Almost all homeowners have encountered the unpleasant problem of water freezing in their pipes. Naturally, this is not relevant for warm regions.
But for places of residence with a harsh climate, you have to take certain actions. Of course, they need to be insulated in advance so that the pipeline does not have to be heated. But, unfortunately, smart thoughts will dawn late.
There is useful information to help prevent and resolve this problem.
Freezing point of water
Contrary to physical laws, which state that the hardening of any substance occurs below 0 degrees, water in a pipe freezes at different temperatures.
In many ways, this depends on the material from which it is made, as well as the plumbing. Freezing requires stable subzero temperature(5‒7 degrees) for several days or a sharp drop to -20 degrees.
What to do to prevent the water supply from freezing?
First of all, you should decide on the type of pipes. If they are metal, they should be replaced with plastic ones.
And the most correct solution is the purchase of reinforced thick-walled PVC pipes. They are not afraid of corrosion, they can withstand a pressure of 15 bar and a temperature of minus 35. There is no need to be afraid that they will crack in the cold.
Freezing can be prevented by proper pipe laying. It is advisable to bury them deeply. The depth is affected by soil freezing and the type of land in the area of residence. For example, in the Moscow region the freezing depth is 1.35 m.
Deep burial is good, but it is advisable to be on the safe side. The water supply needs to be insulated. It is better to make thermal insulation in a closed box, that is, from all sides.
In addition, there is a heating cable, which is laid during wiring or during pipe replacement. For example, there is a cheap resistive cable, but it has many disadvantages. It does not shorten, but if it is bent, it shorts out and quickly deteriorates.
There is a better quality cable - self-regulating. Him high coefficient useful action, heats only required area without additional sensors. The price is quite high.
What to do if the water supply freezes?
If the problem has already arisen, but there is no desire to do repairs, you will have to warm up the pipe. For metal and plastic products such procedures vary.
Metal pipe:
- It is heated in the “old-fashioned” way - with boiling water.
- Electric shock.
- Using a construction hair dryer.
- When the pipe is buried, a fire is lit above it.
Made of plastic:
- Wrapped in rags and doused hot water.
- Boiling water is poured into the water supply.
- You can also use a hair dryer, but the procedure is lengthy, plastic does not conduct heat well.
There are no other methods of heating.
Non-freezing water supply
This topic requires special consideration. Many people are worried – is this a myth? There is no clear answer to this question. If the pipe is laid above the ground, then the water will still freeze in cold weather.
Non-freezing water supply complex design from concrete rings or creating a well with sediment. The methods are quite expensive, but quite effective.
Our winters are harsh and can bring an unpleasant surprise in the form of frozen pipes. In this case, not only is it lost drinking water, but also the opportunity to properly prepare food, keep the house and body clean. And this is a disaster for a person accustomed to comfort. In addition, if you have to dig up communications, it will take a lot of time and effort. In general, a frozen water supply has serious consequences. Most often this happens with metal pipes. Now they are being replaced by metal-plastic, which has proven itself to be a more frost-resistant material. But even such a water supply can freeze over at very low temperatures. Therefore, every owner should know what to do when the water in the pipes freezes in a private house - the solution to the problem is in the article.
How to heat water in a pipe underground?
The best solution to the problem of frozen pipes is proper installation and use insulating materials. As they say, it is easier to prevent problems than to desperately solve them later. Therefore, dig trenches at a level that will not freeze even in the harshest winter. But if you do not have this opportunity due to climate or soil conditions, then be sure to use materials for thermal insulation and protection from moisture. Moreover, this is true for both metal and plastic.
The photo shows frozen water in plastic pipe
And yet, what to do if the water in the pipe has already frozen? There can be two options for water pipe icing: inside the house (indoors) or outside (outdoors). The first is less common, but it is also easier to fix the problem. The second case is more complicated, although fortunately it is also not hopeless.
In any case, there are some universal tips:
- during defrosting water taps must be open to allow melt water to drain from the pipes. Its temperature is lower than usual, and this greatly increases the risk of re-freezing;
- The easiest way to identify an ice plug is by touch: the frozen section is much colder than the rest of the pipe;
- Once the problem is fixed, it must be prevented from happening again. To do this, open sections of the water pipe must be reliably insulated using special thermal insulation materials.
Now almost universally used metal-plastic pipes, so below are methods that are primarily suitable for them.
Defrosting indoor water pipes
At first glance, the pipes in the house should not freeze. But in addition to residential premises, there are also those that are not heated (attic or basement). This is where problems arise. It is easier to deal with frozen pipes indoors due to more or less free access to them. Several available tools will help you do this.
