plug), the second end of which is connected to the autoclave.
   As the ice thaws, the hose must be moved along the pipe until the water flows in the direction you need.
3. hydrodynamic machine. It destroys ice not with temperature, but with a jet of liquid injected under high pressure. As a result, the cork can be disposed of very quickly and effectively.

And if someone tells you to just bend the wire and break through the ice, don't do it. So you are very likely to damage the plastic shell of the pipeline itself, but not the ice plug.

Elevated

As you understand, defrosting plastic pipes laid openly (for example, in a basement, pantry or other unheated room) is much easier. Here you do not need the help of a specialist at all. Especially if you follow my advice.

The easiest way to heat is with a building hair dryer or other similar heat source. By directing the air flow to the engineering system, you gradually heat up the walls of the pipes, which give off their thermal energy to the water. And the ice is melting.

By the way, a hair dryer can be replaced with an ordinary heater, which is placed near the pipe.

You have probably seen how metal pipelines are heated with blowtorches. So, this method of heating is categorically not suitable for plastic. The polymer has a very low melting point (about 140 degrees), so the flame from a gas or gasoline burner will melt not only the ice, but the pipe along with it.

Naturally, a mandatory step in any defrosting is the insulation of pipes or the installation of heating elements that maintain the required temperature of the liquid. I offer several options to choose from:

1. Take mineral mats and wrap the pipes with them. From above, it is imperative to protect all this with a waterproofing material to avoid moisture and some kind of protective cocoon. Suitable roofing material, which will cope with both tasks.

1. Buy and fix special shells made of foam plastic, basalt fiber, polyethylene foam and so on on pipes. The easiest option. They are mounted quickly and easily, without the use of special tools.

1. Wrap the pipe with a heating electric cable. This method is suitable for heating ice, and for preventing its further formation. It is only necessary to ensure that the cable is constantly connected to the electrical network.

And it is best to wrap the pipes with a cable, and then with a heater. The combination of these methods will provide you with drinking water at any time of the year, regardless of the temperature "overboard".

Defrosting a sewer pipe

Separately, I will tell you about the method of removing the plug from the drain pipe of the external sewer system of a private house. It is this problem that most residents of private country houses face.

So, to fix the problem you will need:

• hard steel wire;
• hydraulic level (dense polymeric flexible tube);
• Esmarch's irrigator;
• a bucket for collecting dirty liquid;
• hot water.

I fixed a similar problem like this:

1. He removed a piece of the sewer pipe, opening access to the branch pipe connecting the internal and external sewer systems of the house.
2. He leveled the steel wire and taped a hydraulic level to it with electrical tape, through which hot water would flow into the pipe.
3. Then he put all this device into the sewer pipe, and attached Esmarch's mug to the opposite end of the pipe.
4. After that, with the help of an impromptu pump, he began to pump hot water inside, gradually moving the device inside the pipe.
5. Excess water and thawed sewage poured out through the neck. I collected them in a pre-set bucket.
6. As soon as the water stops flowing out, it means that the cork has thawed and the engineering system can be assembled.

As in the case of plumbing, to avoid freezing the drain, you need to lay pipes at the right depth or insulate them with heat-insulating materials. It is better to spend time and money on this in the summer than to dig through the waste in the winter, on the eve of your birthday.

Regardless of the chosen method of defrosting and the method of laying pipes, I will give a few more tips that must be followed when thawing pipes:

• if you know exactly where the ice plug is located, you do not need to heat this particular section of pipes from the middle;
• to ensure the outflow of melted water, it is necessary to open the water tap;
• I recommend starting the thawing procedure from the consumer (consumable tap) to the water intake source (vertical riser).

Output

There are a lot of ways to defrost pipes, and everyone who has encountered a similar problem knows their own way of thawing ice. I would be glad if you shared it with our readers by describing it in the comments to this article.

And for everyone, I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the video in this article, where you can find many other tips regarding the operation of the engineering systems of a residential building.

July 22, 2016

If you want to express gratitude, add a clarification or objection, ask the author something - add a comment or say thanks!

Russia is located in a harsh climatic region, therefore, in winter and early spring, there is a risk of defrosting of the water supply and sewerage system. This is especially true for owners of private houses, because. often systems are laid without carrying out the necessary calculations and measures for insulation and protection against freezing. In this article, we will talk about how to protect pipes from freezing and what to do if the problem could not be prevented.

