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rdhrunner

Frozen pipes ~ possible outside line?

rdhrunner
10 years ago

I am posting this to help my friend. We live in NE Indiana where the temps are hovering around 0 +/- ... it is bitter cold. On Fri. my friend did not have water in her house. She opened cabinets, and put a space heater in the kitchen and baths on the pipes. Still no water. Called a plumber who placed something in her outside pipe that was supposed to help it defrost. It ran overnight ... still no water. Yesterday she called the city utility to check the line from the street ... which they did and they said it was open. Today, still no water! Does anyone have any suggestions or advice? Her house is on a slab. She has never had this problem before.

Comments (2)

  • klem1
    10 years ago

    If you look at the slab before walls are covered on a new home you can see what I'm talking about. Water lines do not branch beneath a slab. Where water comes to a facuet,the line loops and go's back under slab then runs to next facuet and does the same. The closest facuet on an outside wall (indoor or outdoor facuet) to the point where water comes to the house from meter is where its froze. Once that facuet is located,it needs to be on as long as somone can monitor it. That area is where heating efforts should be concentrated. Other than having them turned on,don't worry with facuets on inside walls. What did the plumber put "in her outside pipe"?

  • rdhrunner
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    The plumber used a "pipe thawer" It goes down into where the main pipe enters the house. It looks like a rod and has a handle on the top ... that goes down to where that junction is ... and then that is plugged into the wall in the garage by the water meter. There is a clamp like what would be on jumper cables on the rod and then another clamp comes into the house and it is clamped on the meter where the pipe comes in from the outside.
    The city turned the water meter off so there is no water coming into the house right now. The problem appears to be between the main and where it enters the house.
    Water heater is still on.
    Appreciate you input