Low temperatures in winter are the reasons for unpleasant moments associated with the water supply at home. If you approach the laying of water pipes illiterately, then in winter the question is whether the water in a private house has frozen - what to do will be encountered quite often. Moreover, there are always situations associated with road accidents. This is a rupture of the pipe, if it is steel, a rupture of valves. And if this problem in the summer can be dealt with quickly with minimal cost, then in winter everything gets more complicated. Therefore, it is very important to first of all conduct correct installation... And the condition here is only one - to insulate the pipelines or lay it below the freezing level of the soil.

Home water supply froze

How to defrost pipes

It should be noted that the water supply network consists of two sections: external (external), it is most often both underground and internal. As for the latter, the main part of the route is laid inside heated premises, so the question is, the water in a private house is frozen over - what to do is not appropriate here. But partially internal water supply passes through unheated rooms. For example, in the basement and in the attic. It is there that freezing of pipes can occur. How to defrost them?

There are several options. Let's take into account that plastic pipes were laid inside the house.

• You can use hot water for defrosting. To do this, first, the pipe is wrapped with a rag, and only then boiling water is poured onto it. The process can take several hours, everything will depend on the length of the frozen area.
  
  Defrosting hot water
• You can use a hair dryer (construction or household). Highly effective option, but requiring a certain approach to the process itself. The thing is, especially for a building hair dryer, that the air from the device comes out with a sufficiently high temperature that can melt the plastic. Therefore, it is necessary to precisely set the distance from the hair dryer nozzle to the surface of the pipe.
  We use a hairdryer
• You can use a heating cable for defrosting, which is laid in an electric underfloor heating system or a special cable for plumbing systems. They wrap a frozen section of the track with it and plug it into an outlet. This is the most quick option... Usually in this way, you can defrost a fairly long water supply in 2-3 hours.

Attention! Before defrosting water in a private house, it is recommended to open all shut-off valves on the route completely. Defrost water must move freely through the pipeline and flow out of the taps.

Defrost pipes underground

It is clear that water pipes located in the ground are more difficult to defrost. The easiest of all the options is to excavate the place of their laying, get to the track and apply one of the above methods. But there are several problems with this.

1. Digging the frozen ground is not easy. It will take a lot of time, effort and labor. In any case, the owner of the house cannot do this on his own.
2. There is always the possibility that the plastic pipe could be damaged when digging a trench. And this is an additional problem that will have to be solved immediately.

Therefore, it is better to use alternative options. One of the most effective defrosting methods is using hot water. True, for this you have to prepare. First, you need a supply of water itself, which must be heated. The easiest way to do this, without great expense, is to install a barrel under which to build a fire. Secondly, it is necessary to somehow organize the supply of water inside the water supply system. For this, it is best to install a small electric pump at the inlet. It is even better if hot water is poured into a hose with a smaller diameter than the route, which will need to be pushed into the pipeline.

Defrosting a hot water pipe

That is, the hose is pushed to the ice plug, then hot water is pumped into it. It quickly melts the ice, and the hose must be pushed further as the track thaws. As soon as water flows out of the tap with a high pressure, that's it - the ice plug has melted. It should be noted that this option for defrosting a water supply system is one of the most effective. True, you prepare for it longer than you perform the process itself.

We use electricity

Another option that answers the question of how to heat water in a private house. For this, electricity is used. It is necessary to immediately make a reservation that the use electric current- business is always dangerous. Therefore, apply this option not recommended for defrosting the water supply. But, as an alternative, you need to know it.

For this, an ordinary two-core wire is used, the cores of which must be disconnected and stripped for a length of 20 cm, that is, freed from insulation. The bare wire is twisted to a size of 8-10 cm.

Attention! Do not allow both bare wires to connect to each other. This will lead to a short circuit, so it is imperative to install a jumper between them, preferably a wooden one. Its size should be less than the diameter of the water pipe.

Now the prepared two-core wire is pushed into the pipeline up to the ice plug. After that, it is connected to a 220 volt supply network. The water inside the pipe begins to boil and defrost the ice. In fact, the bifurcated wire serves as heating element... As it defrosts, it will need to be moved inward.

We use steam

And a few more alternative options which use steam. It should be noted that they are rarely used only because steam generating installations are not cheap.