- Hot water. The pipe where it freezes is wrapped in a cloth, preferably in several layers: this helps retain heat longer. Then it is watered with a constant stream of hot water. The larger and longer the ice plug, the longer the process. After the pipe is warmed up, it must be thoroughly wiped and insulated.
- Construction hot air gun. If you don’t have an industrial hair dryer, and the plug is small, it may work household appliance. But still, at a hair dryer longer time use, and the temperature range is higher. True, you cannot overdo it: the air should not be too hot, otherwise the metal-plastic pipe may melt. PVC softens at a temperature of about 80°C, and already at 120 it begins to melt. Therefore, in an industrial device the temperature is set to a minimum, optimally 65°C.
- Electric heating. An electric heating wire is wound around the frozen section of the pipe, which is then connected to the network. Such a spiral should cover the entire frozen area; The tighter the coils fit, the faster the desired result appears. The defrosting time is proportional to the volume of the pipe and the length of the plug. Using this method, it can take up to 3 hours to fix the problem.
If water freezes in an underground pipeline: what to do?
It is much more difficult to correct a situation when communications are frozen on the street, underground. If the trenches are shallow, you can try to dig them out and warm the pipes using any of the methods described above. But this is still a last resort option. Firstly, digging frozen ground is a dubious pleasure, especially if the weather has not improved. Secondly, it’s difficult to find the first time problem area, so you have to dig out pipes along almost the entire length.
And this not only takes time and effort, but can also aggravate the situation when the street remains very low temperature. In addition, metal-plastic pipes can simply be damaged with a shovel.
How to heat water in a plastic pipe underground
- Hot water. In this case, the ice plug is heated from the inside. We disconnect the pipe and insert the hose into it, all the way into the frozen water. Instead of a hose, you can use a pipe of smaller diameter. Then you will need a container of hot water. By placing it near a heat source, you can maintain desired temperature. Hot water is poured into the hose using a watering can or pressure pump. In the process, the hose is pushed inward to defrost the entire plug. As soon as it is completely eliminated, water will flow. This usually happens with strong pressure. The advantage of this method is the quick result: it takes more time to prepare than to warm up.
- Electricity. You will need a hard wire of two cores. We separate them and strip one end of the insulation. We twist the exposed wire. Bend the second core back and repeat the same manipulations. As a result, the wire has two exposed twists, a couple of centimeters from each other. They should not touch each other, otherwise you risk suffering from electric shock. Therefore, the twists must be as strong as possible. After the wire is prepared, it is inserted all the way inside the pipe and connected to the network. The different potentials at the ends heat up and gradually melt the ice. Just like with hot water, the wire must be gradually moved inward. When using this method, you can be calm about communications, because only the contents of the pipe are heated, and not its walls. Don't forget about additional safety measures: rubber gloves and boots. To avoid re-freezing of melt water, it is best to pump it out with a compressor or pump.
- Steam generator. This method, like those listed below, is not suitable for everyone: not every home has such devices. But they effectively help cope with frozen pipes. So, the steam generator hose is placed inside the pipe and steam is supplied under pressure. Its temperature is higher than that of boiling water, so the cork melts much faster. But due to a different state of aggregation, hot steam does not threaten to damage the pipes.
- Autoclave. It also helps defrost the ice plug with steam. To do this, take a hose: place one end into the autoclave pipe, and the other inside the pipe. Then we heat the water, and as the steam boils, it warms the water supply.
- Hydrodynamic machine. It is used in industry. The pipe is pumped high blood pressure, the ice breaks in a couple of minutes. The operating mechanism is similar: we insert a special hose as deep into the pipe as possible and leave the device to work until the plug is removed.
How to heat water supply from plastic pipes underground - Video.
Now you know exactly how to defrost a water pipe in a private house.
The water pipe may freeze due to various reasons. If, when laying the water supply system, the requirements of GOST were violated and the propylene pipes were laid at an insufficient depth. Poor or lack of insulation. When water consumption is low or in the absence of residents, when water consumption is zero and there are abnormal frosts outside. Whatever the reason, frozen water pipes must be warmed up. The heating method will depend on where the ice jam occurred: underground or in the house.
Finding the freezing point
Before you start defrosting the pipe, you need to find the area where the ice plug has formed. You can do this in two ways:
- visually inspect the pipe. When water freezes, it expands, and the ice plug can push the plastic plug. Externally, there will be a visible thickening on the pipe;
First of all, it is necessary to determine the location of the ice jam.
- the second method is used if there is no way to visually inspect the pipeline. In this case, turn off the tap and then dismantle the nearest detachable connection or cut the pipe. Then a metal piece is inserted into the pipe flexible cable. Using the length of the cable, you can calculate the distance to the freezing point.
