Thawing Frozen Water Pipes | |
To safely thaw frozen water pipes turn off the water to the affected area and open the nearest faucet. Apply heat with a hair dryer (move it back and forth over the pipe working from the open end of the pipe back toward the frozen area). This can take a long time. Expose the pipe to warm air with the addition of a small room heater if you have one. If the pipe in a cabinet, keep the doors open to increase the warm air around the pipes. When you get the water running, keep it running especially over night when temperatures drop. Let a small trickle of water run through the pipes until the threat of cold weather stops. Also get some insulated pipe wrap to cover the pipes and keep them less exposed to the cold temperatures. written by Gene and Katie Hamilton copyright HouseNet, Inc. 1996 |