Steam generator

• Using a steam generator. Its hose is introduced into the pipeline where steam is pumped.
• Using an autoclave. This is an installation that works on the basis of boiling water. The process itself is exactly the same as in the case of a steam generator. That is, in water pipe a hose is inserted, connected to the autoclave, through which steam from boiling water enters the inside of the line.
• Using a hydrodynamic machine. it professional equipment, which is based on the process of heating water and supplying it under pressure inside the water supply line.

All three options are very effective. If the water entrance to the house or the entire route is frozen, then they can be used to warm up the pipes in a few minutes.

So, the answer was given to the question, the water in the house froze - what to do? The proposed technologies have a very simple ways, not requiring large expenses, there are quite serious options based on the use of special equipment... If the problem is not very big, then you can get by with small funds. If everything is very difficult, then it is better to call specialists. They will not only solve the problem of defrosting, but also help prevent further troubles.

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Winter frosts are a test that has to withstand not only living beings, but also engineering communications.

In case of violation of the rules for laying pipelines in winter time often they freeze and then the problem will arise in full growth, how to defrost a water pipe?

Reasons for freezing water in pipes

As a rule, the reason for the freezing of water in pipes is an elementary violation of the technology for installing a water supply system. For example, if the pipes were laid without taking into account the depth of soil freezing in the area.

Or the requirement to insulate pipes was ignored. It happens that pipes freeze not only in external networks, but also in a room if there is no heating in it.

How to avoid freezing of pipes?

In order not to require defrosting of water pipes, care should be taken to ensure that the following requirements are met during the installation of the pipeline:

• At underground laying the pipeline should be dug ditches to a depth that exceeds the level of soil freezing in the area.
• It is not necessary to lay the water supply pipeline near reinforced concrete structures... The fact is that the coefficient of thermal conductivity of concrete exceeds that for soil, that is, when pipes are laid in the immediate vicinity of reinforced concrete elements, the probability of water freezing in the pipes increases.
• It is advisable to install pipelines complete with a heating cable.
  This, of course, will lead to a rise in the cost of installation, but it will forever get rid of the problem of freezing.
• In places where the pipeline passes through the wall of the building, glass wool insulation should be used to avoid direct contact of the pipe with the wall.
• In pipes of small diameter, water freezes more often, therefore, for a water supply, it is advisable to use pipes with a diameter of 50 mm or more.
• When laying pipelines in unheated premises and on the streets it is best to use polyethylene pipes. Such pipes tolerate freezing and defrosting well, in contrast to polypropylene pipes, which can become unusable if they freeze once or twice.
• If the water supply or sewerage system is supposed to be used only periodically (for example, in the country), then during the downtime, it is advisable to completely free the system from water so that there is nothing to freeze.

Methods for defrosting metal pipes

There are several ways. They will be described below.

But when choosing any of them, you should adhere to the following general rules:

• When reheating pipes, keep the water tap open to allow defrosted water to escape.
• It is forbidden to make a sharp heating of the frozen section of the pipe, starting from its middle.
• Heating is carried out from the water tap towards the riser. But if it requires to warm the sewer pipes, then you need to move in the opposite direction, that is, from the riser to the water intake point.
• Pipe heating should be started after the location of the frozen section has been assessed. This will help you choose the right defrosting method.

All methods can be divided into two large groups, these are:

• Methods based on external impact on the pipe.
• Methods with internally defrosting.

Consider how to defrost water pipes using external influences.

This will require the use of some kind of heating device, it can be:

• Blowtorch;
• Building hair dryer;
• Electric heating device.

Fire safety precautions should be taken when using a blowtorch indoors.

In particular, a metal screen should be installed behind the pipe to protect the walls.

Using any of the listed devices, one should methodically act on the pipe. The success of the measures taken will be evidenced by the water that will appear from the supply valve.

It should not be forgotten that when water freezes, it expands in volume, so there is a high probability that steel pipes will be damaged after freezing.

After the water is warmed up, you should carefully inspect the pipeline for leaks.

The safest and most effective way to defrost pipes by external exposure is to use a heating electric tape or heating cable.

In this case, you just need to wind the tape on the frozen area and connect it to the network.

To defrost steel pipes, you can also use this method: a welding machine is taken and connected to different ends of the frozen area.

As a result, the pipe heats up. When using a welding machine, the entire process takes 2-4 hours, depending on the length of the frozen section.

How to defrost a plastic pipe?

Recently, steel pipes for a water supply system are used less and less; they have been replaced by plastic pipes. Such pipes do not corrode and do not collapse if water freezes in them.