Order further actions Removing the ice jam will depend on where exactly the ice jam is frozen.
Defrosting water pipes with electric current
You will need copper wire with two cores with a cross section of 2.5 mm. The wires are separated and pulled apart. Then the end of one core is exposed in such a way that several turns of the exposed wire can be made around the other. The wires must not touch each other to avoid a short circuit. A plug is connected to the opposite end of the wire.
Wire for electric current
The wire is pushed into water pipe, until its ends rest against the ice plug and plug in the plug. The heating process resembles the operation of a household boiler. The current passes through the water and heats it. This method is safe for the pipe; only water is heated, so melting of the propylene water supply is excluded.
Advice. Before inserting the boiler into the pipe, you should test the device. Dip the end of the bare wire into a bucket of water and plug in the plug. Bubbles and a slight buzz should appear. Do not put your hands into the bucket under any circumstances to avoid electric shock.
We use a steam generator
A steam generator is a special machine that regenerates steam and supplies it under pressure. The fitting is inserted into the water pipe and hot steam melts the ice plug. This is the most effective and quick way eliminating ice jams. There is only one drawback - not every home has such a device. But if you have a double boiler or autoclave, they can also be used for heating. When using them, the procedure is as follows:
You can use a steam generator to defrost the water supply.
- Pour water into one of the listed units.
- One end of the heat-resistant hose is connected to the autoclave fitting.
- We push the other end into the water pipe to the freezing point.
- Turn on the heating device and wait for the result.
- We monitor the water level in the autoclave.
Submersible pump and barrel to help
Will need metal barrel, bucket, pump and hose.
Advice. Propylene pipes are connected with fittings that do not narrow at the joints inner diameter pipes, so the process of removing ice plugs is greatly simplified compared to pipes made of other materials.
Internal defrosting using improvised means
This method is similar to the one we described above. But not everyone has it iron barrel with a pump and the ability to make a fire, but Esmarch’s mug (popularly known as an enema) will probably be found in every home. So, for work you will need:
- enema;
- wire;
- a tube.
Scheme: defrosting a water supply using an Esmarch mug
The tube and wire are connected with electrical tape so that the end of the wire is shorter than the end of the tube. Push the tube all the way into the ice. Open the tap on Esmarch's mug, which is pre-filled with hot water. The water flows to the ice plug, and the melted water will pour out into the substituted bucket. As the ice decreases, the wire is pushed further. It should be noted that this method will require a lot of patience and time.
External heating of propylene water supply
External heating of the water supply is quite simple. There are several ways to do this. But first they open the taps so that the melted water and ice can come out.
- Hot water. Any rag that absorbs and retains water well is wound onto the pipe over the freezing area. To avoid damaging the pipe, the water temperature is increased gradually. Any container to collect water is installed under the pipe. It will take more than one cycle of squeezing out the rag and pouring hot water over it again.
If defrosting is necessary small area, you can use a hairdryer
- Hairdryer. A hair dryer can be used as a heat source. This requires great care and skill in working with this power tool, since the propylene pipe can be melted by negligence. Fan heaters and other electric heaters are used, but this method is not effective enough, since a large number of the heat generated is wasted. For absolutely small plot freezing, a regular hair dryer will do. Additionally, build a small casing to trap warm air.
- Self-heating electrical cable , it is also used when installing heated floors. The cable is wrapped around the pipe and plugged into the network.
Advice. Do not use a blowtorch wax candles or a fire for warming up propylene pipes- they will melt. Such methods can be used for frozen metal water pipes.
- Hydrodynamic machine. If all the methods have been tried, but there is no result, call a specialist. In a matter of minutes they can remove ice jams using a hydrodynamic machine, profile application which – water cleaning of tap and sewer pipes. The water equipment of the unit runs on diesel fuel, and the installation itself is powered by the network. The machine creates high pressure hot water and can break more hard materials than ice, therefore the use of such equipment requires qualifications and knowledge of safety precautions.
Measures to prevent pipeline freezing
At the first opportunity, when warm weather sets in, it is necessary to take measures to insulate the water supply in order to avoid such a nuisance in the future. Deformed areas will need to be replaced.
But while the frost is crackling outside, not all insulation methods can be used, and there is no point in chiseling the frozen ground. We can recommend one effective action - although this is a violation of safety rules: keep the tap slightly open so that the water flows in a small thin stream, and then the moving water stream will not allow ice to form.
How to warm up a frozen water supply: video
Methods for defrosting water supply: photo
Water supply system apartment buildings, as a rule, is diverted from the main pipeline in the basements, and then distributed to apartments. Thus, small-diameter pipes are not exposed to open frost, and therefore such pipelines rarely freeze.
