Frozen or Burst Pipes

[Toots]

Anyone else have problems with their pipes due to this cold snap? This morning I started a load of laundry and when it got to the rinse cycle, the water didn't go down the drain pipe, the water squirted out and went everywhere. All over my laundry room floor, pantry, kitchen and water leaked into the basement. Luckily, I was able to get the water turned off real quick. We think the drain pipe is frozen, so we've got a heater on in the laundry room.

I've spend a good chunk of this morning cleaning up water - not how I wanted to spend my day off.

A co-worker of my husband had his pipes bust last night - I think it got to -6 overnight here but it never occurred to me that maybe I shouldn't be doing laundry. Our laundry room is on an outside wall. Now I know to be more cautious.

Cold weather sucks.

 

[Katie H]

So far, no problems with water pipes. However, I've been leaving water run a small drip/stream to keep it flowing.

 

[Andy M.]

We've been OK so far. It helps if you leave the cabinet doors open under the kitchen and bathroom sinks so the pipes that serve those sinks are kept a little warmer.

 

[AMSeccia]

I'm sorry for all your trouble on your day off ... bummer! We were 20 below this morning and a coworker had a pipe split in half -- she said water was shooting out. I feel terrible for her, as they were just finishing off their basement and now have to pull the drywall.

I hope your problem is short lived!

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Oh this is awful! I have only had it happen once and it was an outside pipe so no mess to clean up. I don't envy you, Toots! I hope the pipe was frozen and not burst. Paying the plumber can give you a heart attack!

 

[Toots]

I think I've got my pipe defrosted in the laundry room finally. I've done two loads so far today and everything is draining properly. Never in my life have I been so glad to **just** be able to do laundry.

 

[homecook]

We haven't had any problems here so far. I've got my mom's condo for sale and I keep going over to check the water pressure. I've had the furnace turned real low and so scared about the pipes bursting. So far so good. I also turned up the furnace.
PieSusan was saying she was having problems with her pipes. Her water wasn't running out of the faucets. I hope she gets things fixed.
Glad things are working out for you Toots. It's just a pain to have to clean up.

Barb

 

[JMediger]

I'm glad it's resolved Toots!

When we finished our basement several years ago, we hung dry wall with the water lines running behind the new wall. It's a west facing exposure so the first real cold snap (I think it was 7 or 8 below with a 25 below wind chill), they froze solid. My husband cut chunks out of the drywall, pulled the insulation and we spent the day with the hair dryer - not fun but we didn't have any bursting either!

 

[SierraCook]

I am sorry that you had to deal with that. I understand how you feel. In December, we had a cold snap and it was -12 overnight and the shower pipes froze. Those pipes are on an outside wall and north facing. I had to spend 5 hrs. thawing them out. I am glad that they did not break.

 

[PieSusan]

I had left water dripping but now my kitchen sink will not flow. I have a call into a plumber. I hope that it doesn't become serious.

 

[suziquzie]

I thought for sure we'd have the same problem at -30 last week but luckliy no! Most of our pipes are on outside walls also....

 

[Fisher's Mom]

I had left water dripping but now my kitchen sink will not flow. I have a call into a plumber. I hope that it doesn't become serious.

I hope it's a relatively simple issue for the plumber to fix, Susan. I can't imagine you not being able to use your kitchen! Hopefully, it won't be long.

 

[PieSusan]

^ Yes burst main pipe, main water turned off by contractor tonight, and will have son look on Monday and fix it on Tuesday. Needs a new pressure regulator, too.

 

[quicksilver]

When I lived in NY state, I think it was the winter of '95-'96, we had a terrible winter. I lived in the valley on the east side of the Shawangunk Mountain. We had weather in the teens and wind chills in the minuses. I bought an electric radiator for the kitchen under the sink and a ceramic heater for the bathroom vanity. They worked great. Both had thermostats, so I didn't have to worry about them getting too hot running all night. Plus I left the faucets to drip through the night.
Then we had so much snow-about 9' drifts on the west side of the house, 5" on the west side, it made for excellent insulation.
But it was dark and clostrophobic during the day.

 

[quicksilver]

^ Yes burst main pipe, main water turned off by contractor tonight, and will have son look on Monday and fix it on Tuesday. Needs a new pressure regulator, too.

So sorry to here of your troubles. Keep warm.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

^ Yes burst main pipe, main water turned off by contractor tonight, and will have son look on Monday and fix it on Tuesday. Needs a new pressure regulator, too.

Uh oh, that sounds really expensive, besides being really inconvenient. (Does having the main water turned off mean no flushing toilets or showers, either?)

 

[Katie H]

Uh oh, that sounds really expensive, besides being really inconvenient. (Does having the main water turned off mean no flushing toilets or showers, either?)

Probably no water to the house at all. That's what happens here when the "main" is turned off.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Oh man, oh man, that's what I thought. I hate that!!! We've all been there at one time or another and one day seems like an eternity! (But you sure find out who your friends are when you show up with a towel and soap, begging a shower!)

 

[PieSusan]

I have already had two offers to stay with friends or at least take a shower. lol I will be fine.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

I have already had two offers to stay with friends or at least take a shower. lol I will be fine.

I'm so glad Susan. And really, this is awful and I hate that it's happened to you. Hang in there, girlfriend!