However, when an ice plug occurs in them, almost all methods external influence you cannot apply to them. Naturally, the use of an open fire to heat the plastic will lead to the destruction of the pipe, and the use of a building hair dryer is often ineffective, since the plastic does not conduct heat well.

It is also completely useless to connect a welding machine to such pipes, since the pipes do not conduct electric current.

The mechanical method of action, that is, the elimination of the ice plug by introducing a steel bar inside, can be effective with a small freezing area, however, its use creates a serious risk of damaging the pipe.

Thus, if it is necessary to defrost plastic pipes, the only way remains is to use hot water poured inside.

Below are several ways to defrost plastic pipes. All of them are quite effective, however, it is advisable to use them only on small-diameter pipelines.

The first defrosting method is to supply hot water to the freezing point.

This is done like this:

• To defrost a plastic pipe, prepare a pipe or hose of high stiffness with a smaller diameter.

To remove the ice block in a pipe with a diameter of 20-30 mm, a pipe or hose with a diameter of 16 mm should be used.

• If the damaged section of the pipeline is straight, then it is more convenient to use a reinforced-plastic pipe. In the event that the frozen pipeline has bends, the use of a hose is required.

Conventional irrigation hoses are not suitable for this operation. The fact is that they soften greatly under the influence of hot water, so pushing them further will be problematic.

For defrosting, use gas or oxygen hoses.

• Reinforced-plastic pipes are sold, as a rule, coiled in coils. Therefore, the pipe should first be unbent, and then begin to advance through the pipeline, pushing the ice plug all the way.
• Now you can pour hot water into the pipe, trying to maintain the highest possible temperature.
• The thawed water will flow out at the point where the pipes are connected, so a collection container should be placed there.
• As the ice melts, the plastic pipe will need to be pushed further and further until the problem is completely eliminated.

This defrosting method is good if an ice block has formed in an area located near the pipe entrance. If the pipe is frozen far from the house and there are turns and bends in the pipeline section, then it will not work to push the pipe inside the pipeline.

• To carry out the work, you will need a hydro level, a coil of steel wire, the diameter of which is 2-4 mm, and an Esmarch mug, that is, a device that is used in medicine to carry out cleansing enemas.
• We take the hydrolevel tube and wrap it with wire, or attach the wire to the tube with tape or electrical tape. This must be done so that the wire does not stick out in different directions, while the tip of the tube should protrude one centimeter.
• Now we connect the second end of the hydraulic level tube to the outlet pipe of the Esmarch mug and start pushing our structure into the pipe.
• Since the hydraulic damper tube has a small diameter and weight, there is no difficulty in pushing through, even if there are turns along the route.
• Push the tube until the tube rests against the ice plug.
• Now pour hot water into Esmarch's mug and open the supply valve.
• As the ice plug decreases, the tube should be pushed further.
• Place a suitable container at the pipe joint to collect the escaping water.

This defrosting method is quite effective, but it takes time. In one hour of work, you can have time to free about 0.8-1.0 m of the pipe from ice.

So there are several enough effective ways helping to solve the problem of how to defrost water pipes. However, they are all laborious, so it is more correct to take the necessary measures, for example, when and to prevent the water from freezing in the pipeline.

In winter, not only ourselves are freezing, but also communications. And if it is enough for a person to drink a cup of hot tea, wrap himself in a blanket and sit around, then with pipes it will be more difficult. If the water or sewage in them is frozen, then you will have to deal with utilities (and we all know that this is not always fast), or else take the initiative into our own hands. Fortunately, the people's ingenuity has come up with a lot of really working and effective ways to unfreeze a water supply and sewerage pipe without waiting for spring.

Why do pipes freeze?

No that's not a rhetorical question... The reason often lies within ourselves. Yes, it is we, knowingly or not, violating the norms, and as a result, in the midst of a fierce winter, we get an unpleasant consequence in the form of an icy water supply system or, even worse, a sewage system.

Pipes freeze for the following reasons:

• insufficient burial depth... Ideally, the pipes should be below the level of soil freezing, and in some regions this level is at a depth of 1.8-2 m, or even deeper. Utilities and private developers sometimes do not adhere to this rule, either due to incorrect calculations, or in attempts to save money;
• ineffective insulation... To prevent pipes from freezing in winter, and those places of pipes that pass through or brick walls need double insulation since these materials are cooled faster than the soil;
• it is better not to place pipes close to brick and concrete structures for the same reason. An exception is entering the house;
• low water consumption... In private unheated houses, water must not be left in pipes; it is better to drain it before winter;
• too small pipe diameter... The smaller the diameter, the faster the liquid freezes. Under the ground, it is not recommended to lay water pipes with a diameter of less than 50 mm;
• even if the pipe laying depth is sufficient, and they are high-quality insulated, with extremely low temperatures not typical for the region, freezing may occur. This is already an emergency.