IN individual houses the situation is somewhat more complicated: the water supply system has a smaller diameter, it runs relatively shallow in the ground, and areas of open laying are also possible. This is why the water supply in a private house freezes (and because of frost, of course).
A frozen water supply means that it is impossible to use, which is fraught with a number of everyday inconveniences. In addition, ice-bound pipes wear out faster. So, the water supply is frozen, what should you do?
There are several ways to thaw frozen water pipes. This will help restore the water supply to the house and eliminate the increased wear and tear factor.
Hot water
If the pipeline freezes open areas or in the basement, hot water can be used to remove ice. First of all, wrap a rag around the section of the pipe where the ice plug is expected to be present. It will absorb water and extend the time of its contact with the pipe.
After this, open the pipeline tap and begin pouring boiling water onto the rag. When water comes out of the tap, it means the ice has begun to thaw.
This method is suitable for open sections of pipelines. If the pipe is underground, this method will not be effective because the water will cool before it reaches the pipe itself.
With plastic pipes this method It is worth practicing carefully - some polymers are sensitive to high temperatures.
Construction or household hair dryer
If the water in the water supply is frozen, you can warm it up with a hairdryer. It is recommended to build a small box over the treated area that limits air movement (made of film, for example). This will help reduce heat loss and increase heating efficiency.
After this, the pipe is blown with hot air from a hair dryer from all possible sides.
The pipeline tap must also be opened to drain the thawed water. We also recommend using a hairdryer to treat bends in the pipeline, connections and fittings, as fragments of ice may remain here.
Spilling hot water inside the pipeline
This task uses a hose that is pushed to the location of the ice jam. Filled through the hose hot water, which hits the frozen area directly.
The tap, of course, also needs to be opened, otherwise there will be no water flow.
The good thing about this method is that it can be applied regardless of where the pipeline is blocked - in an open or closed area.
Heating using a welding transformer
Perhaps the easiest and fastest way. The positive contact of the transformer is connected to one end of the pipe, and the negative contact to the other. As a result, the pipe heats up and the ice plug melts.
Usage blowtorch
This method is only suitable for relatively thick metal pipes, in case of serious freezing. The frozen area is simply treated with a blowtorch until completely warmed up. Considering the presence of an open flame and the high power of the blowtorch, this method should be used extremely carefully.
Calling professionals
If your water supply is frozen, you can entrust the task of freeing it to specially trained people with professional equipment. But you'll have to pay for it.
Instructions
The possibility of heating a water pipeline is largely related to the features of its design - in particular, the depth of installation. It is easier to heat the water supply in the house, since its owner usually knows exactly where the pipes run and in which places they are most sensitive to frost.
As a rule, water pipes freeze in open areas exposed to strong winds. This condition may be one of the keys to finding a section of water supply that needs to be heated. Usually, an ice plug forms first in the most problematic area: if it is melted in time, the water supply can be restored. The more time passes from the moment the water supply stops, the larger plot the pipes will freeze, and the more difficult it will be to restore the water supply.
Locate the area where you think the water supply may have frozen. Clear the area of snow and build a fire there. Be prepared for the fact that it will take more than one hour to maintain the fire. The earth will warm up quite slowly, and the ice plug will melt just as slowly. The fact that your efforts are not in vain will be announced by the appearance of a thin stream of water from the tap. Open all the taps and let the water flow, this will help the ice plug melt.
IN rural houses having autonomous water supply, can freeze sections of the water supply near a pump, well or borehole. As a rule, for the convenience of prevention - for example, to remove deep well pump, part of the water supply may not be covered with earth, but covered with light heat-insulating materials. In severe frost and wind, such protection may not be enough, and the pipe will freeze.
To heat the water supply in this case, you will need one or two kettles of boiling water. Remove insulation to gain access to frozen pipes. Place rags under them - for example, bags, any old unnecessary clothes, etc. After this, pour boiling water over the frozen pipes. After pouring out all the boiling water, wrap the pipes in wet hot rags, then cover them with thermal insulation. As a rule, this procedure is enough to melt the ice in the pipes.
If the frost catches the one installed next to the well centrifugal pump, boiling water will also help you. Remove the thermal insulation and tuck rags under the pump where possible. Then start the pump body with the impeller (but not the electric motor!), the outlet pipe with a section of pipe, and the pipe that carries the water to the pump. These measures may be enough to get the water supply running again.
To prevent water pipes from freezing in very coldy not allowed on long time stop the water supply to the house. It’s better to get up one more time at night and turn on the water for a while than to find out in the morning with annoyance that the water supply is frozen.