[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How long until pipes freeze (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 12/24/2013 2:56:24 AM EDT
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So the power has been out for two days and the power company has no idea when it will be restored. These are the temps for the next few days
Today High: 25 °F Falling Temperatures Tonight Low: 0 °F Christmas Day High: 15 °F Wednesday Night Low: 10 °F Thursday High: 30 °F Thursday Night Low: 17 °F Friday High: 27 °F Friday Night Low: 8 °F Saturday High: 24 °F How long until pipes start freezing? House is vacant and the baseboard heat is set at 52. |
| Hard to say.... depends on how insulated the house is, how close the pipes are to outside walls, etc. Basically the only way to know is to monitor the house temperature. If the house was only 52 degrees to start with it might not take long, can you not check the house? |
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Hard to say.... depends on how insulated the house is, how close the pipes are to outside walls, etc. Basically the only way to know is to monitor the house temperature. If the house was only 52 degrees to start with it might not take long, can you not check the house? Unfortunately I cannot check the house. The house is in Maine and I am currently in NJ. We are moving up to the house on the 10th of January. We have a family friend in the area with a key to the house but she likely would not be able to do much. I am hopeful that she can go check on the house over the next day or two. If there is a problem what should I do? |
| With zero heat, you'd better figure out how to get some with those temps forcasted. At the very minimum, either turn the water off and drain the pipes, or turn all the fixtures on a bit so they drip. Running water doesn't freeze as easy. Plus it's coming out of the ground above freezing temp. |
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If you are really concerned about the pipes freezing. Fill bottles, pans and bathtubs with water for drinking and flushing. Then, shut off the water at the main supply valve and drain what is standing in the pipes and leave a couple faucets open until you are ready to recharge the system.
Seriously, if it is getting that cold inside the house, you need to consider draining the pipes, locking-up and bugging out until power is restored. ETA- Sorry, didn't read that you were not on-site 
Have the lady with the key shut the water off at the main supply valve. This is very simple to do. If she is unable to do that, pay a plumber and ask her to let him in to do it. It may cost you a couple hundred bucks to get a plumber out in this weather at Christmas but it is a bargain compared to burst pipes and water damage. |
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Quoted: Unfortunately I cannot check the house. The house is in Maine and I am currently in NJ. We are moving up to the house on the 10th of January. We have a family friend in the area with a key to the house but she likely would not be able to do much. I am hopeful that she can go check on the house over the next day or two. If there is a problem what should I do? Quoted: Quoted: Hard to say.... depends on how insulated the house is, how close the pipes are to outside walls, etc. Basically the only way to know is to monitor the house temperature. If the house was only 52 degrees to start with it might not take long, can you not check the house? Unfortunately I cannot check the house. The house is in Maine and I am currently in NJ. We are moving up to the house on the 10th of January. We have a family friend in the area with a key to the house but she likely would not be able to do much. I am hopeful that she can go check on the house over the next day or two. If there is a problem what should I do? I am in Dover Foxcroft and my hot water pipe already froze about a week ago with that cold snap we had . t only took about an hour with a blow drier to thaw it and it didnt pop . I dont see anything on the radar to cause me worry , not for a little while at least . If there's anything I might be able to do , let me know .....I'd be happy to help if I could .  Quoted: It is really pissing me off that I am unable to be there. The house has a wood stove and fireplace as well as a generator but as I stated I am not there to do anything. If I was in the house this would not be a problem  |
| Going to see if our family friend can just drop off her key to the plumbers. They winterized the house last year but since we are moving into the house soon, I did not feel it was necessary to have them shut it down again. This sucks but I guess we are going to have them just shut everything down again to minimize the chances of major damage. why cant this shit happen at a convenient time, like when I am in the house to take care of things? |
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You need to do something, those pipe are going to freeze. Can your family in the area find someone to help them? Shut off and drain the water, open up every faucet to let air in, and put RV antifreeze in all the traps. Don't forget to flush the toilet to drain the tank, and add antifreeze to that also. I don't understand why people bother to heat vacant homes up north.
