Articles - Drafts Freeze Pipes - HomePro Systems, Inc.

		HomePro Systems, Inc.

HomePro
Systems, Inc.
2841 Hartland Rd
Suite 201
Falls Church, VA 22043
(703) 560-4663
(800) HOMEPRO (800) 966-4555

Home Pro Inspection
Systems Inc.
969 Eldon Road
Oakwood, Ontario
K0M-2M0
800-832-0519

Drafts Freeze Pipes:

Frozen pipes are a bane to homeowners and a boon to repair plumbers whenever bitter cold weather cold weather with high winds occur.
With milder winter weather pipes in still air rarely freeze while those in drafts are much more vulnerable. Prevent drafts over your pipes and you can breath easier during winter weather.

Pipes freeze due to relatively large "convective" or air current energy losses rather than the relatively small "radiant" or energy wave losses. Pipes located within Northern exposure walls tend to be more vulnerable since there is usually more wind.
A very practical do-it-yourself all-purpose protective material for weatherizing piping is 3 1/2 inch foil-faced fiberglass blanket insulation. Buy a roll of this for about $15 to 20 dollars along with some duct tape to protect vulnerable pipes in your home. Here are some particulars of the measures to take before freezing weather strikes.

Make sure your outside water faucets are drained. Turn the faucet on. If water flows, you will have to go inside, locate the shutoff valve, and close it. Go back outside and open the faucet again. If the water between the inside valve and the outside faucet does not run out, you will have to go back inside and open the little knurled knob on the inside valve body, to release the vacuum. "Frost-free" faucets do not require draining since their valve stems extend straight back through the wall and close off the water inside the house where it won't freeze. Outside faucets fed through garage spaces often have their shutoff drain valves located in the garage. This often leaves the supply portion of the pipe inside the garage vulnerable. Have a shutoff drain valve installed inside the heated portion of the house.

Water meters located in shallow pits at curbside often freeze because they are not below the frost line which is approximately 30 inches in Washington. If this happens, all the water to the house will be cut off. Coordinate insulating the meter pit with a reading of the meter by the water company since they have a special wrench to remove the cover. Wrap the meter and stuff the pit with the 3 1/2 inch foil faced fiberglass with the foil to the outside.

Inspect the supply pipes in crawl spaces and basements, looking specifically for pipes located where drafts can flow over them. Supply pipes that run along the top of foundation walls are likely to freeze due to drafts that seep under the sill plate (the wood piece bolted to the foundation and supporting the floor joists.) To protect them, stuff fiberglass insulation behind the pipes and between the sill plate and foundation or tape over any gaps with duct tape. Pipes passing close by poorly fitted basement windows are equally vulnerable, so tape around the window sash edges or staple plastic over the frame.

Wrap vulnerable pipes with insulation. Cut the 3 1/2 inch thick rolls into four inch wide strips and lay the strips along the pipes with the foil to the outside. Fold the strips around the pipe, overlap the edges, and tape securely with duct tape. Studies show this method to be as effective as any commercially available pipe wrap and far cheaper and easier to use.

Next, check along the upper perimeter of the foundation walls and look for pipes that run up exterior walls; these tend to be drafty areas and are particularly vulnerable if the wall is uninsulated or faces North. Shove insulation behind these pipes if you can. Double check additions which have plumbing pipes run under them and carefully look for piping in the vicinity of any new vents added to dry out a damp crawl space.

Recently insulated crawl space flooring can allow pipes to freeze by cutting off heat from the living space above that previously protected them. Play safe by insulating all crawl space supply pipes. For extra measure, wrap up drain line traps as well. Slow draining fixtures should have their drain lines wrapped since they are much more vulnerable to freezeups in the winter.

Open the cabinet doors beneath the kitchen sink and see if the hot and cold supply pipes come through the wall or floor. Pipes coming through outside walls are more vulnerable and should be considered for added protection. You can provide a small measure of protection by allowing the taps to drip overnight and by leaving the cabinet doors open so the kitchen heat can reach the wall. A thorough job will require breaking into the wall and wrapping the pipes. Check laundry tubs and washing machines located on exterior walls to be sure there is some heat available.

Baths above unheated garages tend to be more vulnerable particularly if they are located close above drafty doors garage doors. Weatherstrip the garage door and have a contractor blow in insulation into the floor cavity. Baths built within projections that extend beyond the foundation or lower wall, such as in a bay or dormer, often have vulnerable pipes in the floor. Open the floor, wrap the pipes individually, and insulate the flooring with six inch foil faced blanket insulation.

Baths that back up to each other beneath attics often have a wide cavity wall, called a chase, between them which houses the servicing pipes. It is common for insulation above this to have fallen into the cavity, leaving the pipes vulnerable to a freeze from cold drafts falling down from above. Seal off the top of the chase with air barrier material and cover with blankets of fiberglass insulation or with regular attic insulation.
Cape Cod houses with an added second floor bath often have supply pipes left unprotected in the sidewalls behind the short wall that joins the floor to the sloping ceiling. Get behind these "knee" walls and wrap the pipes.

This is relatively simple preventive work and is wisely done in preparation for cold and windy weather.

-Table of Contents-