Plumbing-Basic
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Uninsulated pipes
exposed to freezing temperatures are likely to become blocked with ice. This
commonly occurs in cold uninsulated lofts. Garden taps are also prone to
freezing. You may not be aware of the problem until the water refuses to flow
when you turn on a tap.
Old plumbing, especially the
rising main, is invariably made from lead which, being a soft metal, has a
tendency to split as the water freezes - call in a qualified plumber to deal
with permanent repairs to lead pipework.
Water can freeze in pipes that pass through a cold
location. Water expands when it freezes. Unless the pipe through which it runs
also expands, it will burst. Insulation gives a pipe some protection at low
temperatures but may not prevent freezing. To keep a pipe from freezing, wrap
electrical heating cable around it one turn every 2 feet then cover the pipe
with insulation to conserve the heat. Plug in the cable when the temperatures
drops below freezing. The same cable device can be used to thaw a pipe.
Step: 1 Trace
the location of the blockage by following the run of frozen
pipework.
Step: 2 Because
copper is a good conductor of heat, you can usually thaw a pipe, using an
electric hair dryer. Warm the pipe gradually, working back from the affected
tap or valve. Treat old lead pipe in the same way, but warm the whole pipe
evenly. If you cannot use a hairdryer, wrap the frozen pipe in hot
towels.
There are other effective thawing methods. One of
the best is pouring boiling water over rags wrapped around the frozen pipe.
Heating with a propane torch works quickly, but take care that steam pressure
does not burst the pipe. Do not heat a pipe to a higher temperature than your
hand can stand. Be very careful not to start a fire.
When thawing pipes with a heat lamp, hair dryer,
household iron, or propane torch, always work from an open faucet toward the
frozen area. This will keep steam from being trapped by ice and bursting the
pipe. With the faucet open, you can see when the ice has melted. Do not use
un-grounded electrical appliances outdoors, or near grounded water pipes.
Step: 3 Insulate vulnerable plumbing to
prevent it freezing again. You can buy lagging bandage to wrap around the
pipework, but the job is much easier using foamed plastic tubes split
lengthwise to fit over standard size pipes.
When insulating long straight runs, butt the ends of the tubes
together and bind them with self-adhesive PVC tape. Cut a tube with a sharp
knife to fill any gaps.
• At a bend,
cut a series of wedges from the split edge to allow the tube to be formed
around the curve. Use tape to bind and seal the tube in
place.
• At a right angle elbow joint, mitre the ends of two
adjoining foam tubes.
• When two pipes meet at a tee-junction, cut
a wedge from the side of the straight tube to receive the tapered end of the
tube joining it.
|
Butt tubes together/remove
wedges on a bend/tee joint
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