frozen water pipes

[bookwormom]

it seems everytime it gets a little cold our waterpipes freeze someplace. Now we never had a well before. we insulated everything in the wellhouse and husband put in a light for some warmth. that does not seem to be the troublespot. does anybody know anything about wellhouses and the like? we had somebody else hook up the water and dig a ditch with a ditchwitch, as the wellhouse is about 200 feet from the house, all uphill. I am wondering if the weekspot is right outside the wellhouse, where the pipe goes in the ground? with animals and the forecast for the next few days for even colder weather this is a bummer. I raked my brain and can not figure out the weakspot where it freezes. Maybe there is something we do not know concerning wells.

[CarolAnn]

Anywhere the pipe is exposed to cold weather is going to be a trouble spot. If your pipes break, you'll find out soon enough where those spots are!

Do you keep a bulb burning in the well house? It doesn't need to be a heat lamp, only a 40-60 watt bulb will do in most places.

How cold does it get where you live? How deep does the frost go?

If you're not sure about where the pipes go into the ground, you can pile leaves or hay there.

Another thing to do is to keep the cupboard doors open under the sinks, if they're on an outside wall, to let in the household heat if it's freezing there.

I had a frost-free outside faucet in my house in Arkansas, but one winter that froze! What a mess! The water was turned off because I had moved north to go to college, but when I turned the water on, I found that leak fast! Now I've removed that outside spigot completely, because I didn't want it to happen ever again.

Your pipes need to be buried lower than the frost level, and if you get an exceptionally cold winter, the frost can go even deeper than normal - so some sort of insulation is needed.

I buried my well pipes in a bed of sawdust and that worked well for years, until the sawdust deteriorated. (Now I have city water there, and it's buried very deep, so there's no threat of frost.)

Now there's also a type of pipes that can freeze because they stretch. I think they're called TEC. But you still wouldn't have water while the pipes are frozen!

If you live in a trailer, the copper pipes often freeze, and people think there's nothing wrong with them because they're not split - but no fittings will work any longer. The pipe looks fine, but the diameter is no longer standard because it stretched!

[bookwormom]

thanks Carol Ann

the water enters the house at least three feet below grade. I figure it can't be there. we have a light in the wellhouse, plus insulation around everything exposed where I thought it could freeze, (before it froze). it was only 18 degrees the last couple of days. this is central Ky where winters are not harsh. I wish I had watched when the lines were put in so I would know where they are exposed the most.( But I feel at times embarassed since I am a woman when men are doing it. so I am the one suffering the consequences afterwards). I thought maybe there is a traditional weakspot where the pipe leaves the well house?. OUr pipes should be buried as deep as anybody elses. I have not heard anyone else having their pipes frozen. this is the second time this winter and once last winter. I just do not know where to start looking. Hence my call for help. we have one of those outdoor spickets too and the plumber said it won't freeze.

[MYellowRose]

Bookworm when I was younger and we lived in CO and southern MN my parents always left the faucets drip when it was going to freeze. This is something I do now, even though I live in south TX, because I live in a mobile home and it's up off the ground. The pipes aren't insulated and I'm not physically able to go under the trailer to do it myself. The owner refuses to have it done, I guess he'd rather spend the money replacing the pipes if they break. I'm waiting on the fix-it man right now as the cold water in my tub doesn't shut off. I have to do it outside with the shut-off valve. Haven't the foggiest notion when he'll show up as the park manager has been waiting more than a week for him to fix something for her. Eventually I'll move but right now I can't afford it.

[frostbite]

The bulb is not producing enough heat....try a single burner Buddy Heater attached to a 20 lb propane tank, and insulate the pressure tank with a water heater blanket/jacket

http://image.basspro.com/images/images2/56500/56826.jpg

[Matthew]

Sometimes fittings that are on an outside interior wall will freeze. Maybe run the water a bit at these locations when it is very cold, or put some heat tape on those pipes if they are accessible.

[bookwormom]

thanks, I put a bale of straw in front of the wellhouse yesterday, where the pipe would have to come out and be put underground. I also put some hay right inside the door on the ground. so far this morning we still have water. the sun was shining yesterday afternoon and the wellhouse is southern exposure, the water came back on late afternoon. so I figured the trouble has to be right there in front. Hope nobody is high and dry.