Sunday, January 17, 2016

The Suns HEAT; cause new Threat to already Frozen Water Pipes

  • The Suns heat, causes new Threat to already Frozen Water Pipes.

As the sun outside heats up, so do temperatures heat up around your frozen water pipes (/ beginning a natural thawing process, with the suns heat.
Not OK if the pipe is split, separated at joint, or has pin hole in pipe due to frozen pipe.

  • The rise in temperature, cause a thawing process of frozen water pipes.

Including the Natural thawing process of your frozen water pipes.
Frozen water pipes hot or cold begin to thaw naturally as temperatures rise.
When the temperature rises above 32 degrees Fahrenheit during the day.
The process begins without you having knowledge of it.

  • What can happen as home temp rises: FREE FLOWING WATER.

FREE FLOWING WATER can occurs as pipes warm up,

Water pipes begin to thaw as air temp rises; the same as water pipes freeze.
when exposed to freezing temperatures.

  • The problem NOW is: what damage occurs when water begins to flows

WATER FLOWS THROUGH HAIR LINE CRACKS as pipes thaw.
Cracks can occur in both COPPER and PLASTIC pipes.
When the JET STREAM drops down its BRINGS COLDER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES.
As pipes begin to freeze it fills with a jell like substance first.
The jell is ice freezing in your copper and plastic pipes.
At this stage water normally won't flow from a standard homes faucet.
Once a pipe freezes to a solid substance or tube of Ice in the copper or plastic pipe


  • The Ice inside the pipe usually; splits, cracks or separates pipes when frozen.
Yes, even seams soldered or glued together at: couplings, T's, elbows or other location on pipe.
Ice freezing solid can split any copper or plastic pipe stretching it till it breaks.

Note:
Water may not flow during this freezing and stretching process.
Because a dam of ICE... KEEPS the water from flowing.
  • The best I can describe the sound of free flowing water?
It sounds like a washer machine emptying after the wash cycle.
Except the water keeps flowing and flowing!
The longer it flows the bigger the mess!
The Higher" THE WATER BILL..
The HIGHER("YOUR Electric Bill.

  • Lets assume the worst and your pipes have been frozen for a week or longer.

Let me explain: how a call with a customer went, she had free flowing water.
After her washer was unusable for about a 2 weeks.
At the time our area faced seriously cold weather winter of  2014 - 2015.
Temps didn't go above 32 during the day or night for over 2 weeks.
Then the Suns temperatures reached 50 degrees during the day.

  • Now a call from a lady with thawing pipes due to rising temperatures. 

The lady ask me if it was normal to hear
the sound of water flowing under her attached laundry room?
Before I could answer, She proceeded to tell me the room was added on several years ago.
So I answered her with NO it is not normal to hear water flowing under her attached laundry room.

  • I proceeded to ask!

Question #1:
Is any water flowing into the basement in your home?
No! She said! Water is running outside under the laundry room.
Note: NEVER allow anyone to walk through standing water.

Question #2:
Can you turn off the water at the main shut off in your basement?
No, She said; I don't know where the shutoff is she replied.

Question #3:
Can a neighbor turn off the water for you; in your basement.
Everyone is working, so No! She replied.

At that point I Had a service call to go to; Priority call
Because water is flowing,
The longer water runs other conditions can occur.


  • Conditions your pipes can freeze!

EXAMPLES only
and may not apply to your situation.

Dead battery's in basement thermostatic,
Basement thermostatic set to low,
Thermostat set to summer settings, COOLING",
Heat tape not plugged into electrical outlet,
Heat tape defective,
Heat tape not properly insulated,
Circuit breaker controlling heat tape tripped,
Tripped breaker controlling basement heat,
Tripped breaker controlling baseboard heat,
Tripped breaker controlling circulatory pump,
Tripped breaker controlling portable heater,
Tripped breaker controlling basement heat pump,
Close any open basement windows.

  • Not blocking cold air drafts-
Lack of fiberglass Insulation,
Lack of spray foam insulation,
Broken Dryer vents and hoses,
Board up and repair any broken windows.

When power turns on; "Eden Pure Heaters" Stays OFF!
Never use as Homes main heat source.without a backup!
because when power comes on; the heater won't restart...