Draining it right, and shuting off the heat saves a ton of money, and brings peace of mind. Of course the first day you came back takes a while to get the chill off. Open up the cabinets, and pull down the covers on the beds. It's amazing how cold a bed can stay even after the house is warmed up. |
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Quoted:shut off the water at the main supply valve and drain what is standing in the pipes and leave a couple faucets open until you are ready to recharge the system. Have her shut off the main water source, open up all faucets, flush all toilets and turn on all showers/tubs. She may want to start the washing machine, too, just to drain any water in that line. If I wasn't going to be in a house for that long of time, the main water source would already have been turned off. |
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In the future think about a stand by generator. Really a great tool. In my area 20kw, are installed for around $7000. Gives great piece of mind to the elderly and these who travel. There is no natural gas in the area. I have three portable generators ranging from 2000 - 8500 watts. I also have a wood stove and Kerosene heaters. Unfortunately I am not living in the house yet! The only reason that the heat was left on and the house was not winterized is because we are moving into the house in a few weeks. |
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Does the baseboard heat work when the power is out? If not and since the house is vacated, I would try to find a kerosene or propane heater to place in the house. If the house is built fairly tight, it should not take much to keep it above freezing inside. This. |
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You need to do something, those pipe are going to freeze. Can your family in the area find someone to help them? Shut off and drain the water, open up every faucet to let air in, and put RV antifreeze in all the traps. Don't forget to flush the toilet to drain the tank, and add antifreeze to that also. I don't understand why people bother to heat vacant homes up north. Draining it right, and shuting off the heat saves a ton of money, and brings peace of mind. Of course the first day you came back takes a while to get the chill off. Open up the cabinets, and pull down the covers on the beds. It's amazing how cold a bed can stay even after the house is warmed up. Huge +1. If you do nothing, it will not take long for the pipes to freeze and burst. I handle insurance claims for this type of thing and the damage is generally severe. Last night, I read a thread here about a guy who had a plumbing burst. His pipes likely didn't freeze, but this is the type of damage you can potentially expect: http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_5/1571611_my_brand_new_house_is_completely_ruined__shower_handle_burst.html Have the neighbor meet a plumber today. Pay whatever it takes to have the water turned off, the pipes drained, and the system winterized. This will be money well spent. |
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As someone else mentioned. Have your friend open a couple of the faucets so their is a constant drip, short of draining and blowing out the lines, that is your best option. Good luck. Came here to post this, it's your only chance, open hot and cold, both will need to flow. |
I got in touch with the plumbers and they are going to head over to the house today to shut everything down. I am really hoping that there is no damage and that they can get everything taken care of. She said that they are going to need a generator so that they can blow out the lines with a compressor. I hope that one of the generators that I left at the house start.