If it so happened that the pipes are frozen, and you will have to defrost them on your own, then first you have to calculate the place where the water freezes. These can be outdoor areas or underground. Defrosting methods will vary.

# 1. Defrosting the pipe with a hair dryer or blowtorch

If the outside of the pipe that is within reach is frozen, then the task is greatly simplified. It is enough just to expose the frozen area to external heating, and for this you can use:

If the pipe is metal, then you can also use the following heat sources:

The principle is the same in all cases. The frozen area is exposed to heat. If this is a heating pad, then it is applied, if the cable is wrapped around the pipe and connected to the network, if the burner or blowtorch is used, the flame is directed into the pipe zone, but with a hairdryer, everything is clear. You can wrap an old blanket or thick cloth over your heating pad, heating cable, and thermal blanket to keep warm.

It is important to open the tap with water before starting work so that the thawed water can flow out of the pipe calmly. or turn off for this time.

# 2. Defrosting with boiling water and rags

The method is also suitable, if pipes are in the building and are accessible... Of course, you can simply water the pipes with hot water, having previously substituted the containers for collecting water, but it is much more efficient to first wrap the pipes with rags, and only then arrange a "hot shower" for them. The rags will absorb water, heat up and keep the pipes warm. If there are few rags, then it will periodically need to be moved along the pipe section. Do not forget to place a container for collecting water that will not absorb.

No. 3. Defrosting a pipe with a welding machine

If the frozen area is located outside the house, then it will take more time and effort to thaw. The c method is considered one of the most effective, but it has a limitation - it only suitable for metal pipes.

To begin with, you will have to at least approximately determine the location of the formation of the ice plug. Then, on both sides, the water pipe is cleaned of thermal insulation and cleaned to a metallic sheen. Connect to these places electrical cable connected to the secondary winding of the welding transformer.

Now it remains to set the minimum current on the device (about 180 A) and connect it to the network. will begin to heat up along the entire length of the connected section. Defrosting occurs relatively quickly, but the duration of the entire process depends on the length of the pipe. In this case, the tap with water should also be kept open. Experts warn that the method has by-effect- pipes after such treatment begin to rust faster.

It is very important to connect and disconnect the cables to the pipe only when the welding machine is turned off. V otherwise you can get it electric arc which can damage both the pipe and your hands and eyes.

No. 4. Defrosting by supplying hot water through a hose

When the frozen area is in sight, it is enough to pour hot water directly on it. Through simple inferences, we can come to the conclusion that if the congestion is located far from home, then it is necessary to somehow deliver hot water to the place of icing. Just pouring hot water into the pipe is not very effective - you have to get a little confused. This way applicable to, when you can't just take and send current through them, like through metal.

The procedure is as follows:

• remove the shut-off valves;
• prepare a rigid hose or pipe with a diameter smaller than the water supply. For example, for a pipe with a diameter of 25-32 mm, a diameter of 16 mm is suitable. This is if the site is completely straight. If there are turns and bends, then you will have to take a hose that can bend, but at the same time it is quite rigid. You cannot take an ordinary one - it may not withstand exposure to hot water and soften, so it will be more difficult to push it. You can take an oxygen hose or the hose that is usually connected to gas cylinders... True, it can only be extended 10-15 m from the entrance - it is too hard and heavy. Alternatively, a flexible hose with an attached wire can be used;
• we put a prepared hose or a metal-plastic pipe into the pipe until you hit the ice;
• a container can be attached to the outer end of the hose, from which hot water will be supplied. If you attach a faucet to it, it will be much more convenient. However, hot water can also be poured through a funnel, only this is not very convenient;
• instead of a simple hot ox, you can use salt solution- it freezes at a lower temperature, so that work will go faster;
• melt water will flow out through the gap between the pipe or hose. Prepare a container in advance to collect it;
• as the ice plug melts, it will be possible to lower the reinforced-plastic pipe or hose deeper.

When the work is completed, it remains to assemble the pipeline and put the shut-off valves. To prevent re-freezing, ensure a constant flow of water through the pipeline, at least with a slight head. The heating cable can be lowered into a straight pipe.