If the temperature outside the window has dropped to zero, that is, to the freezing point of water, this does not mean that the water supply system will freeze. Not everyone knows, but in winter the water in the pipe freezes at a temperature of -7 degrees. Water pipes burst when freezing, because. when changing from liquid to solid state, the volume of water increases. This does not happen often, but it does happen, especially in metal systems that are not capable of stretching.

To prevent freezing of water in pipes and protect them from damage, it is necessary to take care of the heating system in advance or carry out a set of measures for thermal insulation of the pipeline.

Some measures to protect the pipeline in the winter should be carried out even at the stage of laying communications during the construction of a house. What needs to be done to reliably protect pipes from the cold during the laying process:

1. Lay the water supply below the freezing level of the soil. In SNiP 2.02.01-83, you can find information on the freezing depth for a particular region and type of soil.
2. Use polyethylene or polypropylene for underground water supply.
3. . For convenience, heaters made of foil expanded polystyrene in the form of tubes are used, or any other available insulation or insulation methods.
4. Install an electrical heating system. It is installed directly on the water supply under the heat-insulating layer. The system is guaranteed to prevent freezing or allow heating the water supply, if the heating is used cyclically and freezing has nevertheless occurred.

Thermal insulation using a heating cable is a reliable way to solve the problem of icing even in the most severe cold.

In private temporary residences, such as country houses, water supply is rarely laid underground and is used mainly in the summer.

To prevent freezing of the structure located above the ground, in winter it is necessary to completely drain the water from it after each use. The second option, how you can not defrost the pipe on the street, is to leave the tap a little ajar so that the water moves. The water in the source (well, well) has a temperature of about +5 degrees. Moving, it gives off part of the heat for heating, so freezing of pipes in such a situation can only occur in severe frost, from -15.

How to defrost an open pipeline

In the case when the open water supply is frozen, it is not difficult to defrost the pipe, because. it has access.

Advice: it is necessary to start work on heating the water supply immediately after freezing is detected, otherwise, the situation only worsens every hour, especially if the heaters are used of poor quality or are completely absent.

A heating cable is required to heat frozen plastic lines. Using it is extremely simple, just wrap the water pipe and connect the cable to the power source. This option requires additional costs for the purchase of a cable. It is possible to cast plastic pipes with hot water, but this option is effective only for small areas of freezing, or for mild frosts.

Heating of metal pipes can be carried out with the help of an open fire. A portable gas burner, a blowtorch, or a small diesel gun designed for heating unheated rooms will do. It is possible to combine heating with a burner with the method of crushing ice. Using a burner, you can heat the entire metal system, with the exception of taps. Faucets have rubber (plastic) valves, which, if the temperature rises sharply, can deteriorate and the faucet will have to be changed.

Important: it is forbidden to heat frozen plastic pipes with an open fire, because. they can melt or even catch fire.

To warm the tap, it is not necessary to heat it with a burner, it is enough to wrap it with rags and pour boiling water over it. If after the first time the tap did not move away, the operation can be repeated.

To defrost open, you can use a building hair dryer. It is powerful enough, warms up well and is not able to melt the material.

Defrosting hidden plastic pipes

It is much more difficult to defrost water in a plastic pipe hidden underground due to the fact that there is no access to it. Heating options that are used for open water pipes will not work.

You can quickly defrost a water supply pipe only by heating it from the inside. There are several ways to do this.

1. Outflow of hot water.
2. Heating with a steam generator.
3. Heating with an electric apparatus for defrosting pipes.
4. Defrost water pipes with a homemade boiler.

Depending on the situation, the availability of tools and other circumstances, various devices can be used for each of the methods. For example, in order to pour hot water, you can use a thin hose that goes inside the water supply, or you can simply pour hot water from a pear.

To defrost HDPE pipes in the ground, you can use a cable heating system, but only if it was installed at the stage of laying the water supply. If cable heating elements are not installed, then this method is too laborious and not always possible.

Now consider the heating options that can be used if the HDPE pipe located underground is frozen.

Warming up with a steam generator

Based on the name, it can be understood that the steam generator is designed to generate steam. It sounds complicated, but it's actually much simpler. But not everyone has a steam generator. In everyday life, in the country, you can use a pressure cooker instead. Defrost a pipe with a pressure cooker is no more difficult than casting with hot water. To carry out the work you will need:

• pressure cooker;
• a hose with a diameter smaller than a polyethylene water pipe;
• mobile electric or gas stove.