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Going to see if our family friend can just drop off her key to the plumbers. They winterized the house last year but since we are moving into the house soon, I did not feel it was necessary to have them shut it down again. This sucks but I guess we are going to have them just shut everything down again to minimize the chances of major damage. why cant this shit happen at a convenient time, like when I am in the house to take care of things? cause Murphy don't take no Christmas break,,,,,,,   
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Quoted:
Going to see if our family friend can just drop off her key to the plumbers. They winterized the house last year but since we are moving into the house soon, I did not feel it was necessary to have them shut it down again. This sucks but I guess we are going to have them just shut everything down again to minimize the chances of major damage. why cant this shit happen at a convenient time, like when I am in the house to take care of things? I'd just have her shut the valve off and open the faucets. Or call the water company and have them shut down the water if you're on city water. Then have her open the faucets. |
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Unfortunately I cannot check the house. The house is in Maine and I am currently in NJ. We are moving up to the house on the 10th of January. We have a family friend in the area with a key to the house but she likely would not be able to do much. I am hopeful that she can go check on the house over the next day or two. If there is a problem what should I do? Quoted:
Quoted:
Hard to say.... depends on how insulated the house is, how close the pipes are to outside walls, etc. Basically the only way to know is to monitor the house temperature. If the house was only 52 degrees to start with it might not take long, can you not check the house? Unfortunately I cannot check the house. The house is in Maine and I am currently in NJ. We are moving up to the house on the 10th of January. We have a family friend in the area with a key to the house but she likely would not be able to do much. I am hopeful that she can go check on the house over the next day or two. If there is a problem what should I do? She could do more than you suspect. Have her open up the cabinet doors under the sink in the kitchen and bathroom(s) and wrap towels around the pipes and leave a slow stream of hot water running through the sinks. (slow stream) This, of course, assumes they have not frozen up and burst already. I lost power for 12 hrs when it was -20 in this house I have been in a couple years renting and had to leave, The landlord and I did this and none of the pipes burst. |
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Huge +1. If you do nothing, it will not take long for the pipes to freeze and burst. I handle insurance claims for this type of thing and the damage is generally severe. Last night, I read a thread here about a guy who had a plumbing burst. His pipes likely didn't freeze, but this is the type of damage you can potentially expect: http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_5/1571611_my_brand_new_house_is_completely_ruined__shower_handle_burst.html Have the neighbor meet a plumber today. Pay whatever it takes to have the water turned off, the pipes drained, and the system winterized. This will be money well spent. Quoted:
Quoted:
You need to do something, those pipe are going to freeze. Can your family in the area find someone to help them? Shut off and drain the water, open up every faucet to let air in, and put RV antifreeze in all the traps. Don't forget to flush the toilet to drain the tank, and add antifreeze to that also. I don't understand why people bother to heat vacant homes up north. Draining it right, and shuting off the heat saves a ton of money, and brings peace of mind. Of course the first day you came back takes a while to get the chill off. Open up the cabinets, and pull down the covers on the beds. It's amazing how cold a bed can stay even after the house is warmed up. Huge +1. If you do nothing, it will not take long for the pipes to freeze and burst. I handle insurance claims for this type of thing and the damage is generally severe. Last night, I read a thread here about a guy who had a plumbing burst. His pipes likely didn't freeze, but this is the type of damage you can potentially expect: http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_5/1571611_my_brand_new_house_is_completely_ruined__shower_handle_burst.html Have the neighbor meet a plumber today. Pay whatever it takes to have the water turned off, the pipes drained, and the system winterized. This will be money well spent. Further down the thread - that looks like the pipes in the house above did freeze. Shooter Patriot is right - get the plumber in there! I used to do forensics in the fire protection industry - I saw lots of freeze-ups. You don't want that! |
| You may want to have your friend open the faucets so they are dripping. IIRC, freezing was in pipes doesn't cause damage unless you first get a plug of frozen water that causes clogs and then the water trapped between two clogs freezes and the pressure has nowhere to go. Keeping the faucet open allows pressure to escape. |
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For those suggesting turning on the water, don't forget that OP said his power is out. From the brief description of the neighbor with the key, my impression (which may be completely wrong) is that she probably isn't the type to go fire-up the genny and keep it fed and running and monitored for the next however many hours/days the power is out. Also, if it is cold enough out and you've got a slow trickle going into the septic pipes you risk freezing up the septic.
