Marklambert61
ArboristSite Operative
Frozen pipe
Is the pipe thats froze in the attic Pex or Copper?
Mark
Is the pipe thats froze in the attic Pex or Copper?
Mark
Get a coupling, cut the son of a gun at a high point. Then you can see what you have,..
Worse part is the incoming weather is going to be colder than a well diggers arse.
Rookie1;1320976} Anyway plumbing company came out with big pipeline welder and connected leads to both ends of pipe and trurned it on. Electric current heated pipes up and thawed them out. No damage to anything. If your pipes are copper or steel and have a welder try it.:clap:[/QUOTE said:I did that once. It was pretty cool. I doubted the advise at first but after seeing it I was impressed.
PS.. clamp the leads on FIRST,, then turn the welder on.
low setting will get the job done!
I did that once. It was pretty cool. I doubted the advise at first but after seeing it I was impressed.
PS.. clamp the leads on FIRST,, then turn the welder on.
low setting will get the job done!
Still out of commission. Plumber coming tomorrow morning - a neighbor suggested getting at the line, then dropping/forcing heated fish tape down the line. We'll see what the plumber says.
To beerman6 - yes you are right it's pay now or later, but if I wait til spring thaw my only cost becomes the air bleed, which is going to have to happen anyway since I'm going to flush the system, add antifreeze, and do some other changes.
To marklambert 61 - I really do not believe the freeze is in the attic (and the lines are 1" PEX). Everything that is sitting below the blown-in insulation seems to be staying plenty warm and the parts of the lines that are exposed now have heat tape on them. I think the freeze is in the outside vertical insulated line that runs up the outside of the house. But I'm done guessing as to what "might" be the spot. The most frustrating part is that the CB install guide calls for a bleed valve at the high point of the line, plus a hose bibb for flushing the system at the low point. Hmmm, seems the installers sort of forgot to include those parts.....
Thanks for the suggestions thus far - it's good to know that at the very least I'm not the first nor the last to have the very same issues! Misery loves company, eh? One other thing that I've realized in messing with this boiler this season is that the old CB access panel design is for the darned birds. Every time I want to get at the pumps I have to remove sheet metal screws, slide the big cover off, and remove two pieces of batt insulation, then find a spot out of the wind to set it all during work. Then of course repeat the process in reverse.... The newer models have the access door that just unlocks and swings out on a hinge. Must be nice!
Don't know if this will help or not, years ago we had a 3/4 plastic line to a spring froze [buried 4 ft.] I made up a steam pot from an old pressure cooker. I put 1/4" hose on where the blow off valve used to be, sat it on a propane burner, and fed 90 ft of 1/4" line into the 3/4" one. It took some time, but it thawed the line. The steam coming out the end of the 1/4" hose did a good job on the ice. The next summer, we reburied the line 6 ft.
you sure the h/xchanger itself is not froze up ? i did'nt see anything mentioned about that..
A couple of years back my water line froze where it comes into the house. I took a bucket of hot (tap) water, and used a pond pump to pump the water through clear plastic tubing. I just pushed the tubing until it wouldn't go any further, turned on the pump, and it was amazing how fast the water thawed. (word of caution to anyone wanting to use this method on a water line, TURN OFF WATER AT THE STREET BEFORE YOU START! )
It worked for me. I called a plumber, and he said that he would have to dig up the line and get some heat on it. I was sitting at work that night wondering what I was going to do, and had this idea. I literally had water in 20 minutes after taking the fitting apart. I don't see why this wouldn't work with a longer run as well, you'd just need some long tubing. The only problem I foresee is if there are sharp bends in your line.
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