The process itself is similar to the ebb of a water pipe with hot water, only steam is used instead. Water is poured into the pressure cooker and heated to a boil. One end of the hose is hermetically connected to the valve for releasing excess steam in the lid of the pressure cooker, the other is pushed into the line. Thus, the steam from the pressure cooker enters the hose and further into the pipeline to the place of freezing. The temperature of the steam is higher than the temperature of hot water, so using a pressure cooker is more effective and allows you to heat up faster.

Another option to replace the steam generator is to use a Karher steam cleaner. The power of the steam cleaner is enough to cope with defrosting.

ice crushing

If the underground water supply is made of iron or copper, then a special device can be used to defrost it - a pipe defrosting apparatus. You can find out which model of the device to use for a particular pipe diameter by reading the instructions of the device manufacturer. The most popular devices in Russia are "Dragon" and their analogues.

The essence of the method is that the power cables of the device are connected to the main line and voltage is applied to them, due to which the pipe walls heat up and the ice jam thaws. This method can be combined with the crushing method.

Its essence lies in tapping a metal line in order to cause ice to peel off from the inner walls or its destruction. Crushed pieces of ice, under the pressure of water in the system, can come out. Using this method, you need to take care of the unhindered passage of pieces of ice along the entire length of the water supply. This means that the outlet valve, tees and other structural elements with a smaller diameter must be dismantled.

In appearance, everything is simple, but in reality it does not always work out, because. the device has restrictions on the distance of connecting the electrodes. If it is not a problem to connect an electrode from the outlet side of the water pipe, then it is not always possible to install a second one, at a certain distance from the first, due to the fact that the system is closed and the water has frozen in the pipe underground. Sometimes such nuances make it impossible to use the device for heating a closed water supply system.

Defrosting with a boiler

At one end of a rigid two-core wire, several centimeters of cores are exposed and wrapped around the wire so that the bare contacts do not touch each other, and the distance between them does not exceed 1.5-2 cm. A plug is installed on the second end of the wire for connecting to a household outlet . Further, the structure is pushed inside the pipeline and connected to the network 220. Passing current, the water between the wire contacts heats up, and the water supply system gradually thaws.

Important: the method is suitable for use in a closed system of plastic pipes, it is strictly prohibited to use it in metal structures, because. the pipe wall is closed contacts.

Defrosting pipes with hot water

With an insignificant length of a frozen water supply, it is convenient to pour hot water from a bucket or a rubber medical heating pad, often called Esmarch's mug. This is a simple method that requires a minimum of accessories. It is often used to independently de-icing pipes in the country. For heating, you will need a piece of thin hose no less than the length of a frozen main and a funnel, for the convenience of filling the hose with hot water.

The hose is inserted into the water pipe until it stops, that is, to the freezing point. Next, hot water is poured into the hose. Hot water, passing through the hose, enters directly to the place of freezing and gradually melts the ice. As it melts, it is necessary to move the hose inside the water supply and add hot water, because. it will gradually go away and cool down.

Elimination of ice blockage in the sewer

A sewer system that is made with the wrong slope, or from pipes of small diameter and laid without insulation, is at risk of defrosting. You can warm up the drain pipe in a private house, in the event of an ice plug, using the same methods that are used to defrost hidden water pipes.

Important: to remove ice in it is not enough to pour hot water into the toilet, because. this is ineffective, it is necessary to organize the supply of hot water directly to the place of the ice plug, which means you need to use a hose.

If the sewerage system is long enough, then to deliver the hose to the freezing point, it can be tied to a plumbing cable.

When defrosting, there are several nuances.

1. The cause of freezing may be a blockage that has reduced the throughput of the system. In this case, defrosting must be carried out in conjunction with cleaning, otherwise the problem will recur.
2. In the sewer system, it can defrost a septic tank or otherwise a drain hole. In this case, the outlet for water and feces is blocked, the pipes gradually fill up and freeze. To eliminate the cause, you must first warm or clean the ice in the drain pit and only then proceed to work on heating the sewer drain.

How to defrost metal pipes in the ground

You can defrost metal water pipes that are underground using the same methods that are used when you need to warm a HDPE pipe in the ground. If there is access to the pipe every 10 meters, for example, wells are installed, then it is effective to warm up using a pipe defrosting apparatus.

Ice in the underground pipe begins to form at minus 5 degrees, which happens closer to spring, so you need to be extremely careful during this period, especially if the underground metal pipes are new and winter for the first time.

