Heating and air conditioning - Frozen heating pipe. Please help.

Author

Frozen heating pipe. Please help.

tony.pelletier@gmail.com

2006-01-17, 9:21 am

Hi Folks,

First post here and I'm in dire need of assistance.

I live in Deerfield NH, so yes, it is cold. Yesterday morning my 1st
floor zone stopped working. I figured it was the thermostat so I
replaced it. Nuttin, still doesn't work. Service guy came out and came
to the conclusion that my line was frozen, said he couldn't do anything
about it because I have rubber hosing and not copper, collected 150 and
left. Now I still have no heat and I'm worried something going to
burst.

The confusing part is I've been here 3 years and never had a issue.
The only place I gather it could possible be would be in the garage.
The garage is under the house and there is an enclosed are that I know
has piping for the 1st floor bathroom.

Now the questions.
1. Is my pipe going to burst?
2. Is it really frozen or is it possible something else is in the
line? (I know this is hard to answer)
3. How do I get it unfrozen? Do I have to tear down the encasing?

I'm just really confused at to how it could possible be frozen.
There's a bottle of water that's been on the ground in the garage for a
while now and that didn't freeze.

Thanks
Tony

Bob

2006-01-17, 10:21 am

The immediate thing you want to do is turn your heater off and drain the
entire system as much as possible. Then turn your oven on (assuming no
little kids can touch it). Then get some kind of supplemental heat, like
electric or kero. AFTER you do all that, start calling contractors to find
one who's willing to replace the rubber with copper pipe.
Your house most likely had freezing problems in the past, and some DIY put
that rubber hose on.
No reputable contractor will touch that system, because then the liability
is all on him.

<tony.pelletier@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1137503138.750155.139870@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Hi Folks,
>
> First post here and I'm in dire need of assistance.
>
> I live in Deerfield NH, so yes, it is cold. Yesterday morning my 1st
> floor zone stopped working. I figured it was the thermostat so I
> replaced it. Nuttin, still doesn't work. Service guy came out and came
> to the conclusion that my line was frozen, said he couldn't do anything
> about it because I have rubber hosing and not copper, collected 150 and
> left. Now I still have no heat and I'm worried something going to
> burst.
>
> The confusing part is I've been here 3 years and never had a issue.
> The only place I gather it could possible be would be in the garage.
> The garage is under the house and there is an enclosed are that I know
> has piping for the 1st floor bathroom.
>
> Now the questions.
> 1. Is my pipe going to burst?
> 2. Is it really frozen or is it possible something else is in the
> line? (I know this is hard to answer)
> 3. How do I get it unfrozen? Do I have to tear down the encasing?
>
> I'm just really confused at to how it could possible be frozen.
> There's a bottle of water that's been on the ground in the garage for a
> while now and that didn't freeze.
>
> Thanks
> Tony
>

Buck Naked

2006-01-17, 3:21 pm

for those of us who live in the hot southwest, what is the contents of this
pipe?

(I have no knowledge of how people in the north heat their homes, we use
heatpumps on winter nights here in Phoenix.)

"Bob" <bobb25@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:l6GdnWsoSuumc1HeRVn-sw@comcast.com...
> The immediate thing you want to do is turn your heater off and drain the
> entire system as much as possible. Then turn your oven on (assuming no
> little kids can touch it). Then get some kind of supplemental heat, like
> electric or kero. AFTER you do all that, start calling contractors to find
> one who's willing to replace the rubber with copper pipe.
> Your house most likely had freezing problems in the past, and some DIY put
> that rubber hose on.
> No reputable contractor will touch that system, because then the liability
> is all on him.
>
> <tony.pelletier@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1137503138.750155.139870@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
>

Stormin Mormon

2006-01-17, 3:21 pm

Sure, glad to help.

In the NE, some folks use circulated hot water. What happens is that there
is a burner usually in the cellar, which burns natural gas, fuel oil, or
propane. heats water, which is moved by an electric pump. Circulates hot
water into radiators, and cooler water comes back to the boiler.

Actually, my parents have hot water radiators in their house.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"Buck Naked" <what's@up doc> wrote in message
news:drydnSiODd_VqlDeRVn-gw@comcast.com...
for those of us who live in the hot southwest, what is the contents of this
pipe?

(I have no knowledge of how people in the north heat their homes, we use
heatpumps on winter nights here in Phoenix.)

"Bob" <bobb25@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:l6GdnWsoSuumc1HeRVn-sw@comcast.com...
> The immediate thing you want to do is turn your heater off and drain the
> entire system as much as possible. Then turn your oven on (assuming no
> little kids can touch it). Then get some kind of supplemental heat, like
> electric or kero. AFTER you do all that, start calling contractors to find
> one who's willing to replace the rubber with copper pipe.
> Your house most likely had freezing problems in the past, and some DIY put
> that rubber hose on.
> No reputable contractor will touch that system, because then the liability
> is all on him.
>
> <tony.pelletier@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1137503138.750155.139870@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
>

Stormin Mormon

2006-01-17, 3:21 pm

If the outdoor weather is under 32F, it's very possible to have a frozen
pipe.

In the western NYS area, it's supposed to get up to 50F tomorrow, so your
pipe may unfreeze. Lets keep a good thought.

You may be able to lock open the control valve for the zone and keep some
water circulating that way. Might over heat the first floor, but that's a
risk. Have a look around, see if you can find where the pipes go. Where is
it likely to freeze. And how can you insulate outside the pipes. So the
outdoor cold air doesn't blow on the pipes.

One time I had a frozen pipe in a store I was renting. Froze right next to a
window. The rest of the pipe was fine, along a cinderblock wall. I packed a
bunch of insulation in the window, and it didn't freeze again. I also put on
some heater tape.

Hmm. Heater tape on a hydrionic line.... can't hurt......

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

<tony.pelletier@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1137503138.750155.139870@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
Hi Folks,

First post here and I'm in dire need of assistance.

I live in Deerfield NH, so yes, it is cold. Yesterday morning my 1st
floor zone stopped working. I figured it was the thermostat so I
replaced it. Nuttin, still doesn't work. Service guy came out and came
to the conclusion that my line was frozen, said he couldn't do anything
about it because I have rubber hosing and not copper, collected 150 and
left. Now I still have no heat and I'm worried something going to
burst.

The confusing part is I've been here 3 years and never had a issue.
The only place I gather it could possible be would be in the garage.
The garage is under the house and there is an enclosed are that I know
has piping for the 1st floor bathroom.

Now the questions.
1. Is my pipe going to burst?
2. Is it really frozen or is it possible something else is in the
line? (I know this is hard to answer)
3. How do I get it unfrozen? Do I have to tear down the encasing?

I'm just really confused at to how it could possible be frozen.
There's a bottle of water that's been on the ground in the garage for a
while now and that didn't freeze.

Thanks
Tony

whatsinaname

2006-01-17, 7:21 pm

"Buck Naked" <what's@up doc> wrote in message
news:drydnSiODd_VqlDeRVn-gw@comcast.com...
> for those of us who live in the hot southwest, what is the contents of
> this pipe?
>
> (I have no knowledge of how people in the north heat their homes, we use
> heatpumps on winter nights here in Phoenix.)
>

You guys use chillers, boilers, heat pumps, and gas units too....heat pumps
are not exclusive to the western states.

>
> "Bob" <bobb25@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:l6GdnWsoSuumc1HeRVn-sw@comcast.com...
>
>

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