Hydro-level method

A variation of this method is the use of a building hydraulic level of the required length. Method is good if there are 2-3 bends in the pipe and the distance from the house to the frozen area is 20 m. Wire is tied to the end of the hydro level with electrical tape. And then, and then it is necessary to align a little in advance. There should be no wire sticking out of the end that will plunge into the pipe. It is better to let it be 1 cm shorter than the hydro level.

The hydraulic level is pushed into the pipe until it hits the ice. Hot water (or saline solution) can be served with the help of Esmarch's mug, popularly - an enema. When you hit the ice, you can start the water supply. To put it simply, we give the tube an enema. Melt water we collect in a basin or bucket, as it thaws, we advance the hydro level.

The method is good in that the water level tube is thin enough, so that it passes well into the water pipe, and it easily overcomes turns. The average speed is 1 meter of ice per hour.

No. 5. Defrosting with a wire

The method is suitable for defrosting only plastic pipes plumbing located at a distance from the house. To work, you should purchase:

• two-core wire, the length and thickness depends on the pipe, but people with experience advise taking a thicker and harder wire;
• plug for the socket;
• a compressor and a hose will be needed if there is a sufficient length of the pipeline, or if the ice plug is located far from the place of entry into the house. You can buy a fuel hose, it is inexpensive, and use a pump as a compressor, or use a car compressor.

The main thing, prepare the wire correctly... First, we remove the general insulation in an area of ​​8-10 cm and expose one of the wires. Gently fold it in the opposite direction and make several turns (3-5 is enough) around the part that remains under general isolation(clear from the pictures below). The turns should be tight. Insulation is also removed from the second wire and wound below the turns of the first wire. The distance should be about 2-3 mm - the turns of the first and second wires should not touch. If you use pliers during the creation of the turns, then first wrap the wire with something tight so as not to damage the insulation.

When the first end is ready, it remains to connect the plug from the second end. Here is our working tool, popularly sometimes referred to as a "boerboiler", is ready. You should not take this method if you do not know much about electrics.

This method is based on a simple physical phenomenon. When the current passes through the water, the latter heats up. What you need when you need to defrost pipes! It is important that the wire itself remains cold, only water is heated, i.e. the likelihood of damage to the plastic pipe is minimized.

Use this way defrosting frozen pipes is possible only if all parts (incl. shut-off valves) are made of plastic. A short circuit may occur with steel fittings.

You can check if our defroster is working with a jar of water. It is enough to put one end of the wire there, plug the other into an outlet, and you will see how bubbles begin to appear in the water, all this will be accompanied by a buzz. Do not put your fingers into the water - you can get an electric shock.

Now it remains to lower the wire into the pipe until it hits the ice, but without unnecessary force. We plug it in, gently press the end of the wire to the ice and wait a couple of minutes, after which you can try to lower the wire a little more, as if it would fall into the ice itself. If the frozen area is large enough, it is best to gradually pump out the melted water. You can do without this, but then it will take more time, because you will also have to warm up a sufficient amount of water. There is another threat - the ice that has already melted can begin to freeze while you melt its deeper layers. In general, it is better to use a pump or compressor.

No. 6. How to defrost a sewer pipe?

We note right away, freeze much less often than plumbing and this is a solid cause for joy. The fact is that warm drains are continuously moving along them, but if it suddenly happens that the sewer is frozen, try one of the following methods:

If independent attempts to defrost water supply and sewerage pipes have not been successful, then we can only hope for specialists who use special steam generators. These devices resemble washing machines for a car, only steam is obtained at the outlet, and its temperature and pressure can be adjusted depending on the material of the pipes and the length of the frozen section. This method is very fast and efficient.

How to prevent pipes from freezing?

The answer to this question comes from the very first section of the article describing the reasons. In short, we must try to minimize possible risks, i.e .:

The only thing that cannot be predicted is record low temperatures in the region... If in winter the temperature usually does not drop below -15 0 С, and -25 0 С is considered almost a disaster, then it is quite logical to lay pipes to a depth of 80 cm (for example, Stavropol). It is hard to believe, but still one cannot completely reject the situation when the temperature drops to -35 0 С or even lower. And if earlier it was only necessary to rely on nature, now we have at our disposal a heating cable that will not let the pipes freeze under any conditions, so that for the purpose of reinsurance, you can additionally use it.

