How To Thaw Pipes In Attic

Frozen pipes can crack or burst because as water freezes it expands.

How to thaw pipes in attic.

If the pipe hasn t ruptured or broken thawing the frozen pipe is relatively easy. Adding additional attic insulation can improve your home s energy efficiency and help prevent other winter problems like condensation. How to thaw frozen pipes. You can thaw frozen pipes using the various methods and plumbing tools described below.

How to thaw frozen pipes. If the frozen pipe is located in an area you can easily access you have several options for attempting to thaw the pipe. Thawing frozen pipes with a hair dryer. Before anything else turn off the water supply to the frozen pipe.

If you need to unfreeze water pipes leave your faucets open slightly to help thaw out the pipes. If the frozen pipe did crack once the ice plug thaws out you could be faced with a torrent of water gushing from the pipe. Wrapping freezing pipes with thermostatically controlled heat tape from 50 to 200 depending on length is also an effective way to quickly thaw a trouble spot. Once you have located the frozen pipe you are ready to start thawing the pipe.

Here s why it won t get hot enough to create steam in the pipe. An easy and safe way to thaw a pipe yourself is to use a high power hairdryer. You should continue to apply the heat until the water escaping from the faucet returns to full strength. It s the thawing pipes that leak and spew water after a hard freeze use a space heater heat lamp or hair dryer to thaw the frozen length of pipe.

In this video house flipping brothers dave and rich show you how to thaw frozen pipes. For exposed pipes like those in attics or crawl spaces inexpensive foam pipe insulation is usually sufficient. Frozen pipes in crawl space or attic. If you find a leak close the main shut off valve to your house and call a plumber immediately.

D uring cold weather pipes in your walls attic or under your floor can freeze. The tool i like to use for thawing pipe is a simple hair dryer. If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out suspect a frozen pipe. How to thaw frozen water pipes.

Likely places for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation. Keep the faucet open. Fixing frozen pipes in the attic or crawl space is more complicated. First thing let s talk about how to do this job safely.

Ways to thaw a frozen pipe. Where does the wate. Otherwise you can thaw out the pipe by wrapping the pipe in a single layer of thermal tape or blowing air from a hair dryer back and forth across the pipe. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt water will begin to flow.

Here are four options for thawing an exposed pipe. You can supplement this with blown in insulation or rolled insulation throughout your attic.