In a private house, where the conduit is not properly prepared for the winter, the logical conclusion can be it freezing. The way to warm a frozen water pipe, depends on the material from which it is made, and the location of the frozen section of the conduit: outside in the open air, in a cold room or buried in the soil.
Defrosting the outer pipes
Poorly insulated plumbing located in unheated room or outside the house, in severe cold freezes faster than in the ground. There are two most simple and accessible method of thawing water:
- Hot air;
- Hot water.
Both of these techniques are suitable for thawing frozen plastic or metal plumbing.
Defrost hot water ↑
In a bucket or kettle heats up the water (its quantity depends on the extensiveness of freezing), and poured onto the pipe until then, until the thaw the layer of ice adjacent to its inner surface. Crane at this time must be opened, and, once out of water supplying water to seep between the tube wall and the ice tube, it will flow from a tap and a small stream, and as the thawing pressure will increase.
To increase the efficiency of the operation, the tubing should be wrapped with rags or other absorbent material – it will absorb the liquid, increasing the time of exposure to frozen pipes.
Defrosting with hot air ↑
The essence of the operation is to ensure that the jet of hot air is directed at the frozen pipe section, its surface is heated, and between the ice plug and the wall of the formed water layer. When the faucet starts to pour water, its movement, and further heating will melt the ice. As heat source you can use a heat gun or a heat gun. In the case of metal water pipe allowed to use open flame of a blowtorch or gas burner. But you have to be careful not to make a fire, especially indoors
You can localize the heat around the warmed area, erecting a small tent from plastic film or other airtight material. This is especially effective when the work is carried out outdoors in sub-zero temperatures.
How to warm a frozen plastic water pipe with heating cable view video:
Thawing pipes that are in earth ^ a
Much harder to warm the water under the earth, as for that you first need to dig it up. Using an open fire, most fires, thawed ground above the pipeline of the pipeline and dug a trench. When the pipes are released from the soil, they get warm in the same way as surface – hot air and water.
Welding machine application ↑
There is a way which did not need to dig a trench is to warm the water welding machine. One end of the cable is connected to the outlet pipe in the house, and the second is the valve located in the well. The defrosting time depends on the length of the section, the scored ice. Remember to keep the faucet in the open position, as appeared the flow of water, first as a trickle, will help accelerate the thawing process.
How to prevent freezing
It is easier to prevent the water from freezing in the pipes, than then to eliminate its consequences. To take measures to prevent the misfortune to be still at the stage of laying of water supply.
What can be done to the pipes didn’t freeze:
- Bury pipe in the ground below the level of soil freezing;
- Before you cover the trench with a water pipe is laid, cover it with insulation, it is possible to use polypropylene cylinder;
- On top of the insulation put the insulation (thick plastic film). It will protect the insulation from moisture, and it will last longer;
- Special care to insulate the exterior of the pipe and at the exit of the earth;
- In non-residential premises, through which runs water conduit (veranda, terrace) to maintain a positive air temperature;
- In extreme cold faucet to open up, to create water DC water.
The use of the heating cable ↑
You can use an effective innovation, and during Assembly the tubes need to be mounted in areas that will be most exposed to negative temperatures, otogrevshis cable for water pipe. It is inserted inside the pipe and while risk of frost is connecting to the network.
But if we are talking about already existing water supply, you can use the cable in another way, it is wound directly on the tube. Carefully obkruchivajutsja wire, the junction of the flanges and valves. The comparative result from the use of the heating cable can be seen in the photo to the right: tubes without wires iced over, at a time when the area protected by cable, not frozen.
Prepare heater cable for installation in the water is a crucial moment, as it needs to be securely insulated to no moisture on the wire. How to do it correctly, look at the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv_xLbonLWk