Uninsulated pipeline - sewerage, heating system or drinking water- with a high degree of probability, it can freeze together with the contents in winter, that is, in professional language, it can unfreeze. Such a situation - defrosting of heating pipes or other routes - often happens if local climatic realities were not taken into account when laying the route, or the conditions for laying pipes were simply grossly violated.

Causes of freezing pipelines

So, without thermal insulation of any communication pipes, they can defrost in severe frosts. This applies to both underground and surface communications with liquid. There is only one conclusion - you need to insulate the tracks on time. But what if the line is already frozen and the pipeline needs to be defrosted? Life experience provides quite a few do-it-yourself pipe thawing methods, both cheap and expensive, but always effective.

1. Firstly, in some pipes there may be little liquid, which creates conditions for its faster freezing, for example, in an incomplete sewage system;
2. Secondly, pipes can be incorrectly calculated in diameter, and this is a direct path to water freezing;
3. Thirdly, critically low regional temperatures may not be taken into account, and even correctly, but insufficiently insulated pipes can freeze in severe frosts.

Reliable defrosting of pipelines occurs in accessible or open sections of the route - for this it is often enough to use a powerful stream of hot air, for example, from a construction hair dryer. But thawing underground utilities is a much more complicated issue, and sometimes very original technologies have been developed here, for example, the Esmarch circle, which will be discussed below.

The main methods of defrosting heating pipes or water supply systems consist in the use of common improvised tools and materials: a blowtorch, a stream of hot water, blowing off a building or household hair dryer, etc. Some points need to be clarified here:

1. Steel pipes are easier to defrost if you use welding machine: the cable is connected to the ends of the pipe, this section is heated under the influence of current for 2-4 hours;
2. Polyethylene pipes high pressure now they are installed everywhere, and welding is not an option for them. Also, it is forbidden to clean them from internal ice with a crowbar or twig, so as not to damage the walls.

Based on these constraints, consider traditional technologies defrosting heating mains and other pipelines.

External heating of pipes

Since the methods of defrosting open heating pipes, sewerage systems or the water supply system is clear to us, we are considering the external defrosting of underground routes, which is immediately complicated by the fact that the pipes will need to be excavated. The technology depends on the diameter of the pipe and the length of the frozen section - you can dig it up manually, or you may have to rent an excavator.

After digging a trench and opening the pipe, determine what the pipeline was insulated with - the technology of its defrosting will depend on this: for example, polyethylene pipes Do not warm up with open flame or power supply. The temperature of a stream of hot air from a hair dryer or fan heater should not exceed 100-110 0 С, so that the water in the pipe does not boil and break it.

Steel or cast iron pipes can be reheated blowtorch or gas burner, a fire or other open flame.

Internal heating of a plastic pipe

Defrosting sewer pipes, in contrast to heating or plumbing, has some peculiarities. Large diameter PVC pipes allows you to warm them up from the inside, and this is a plus. But pipes can be clogged not only with frozen water, but also with debris, and this is a minus. Therefore, the defrosting sewer must not only be warmed up, but also cleaned.

For defrosting from the inside plastic sewer collect the simplest homemade device: to a U-shaped heating element with a bend diameter slightly smaller than the pipe diameter, connect the cable and attach it to metal plastic pipeØ ½ ‘’ desired length. Most often, the distance to the place of the frozen area is known, therefore, it will be easy to calculate the cable length and the length of the MF guide tube, even visually. After that, connect the device to the network and push it down the drain, as shown in the figure:

It is necessary to start the advancement of the heater from the side of the drain receiver so that the melt water can drain unhindered. In the same way, large-diameter water pipes can be warmed up.

Defrosting iron pipes

It will be most effective to defrost from steel or cast iron pipes through a dedicated industrial equipment... The principle of operation of this device is as follows: at the edges of the defrosting pipe, terminals are connected through which voltage is supplied, the pipe heats up under the action of the current, and the water thaws.

For example, the following data can be given: steel pipe length 25 m and Ø< 6 см оттает за 40-60 минут. Если диаметр трубы больше, то клеммы подсоединяют на более коротких участках, при этом нужно следить, чтобы в трубе находилась вода под некоторым давлением – это касается разморозки отопительной и водопроводной систем.

Unconventional technologies

The use of hot water implies one peculiarity of the behavior of ice: the ice plug will not let hot water into the pipe if it is simply poured from above. Therefore, hot water is supplied inside the frozen area using a hose or pipe of a smaller diameter. For example, when defrosting a straight section of a water supply system Ø 25-30 mm, it will be effective to use a piece of a metal-plastic pipe Ø 16 mm.

