One tip they didn't mention regarding the frost free faucet. Make sure you remove the hose from it in the winter. The water will not gravity drain out of the faucet properly with the hose attached and you'll end up having the pipe section between the valve handle and washer cracking and splitting open inside the wall. Seen it happen many times.
Four years ago could use that one two months ago... I've noticed with the new faucet we put in that it has a backwash preventer suction breaker and it's a little bit better about breaking the seal in draining. although I would recommend a separate one too.
It's Christmas Eve and the Eastern half of the country is in a deep freeze, all the way from Vermont, where I live, to Florida in the South. I shared this video with my Facebook friends in hopes it will help. Thanks for some great tips.
I moved into my new north Idaho home last year. It was not really "new" as the building process took nearly 10 years thanks to a lousy contractor but that is another story. I had frozen pipes somewhere between the kitchen and upstairs bathroom. What makes no sense to me is waterlines were run on exterior walls then insulation over them...why? Seems to me it would be much smarter to run insulation then run waterlines. I looked up plumbing codes and nothing was said about this. Plumber that did the install came out to try and thaw the lines...it cost $395.00 for the service call and $400.00 per hour! 3 hours later ($1495.00) I still had frozen water lines which stayed that way for a week even with space heaters running on them 24/7!
insulating pipes will trap any air that can get to it. if it's cold around the pipes, the pipes will be cold. if its warm around the pipes, they will still be cold(because their insulated). the best option is to use heat tape.
I just replaced a burst pex Pipe 3 weeks after a hard freeze in SE Texas, like -2C. It was buried about 10cm deep in spray foam insulation under a mobile home. So, PEX is not my God.
I put faucet covers on, insulated the pipes and put foam blocks in every window in the basement. The foam in the windows has been amazing. This year, I am heating my house with a Vornado on the main floor and the oil-furnace only heats water for shower, laundry and dishwasher. Yesterday, I went down to check the basement temperature and it was a little over 50 in my basement and I have used less than 1/4 tank of oil since the fall and it was 8 degrees F outside.
Well done, saw it on my not local PBS station ( in WV can't get WVPBS , Get MPT lol ). days later I thought I should share it with somebody who was having some issues. Coincidently I thought of that just before walking into the basement to find 2" inches of water, And then Life as we know it ended a month later..... Turns out the frostproof hose spigot had a split just after the valve so is soon as I turned it on to water the chickens...... 15 minutes later I went to the basement.......
imark777777 ... that's because you didn't disconnect the hose. Removing the hose will allow the pipe to empty each time you shut the valve off. Spend a few $$ on a quick disconnect for the hose to make life easier.
Better tip: shut off water to the whole house. Then run all your pipes till the water is gone. Then turn off water heater and run all hot water thru the house. The once the freeze passes you can turn everything back on.
When the temp drops to 38 it comes on until a temp of 45 is reached. That way it isn't always on. Always on, the electric meter spins. With the thermostat, Reddy Kilowatt works less, and is paid less wages to keep the pipe from freezing.
One tip they didn't mention regarding the frost free faucet. Make sure you remove the hose from it in the winter. The water will not gravity drain out of the faucet properly with the hose attached and you'll end up having the pipe section between the valve handle and washer cracking and splitting open inside the wall. Seen it happen many times.
Yes that very thing happened to me. Thankfully it doesn't leak unless you open the valve.
Four years ago could use that one two months ago... I've noticed with the new faucet we put in that it has a backwash preventer suction breaker and it's a little bit better about breaking the seal in draining. although I would recommend a separate one too.
It's Christmas Eve and the Eastern half of the country is in a deep freeze, all the way from Vermont, where I live, to Florida in the South. I shared this video with my Facebook friends in hopes it will help. Thanks for some great tips.
I moved into my new north Idaho home last year. It was not really "new" as the building process took nearly 10 years thanks to a lousy contractor but that is another story. I had frozen pipes somewhere between the kitchen and upstairs bathroom. What makes no sense to me is waterlines were run on exterior walls then insulation over them...why? Seems to me it would be much smarter to run insulation then run waterlines. I looked up plumbing codes and nothing was said about this. Plumber that did the install came out to try and thaw the lines...it cost $395.00 for the service call and $400.00 per hour! 3 hours later ($1495.00) I still had frozen water lines which stayed that way for a week even with space heaters running on them 24/7!
Good tips. We've had to leave our kitchen faucet dripping sometimes because the pipes are in an outside wall that's over a 2' overhang.
insulating pipes will trap any air that can get to it. if it's cold around the pipes, the pipes will be cold. if its warm around the pipes, they will still be cold(because their insulated). the best option is to use heat tape.
in our mountain cabin we switched out all the copper pipes in the crawl space with PEX. no issues since.
PEX has its own share of problems though.
I just replaced a burst pex Pipe 3 weeks after a hard freeze in SE Texas, like -2C. It was buried about 10cm deep in spray foam insulation under a mobile home. So, PEX is not my God.
Good advice but he did not explain how leaving a faucet driping can cause scale to form on the faucet washer and may shorten the life.
I put faucet covers on, insulated the pipes and put foam blocks in every window in the basement. The foam in the windows has been amazing. This year, I am heating my house with a Vornado on the main floor and the oil-furnace only heats water for shower, laundry and dishwasher. Yesterday, I went down to check the basement temperature and it was a little over 50 in my basement and I have used less than 1/4 tank of oil since the fall and it was 8 degrees F outside.
Foam in your window? A foam sheet what kind?
@@lauratempestini5719 Mine were from Home Depot. You can even choose your R-Value for insulation.
From what I read online frozen pipes could be caused from not having the pipes insulated
Thanks
We put faucet covers on our garden hose faucets every winter
Great. Short to the point.love it
Insulation is the best to prevent it
Well done, saw it on my not local PBS station ( in WV can't get WVPBS , Get MPT lol ). days later I thought I should share it with somebody who was having some issues. Coincidently I thought of that just before walking into the basement to find 2" inches of water, And then Life as we know it ended a month later..... Turns out the frostproof hose spigot had a split just after the valve so is soon as I turned it on to water the chickens...... 15 minutes later I went to the basement.......
imark777777 ... that's because you didn't disconnect the hose. Removing the hose will allow the pipe to empty each time you shut the valve off. Spend a few $$ on a quick disconnect for the hose to make life easier.
Better tip: shut off water to the whole house. Then run all your pipes till the water is gone. Then turn off water heater and run all hot water thru the house. The once the freeze passes you can turn everything back on.
Finally, someone who makes sense and can explain simply. I thank you.
Do you let the cold water or hot water to drip? Thanks
Does the knee under the sink need washer to connect to the pipe from the wall
Great advice.... just a few days too late ;-)
Say hi to Norm from me!
Great
please can you help me to fix a leak from delta 1400 series bathtub spout ? thank you .
Love it
Heat tape
That does me no good tonight
I live in Florida. No problems!
1:45 what is he saying??
When the temp drops to 38 it comes on until a temp of 45 is reached. That way it isn't always on. Always on, the electric meter spins. With the thermostat, Reddy Kilowatt works less, and is paid less wages to keep the pipe from freezing.
I hate it when people screm ta me.
Useless video. He talks way too fast and gives very little helpful information. Disappointed in This Old House with this video.