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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Frozen Pipes..........again
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Nobadays
Member
# Posted: 11 Dec 2021 04:36pm
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Had an idea that worked, sort of. Don't know how I can thaw the PEX so ran a hose between the pump house and where the water enters the cabin. We will have to take it up every evening but at least we have running water again. Might hit 40F the next couple of days so fingers crossed the main line thaws out.

Should have done as someone on here recommended.... run the PEX in conduit wit a heat tape fastened to it for just this eventuality. Unfortunately when that was suggested the pipe was already buried...

Nobadays
Member
# Posted: 13 Dec 2021 09:52pm
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40+ degrees yesterday. Sunshine on the area... insulated box coming up from under ground... for several hours. Hooked the water back up and tapped lightly on the elbow attached to the PEX. Pretty quickly water started flowing! Noticed cracks where the 2x6 insulated box was fastened together so siliconed all the joints. The morning it froze up not only was it -6 but the wind was blowing so guessing the air infiltrating the box is what froze the pipe.

Going to add a layer of insulation over the box tomorrow. Would have done it today but our 17 year old water heater chose yesterday to quit.... oh and our satellite internet power supply burned out yesterday as well! When it rains it pours!

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 14 Dec 2021 09:33am
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It dosnt take much of a crack to freeze a pipe. Had one in my house freeze near the only section of rim board I didnt insulate, it was also where the kitchen sink water pipes where.

Aklogcabin
Member
# Posted: 14 Dec 2021 09:55am
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I believe you would be ok.

Nobadays
Member
# Posted: 14 Dec 2021 03:29pm
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Got a new power supply so the internet is back up. My wife put another short heat tape on an area of pipe in the pump house that we have hade trouble with. She also re-wrapped the pipes and put another layer of insulation around the box where the line froze coming into the cabin. While she was at that with the help of a couple friends we got the old water heater out and the new one in place. I finished hooking it up and fired it up... hot water again!

A nasty storm is headed our way. Looks like maybe another 8-10" of snow and high winds, perhaps gusts to 70 - 80 mph! Then clearing off Wednesday night and temps into the single digits. Winter in the Rockies!

zorro
Member
# Posted: 14 Dec 2021 03:32pm
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Thanks again

What I found odd with my recent freeze was that my Pex pipes survived ok, but a brass stop valve cracked.........and yet is was sure i had left it open

I guess the pex has a little give/take in the plastic, but not so much the brass stop valve!

I think come the spring I will run some of the low wattage heat tpae on the pipes and cover with some pipe insulation

It will not allow me to run it in the depths of winter, but maybe give me a little extra help in the "mid/milder winter"

Sitting typing this today in Sarasota Florida - temps all week have been around 82-86 degrees........a little different to camp life!!

FishHog
Member
# Posted: 14 Dec 2021 03:33pm
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glad your back up and running, and don't have to bail out for home. Enjoy your winter, even the cold windy snowy days.

Nobadays
Member
# Posted: 14 Dec 2021 05:17pm
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Thanks FishHog! Boy we are hoping to! We were just talking, wishing really, that nothing else will quit or cause headaches the rest of the winter. We will likely go back to AZ around the 1st of February but love December and January up here!

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