The inner tube must be straight so that it can be pushed into the water supply to a freezing depth. As soon as the tube hits the ice, hot water can be poured into it. The flow of melt water will pour out through the gap between the pipes, at the same time increasing the gap. The ice will melt on all sides of the cork, making room for the further advance of the reinforced-plastic tube further. If the frozen area has bends and bends, then a flexible but rigid hose is used instead of a tube.

The garden hose for irrigation is not suitable for defrosting - from the high temperature of the water, it will become soft and it will be impossible to push it further. An oxygen or gas hose that connects to gas or oxygen cylinders is best suited for this purpose. Practice shows that such hoses can even be pushed softened up to a distance of 15 meters. It will be difficult to keep the hose firm.

But so far we have considered mild cases - defrosting in straight and short sections. But what to do if the pipe is frozen several tens of meters from the dwelling, and at the same time the route is difficult - with turns and bends horizontally or vertically?

Such complex problems are solved by using an Esmarch mug complete with a building hydraulic level and a coil of rigid steel wire. You can buy all these components without any problems, their cost is low, and the effect of their use is one hundred percent.

The wire and tube of the water level are aligned and terminated on one side of the device. For greater rigidity and permeability inside the pipe, the wire is bent at the end, making a small loop. The hydraulic level tube should be 1 to 2 cm in front of the wire loop. The other end of the water level tube is connected to the Esmarch mug, and the tube with the wire is pushed all the way into the pipeline.

Further, it is necessary to pour water into the tube of the water level - a kind of hot "enema". Do not forget, if you are thawing a pipe indoors, substitute some kind of container under it to collect melt water. It is easy to determine the volume of the container - how much hot water you pour into the device, the same amount will pour out of the pipe of cold liquid.

As the ice melts, the tube is pushed further until the ice plug disappears completely. This technology is time-consuming (1 running meter per hour), but it is very effective and inexpensive.

How to prevent pipes from freezing

In order not to apply all of the above methods, you need to do the prevention of freezing of pipes with water:

1. Pipe-laying should be carried out at a depth exceeding the level of soil freezing in the region. It is recommended to equip sewerage and water supply systems at a depth of ≥ 1200-1400 mm;
2. It is not recommended to lay iron pipes for sewerage, heating or water delivery in direct proximity to concrete surfaces- ceilings, walls, grillages and foundations, since the thermal conductivity of reinforced concrete is several times higher than the same parameter for the soil, and the risk of soil freezing from the side of reinforced concrete objects increases many times. If this cannot be avoided, then the pipes must be insulated, and it is advisable to make it solid thermal insulation materials- extruded polystyrene foam, bulk substances;
3. An additional protection against freezing of pipes will be the laying of a self-regulating heating cable next to the pipes;

1. Places of pipe laying through walls or ceilings are recommended to be insulated with soft heat insulators - polyurethane foam, mineral wool (basalt, fiberglass, stone), ecowool or other loose materials, so that there is no contact between pipes and walls;
2. When arranging a pipeline on your land plot, it is recommended to take pipes Ø ≥ 50 mm, since small pipes freeze faster;
3. When choosing synthetic pipes, remember that PU foam (polypropylene) pipes can crack after several freezing and thawing cycles, and PSE (polyethylene) pipes will last as long as you need;
4. If sewerage, heating and plumbing are not used in winter, then the water from the pipes must be drained.

Since in winter the owners of private houses and apartments are sometimes faced with the need to unfreeze pipes with water, it must be remembered that the faster you react and take the necessary steps to thaw a pipeline of any purpose, the smaller the section of the route will fail. For defrosting pipelines, all methods are good - both traditional and invented out of vital necessity - your comfortable further stay in the house depends on it.

The situation when at negative temperature on the street the water supply from the tap stops you know? This problem occurs in your home with the onset of a cold season, and you do not know how to quickly fix it? To fight, you need to pick up effective method renewal of the water supply network. Do you agree?

We will show you how to warm up a frozen pipeline and how to prevent a problem situation in the future. Let's talk about effective ways allowing you to quickly restore the water supply on a cold winter day for sanitation and food preparation.

Our article contains a selection of better ways, which will help to cope with this trouble on their own. Methods for pipelines from various materials... So that you can better understand the nuances of rewarming, we have selected illustrative photos and thematic videos detailing recommendations for rescuing a water pipeline from ice captivity.