Where in Maine is the place? The forecast here has been calling for colder night time temps for the past few days, but they haven't happened thus far. Even in my un-heated and only partially insulated barn the temps are still staying at about 25*. |
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I know it is a moot point, but you may want to consider a stop and waste valve for a main shut off or on the house side of the main. That way in the future, when you shut off the water, you can unscrew the little cap on the side and drain the entire system(except traps and toilet bowls and tanks) |
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I know it is a moot point, but you may want to consider a stop and waste valve for a main shut off or on the house side of the main. That way in the future, when you shut off the water, you can unscrew the little cap on the side and drain the entire system(except traps and toilet bowls and tanks) It will take a little more than that. We have a summer place that I drain every fall. My dad added drain valves at strategic points over a couple of years - every time he found leaks in the spring. I learned to solder pipe helping him open the place up. RV antifreeze takes care of the drain traps and toilets.Use plenty. |
| I have a steel building for a workshop. It has spray foam insulation on it and no heat whatsoever. In the corner of the shop I have a toilet and sink installed. The pipes running to them come up out of the ground, through the slab and are bare going to the toilet and sink. They are not wrapped in insulation or anything. It does. It get super cold here but we had a week earlier this year with lows in the single digits and highs in the 20's and the pipes never froze. |
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It is really pissing me off that I am unable to be there. The house has a wood stove and fireplace as well as a generator but as I stated I am not there to do anything. If I was in the house this would not be a problem This is why you shut off and drain the water when you are not there. I suggest you take a trip to handle it or you are going to be moving into a house that has busted plumbing when the pipes freeze and when the power comes back on your house will be flooded. |
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There is no natural gas in the area. I have three portable generators ranging from 2000 - 8500 watts. I also have a wood stove and Kerosene heaters. Unfortunately I am not living in the house yet! The only reason that the heat was left on and the house was not winterized is because we are moving into the house in a few weeks. Quoted:
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In the future think about a stand by generator. Really a great tool. In my area 20kw, are installed for around $7000. Gives great piece of mind to the elderly and these who travel. There is no natural gas in the area. I have three portable generators ranging from 2000 - 8500 watts. I also have a wood stove and Kerosene heaters. Unfortunately I am not living in the house yet! The only reason that the heat was left on and the house was not winterized is because we are moving into the house in a few weeks. My parents have a place in NH that is vacant often in the winter and they have a standby generator without a natural gas setup. The thing runs on propane tanks that are buried in the yard. Lots of peace of mind in the winter for when they are not there or also for when they are there and a big ice storm comes through. There is no concern about being stuck without heat/power. |
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Have her shut off the main water source, open up all faucets, flush all toilets and turn on all showers/tubs. She may want to start the washing machine, too, just to drain any water in that line. If I wasn't going to be in a house for that long of time, the main water source would already have been turned off. Quoted:
Quoted:shut off the water at the main supply valve and drain what is standing in the pipes and leave a couple faucets open until you are ready to recharge the system. Have her shut off the main water source, open up all faucets, flush all toilets and turn on all showers/tubs. She may want to start the washing machine, too, just to drain any water in that line. If I wasn't going to be in a house for that long of time, the main water source would already have been turned off. <---- THIS PLUS get a couple gallons of RV antifreeze (it's non-toxic) and have your friend dump some into every drain in the house, and also the toilet boils. That should keep the water in the traps from freezing and bursting the drains along with the supply. |
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OP since you are dealing with a female...Have her buy a bag of matchlight charcoal and put some in the wood stove and light it. In just a few minutes it will get really going and then she can throw in some wood and close the dampers down a bit to get you a good long burn, depending on the wood used she may only need to check it twice a day if that.
For a female who knows nothing about wood fires this is the easiest way to get a wood stove started and burning and is almost foolproof. Should keep the house at a minimum temp. to keep your pipes from bursting. Hope this helps... |
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cause Murphy don't take no Christmas break,,,,,,, Quoted:
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Going to see if our family friend can just drop off her key to the plumbers. They winterized the house last year but since we are moving into the house soon, I did not feel it was necessary to have them shut it down again. This sucks but I guess we are going to have them just shut everything down again to minimize the chances of major damage. why cant this shit happen at a convenient time, like when I am in the house to take care of things? cause Murphy don't take no Christmas break,,,,,,, Fuck man tell me about it. Op we left our house at 55 but we didn't shut down the Main line or drain anything and came home to our house completely flooded . I don't think the power failed but there was really cold temps for several weeks. |