How not to defrost plastic pipes

Like metal pipes, plastic pipes are defrosted at a temperature of -5, but it is impossible to warm them up by all available methods. For example, it is forbidden to warm frozen plastic pipes with an open flame.

Plastic is a combustible material and can catch fire in a few minutes. Also, for plastic communications, the method of crushing and heating with the help of an apparatus is not used. The appliance will not work because polypropylene pipe does not conduct electricity. At low temperatures, some types of plastic lose their flexibility properties.

If you hit a frozen plastic system with a hammer or other impact tool, the walls may not withstand and burst. As a result, part of the plumbing will have to be changed. Metal-plastic pipes burst even more easily, so crushing does not apply to them either.

In conclusion of the article, I would like to note that in order to avoid problems with sewerage and water pipes, one should not neglect the requirements of regulatory documents, for example, SNiP SNiP 2.04.01-85 *. If freezing could not be avoided, then after the system is restored to working capacity, it is necessary to analyze the causes that can be eliminated in the warm season. Otherwise, the situation will repeat itself. It will not always be possible to get rid of only by thawing the water supply, because. integrity may be violated and the system will have to be changed in winter, or a temporary highway should be laid, which will require additional investments.

In the video, the original method of defrosting pipes with hot water from the Atmor flow heater:

Failure of the water supply or heating system in winter is a sad and terrible situation. Terrible, because residents can freeze themselves and be left without water. And sad, because the restoration of the pipeline will require hard work, which, moreover, will be done on the street. But not everything is as hopeless as it might seem.
Of course, it is easier to heat sewer pipes than water pipes. After all, boiling water, which is poured into the sewer, will be excreted naturally. But the water, which is used to heat the water supply, enters the pit or well, from where it has to be pumped out.

It is necessary to defrost the water supply system as soon as possible, then the water supply will be restored. In addition, if the defrosting is delayed, the pipes can burst, but this is a real disaster.

water pipe rescue

Before starting restoration work, the water supply should be disconnected from the common line by turning off the valve. In order to start defrosting, you need to prepare some tools:

• buckets,
• kettle,
• hose,
• basin (preferably a few),
• rags,
• heating devices (gas or electric stove, boiler),
• gas cutter,
• blowtorch,
• foil,
• insulation,
• heating cable.

If all this is available, you can get down to business.

First, we determine in which section the congestion has formed. Then you have to dig it out (since the pipe is obviously located underground) and remove the insulation from it.

Pipe burst from freezing

Pipe heating methods

There are several ways to warm up a water pipe.

• Often hot water is used for this. The frozen section of the pipe is wrapped with rags, other rags are placed under it (they will absorb the flowing water), and then boiling water is poured onto the pipe from the kettle. Periodically it is necessary to reheat the water. It is poured until the problematic section of the pipe warms up. This method is usually used if the frozen area is in the house.

Sometimes hot water can be brought into the pipe itself, for this a flexible hose is used. If the pipe is very long, then it is convenient to start defrosting from the water supply side.

• A water pipe, which is underground on the street, can be warmed up with an open fire. To do this, you must have a blowtorch, a welding heating pad, or at least a torch (a lit stick or branch). A metal sheet should be placed under the pipe, which will divert the flame from those structures that can ignite. Then they begin to drive fire through the pipe, starting from the side where the water is supplied. So you can warm up many pipes, but not plastic - it can melt itself.
• If the house has a hair dryer (household or technical), then you can use it to save the pipe. In this case, a "sleeve" of film or other dense material is created over the frozen area. Hot air is pumped into this space by a hair dryer. After a while, the pipe should warm up. This method is also suitable for plastic pipes.

However, a heating cable is considered an ideal tool for heating plastic pipes.

How to use it?

First, the plastic pipe should be wrapped tightly with aluminum foil - plain or adhesive (see). Then attach the heating cable by wrapping it around the pipe in a spiral. So that the cable itself is not damaged, the spiral pitch must be at least 8 cm. The cable is attached to the pipe with adhesive tape, then the cable sensor is fixed, which triggers automatic shutdown - it must be firmly pressed against the pipe. On top of the entire resulting structure, you need to lay a heater (mineral wool or any other). You can connect the cable to the network.

• It happens that the water freezes in the well. In this case, you can lay the heating cable there as well. Usually this is done underground, the cable must pass under the pipe.
• If the pipe is frozen in the water, then to warm it up it is enough to heat the wall. This can also be done with a regular hair dryer. This tool is very simple and in some cases very effective.