With a sharp onset of frost, supplemented strong winds, cases of freezing with the formation of ice plugs inside them are quite common.

Frozen as a result of improper laying or operation of the pipeline, water in best case will make it impossible to use the system, and at worst, will force you to eliminate the breakthrough.

The problem of freezing pipes is more relevant for owners of summer cottages and houses in the private sector, the water supplies of which pass along the street.

There are several reasons for water freezing in the water supply system.

The most basic of them are:

• extremely low temperatures outside;
• laying pipes to a shallower depth than the level of soil freezing;
• insufficient insulation of the pipeline;
• low or even zero water consumption.

At night or for a longer period when the owners do not use the water supply, the water in the pipes remains stationary. At sub-zero temperatures it freezes quickly.

Not only pipelines can freeze, but also taps that are not closed in time, which supply water, both to an unheated basement and to a courtyard

The pipe, which is in the frozen soil, after passing warm streams begins to cool down, and after a short period acquires low temperature... Small portions of water, as they advance, begin to freeze and crystallize, at some point clogging the entire section of the pipe completely.

How to find a problem area?

The most difficult moment in this matter is to determine the place of freezing on open area. Experienced craftsmen it is advised that when examining and probing the accessible part of the route, focus on temperature sensations.

Determine the location of the ice plug in plastic pipeline when probing it is not difficult: within the locked area, when trying to slightly bend the pipe, a characteristic crunch is heard

Plumbing usually freezes in areas where pipes come close to the surface of the earth. Unheated technical wells are also vulnerable to frost. basements.

It has been noticed that concrete freezes faster than soil layers. Therefore, if the basement was not reliably insulated or slightly opened during the period severe frosts, it is quite natural that the pipeline running in it froze.

If the area of ​​freezing cannot be determined, it is better to immediately abandon the idea of ​​breaking through the ice jam by mechanical means.

If it is not possible to "calculate" a specific area, use available ways at once on several of the most probable freezing points.

Effective solutions to the problem

The water supply can be defrosted by external heat exposure, or by defrosting from the inside. Each specific case depends on the length of the frozen area and the material from which they are made, and therefore requires the use of different means.

Despite the fact that ice with the same mass is more voluminous than water, within the framework of its state of aggregation, obeying the laws of physics, before melting, it expands.

To reduce the risk of pipe rupture during the thawing of ice plugs, it is necessary to reduce the pressure on the walls of the structure by prudently opening the taps

Before starting work, it is imperative to open a water tap or “vent” after the valve at the inlet in order to determine the effectiveness of the actions performed by the water flowing out of it.

Method # 1 - using hot water

If the system is frozen in an open area at, or inside an unheated basement, the easiest way to warm up a section of the water supply is to treat it outside with boiling water. Hot water saved water pipes from freezing at all times.

To do this, the pipe is wrapped in several layers with rags and cuts of old rags that absorb moisture well. A wet rag will prolong the contact time of the pipe walls with water.

The area wrapped in a rag is poured with hot water in several approaches until the fabric gets wet and the ice underneath begins to melt

When warming up a frozen section of the pipeline, it is important not to damage it. Areas of the structure that do not require heating should be covered with insulating material. This will prevent the accumulation of ice pieces moving along the pipeline with the water.

This method is used only in closed rooms and when open way pipeline laying. And this technology is only suitable for steel pipelines. The system located underground will have to be warmed up with boiling water for at least 12 hours.

Method # 2 - heating with a building hair dryer

The desired effect can also be achieved with the help of hot air created by a powerful building hair dryer. The method is used to heat frozen sections of the pipeline in those places where it is quite easy to get to them, for example, when the system is laid inside a building.

In order to melt water along the shell of the pipeline, the surface of the structure is blown from all sides by a directed nozzle with a stream of hot air

To create conditions for the ice accumulation to move through the pipe, you need to evenly distribute the hot air flow, not forgetting to open all the valves first.

Consider that construction hair dryer gives out a temperature, the range of which can reach from 100 to 650 ° С. Therefore, it cannot be used for pipes made of polymeric materials.

Strengthen the effect while reducing heat losses, helps the construction of an impromptu protective casing around the heated area. It will reflect heat, evenly distributing it over the entire surface of the insulated area.

For this, a small pavilion is temporarily constructed, the walls of which are made of the same film or metal shields.

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