Use of the welding machine

It turns out that a welding machine can not only connect metal surfaces. He also copes well with frozen pipes. It is enough to attach the welding wire to the ends of the section that is frozen (to one plus, to the other minus), turn on the device for 30 seconds, then wait 10 seconds and turn it on again.

In this case, the welding current should be small, in the region of 100 amperes; if this does not work, the current can be increased.

It is clear that the pipe mentioned here must be metal. After all, plastic does not conduct electricity.
This method, however, practically does not help if the pipe has a large diameter or the freezing area is too long.

HDPE pipes

This material is quite new in our market. HDPE is low pressure polyethylene. This material withstands high pressure (up to 10 atmospheres), is not subject to corrosion, and most importantly, is practically not subject to freezing.

HDPE is an excellent solution, especially for areas with a harsh climate.

What not to do

• When pipes freeze, some try to solve this problem with metal wire or. However, this is unlikely to be useful, since the ice plug is very hard and strong, in addition, its length can be rather big.
• No need to pour boiling water directly into the pipe. Instead, you should take a metal-plastic pipe with a smaller diameter and put it into the one that needs to be thawed. Boiling water is poured into this pipe, and cold water from the cork will flow into the gap between the inner and outer pipes. This water can be collected, heated and poured again, because there is often not enough water for repairs (the water supply is blocked by a cork).

This method helps if the failed section is straight.

If the pipe has bends, then a rigid and flexible oxygen hose should be pushed into it.

But taking an ordinary sprinkler is a bad idea, because it is too soft and becomes unusable from hot water - it becomes impossible to move it inside.

Metal-plastic pipes that are located in the attic or basement are more likely to freeze at low temperatures. The advantage is that you have free access to them, which means that the problem can be solved easily and quickly. First, turn on your water faucets before you start defrosting. We offer several ways.

• The first way: use hot water.
  1. Feel for the coldest area - there is an ice plug.
  2. Take a regular piece of cloth.
  3. Wrap a cloth over the frozen area (in addition to it, grab the upper and lower area).
  4. Heat water and pour it over the frozen area.
  5. Remove the cloth and wipe the pipeline.
  6. Wrap the pipe with insulation to avoid re-freezing.
• The second way: we use a building hot air gun.
  1. Find an ice plug (described above).
  2. Set the minimum temperature of the hot air gun (to avoid melting the plastic).
  3. Direct a stream of warm air over the piping.
  4. Wrap the pipe with insulation.
• The third way: we use electric heating.
  1. We wrap the frozen area with a special heating wire in turns.
  2. We connect the wire to the mains.
  3. We wrap the heated pipe with insulation.

How to defrost ice in a plastic pipe underground

When a plastic pipe freezes underground, homeowners panic. After all, digging frozen soil with your hands is not an easy task, and the pipe can be completely damaged by equipment. We offer several alternative options for defrosting underground utilities.

We use hot water

1. Disconnect the plastic pipe from the faucet.
2. Heat the water (it is best to use a reinforced concrete barrel).
3. Run a hose into the frozen plastic pipe. Enter until you come across an ice plug.
4. Pour hot water into the hose (if possible, use a pressure pump).
5. Move the hose forward gradually.
6. As soon as the ice lock is melted, water will flow from the pipe.
7. Connect the pipe back to the faucet.
8. Cover open sections of the pipeline with insulation.

We use electricity

1. Purchase a two-wire cable.
2. Separate one core and remove insulation from it.
3. Twist the bare wire tightly to avoid unwinding.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the second wire.
5. Move the bare twists a couple of centimeters apart.
6. Lead the wire into the pipe to the ice plug.
7. Connect the wire to the mains.
8. As you defrost, move the wire forward.
9. Pump out the melt water with a pump or compressor.

A few more ways to defrost a plastic pipe

There are several more rarely used methods. The reason for the rarity is the lack of necessary equipment.

• Defrosting with a steam generator: an excellent way out of this situation. Ice melting is very fast and efficient. The steam generator hose is inserted inside to the ice plug and steam is released.
• Defrosting with an autoclave (or steamer): water is heated in the autoclave, after which a hose is connected to the apparatus, the second end of which is inserted into the frozen pipeline. When water boils, steam is pumped in and melts the ice.
• Defrosting with a hydrodynamic machine: due to the increased pressure that this machine generates, the ice breaks in a matter of minutes. The hose is led into a plastic pipe closer to the ice plug and the apparatus is turned on.