I don't have a Boiler, is this my pipes sometimes freeze up?

[Jeff543]

I don't have a Boiler, is this why my pipes sometimes freeze up in Winter? If i did have a boiler with radiators would this stop freezing in the pipes because warm water is flowing around the pipes?

 

[BlueLoo]

Which pipes? and where? The water supply in? Inside?, Outside?
I read your other thread and @oldbuffer gave a good answer to this issue.

Heating piping is separate to the domestic (potable) water supply.
Heating piping is usually internal, not external. If you have domestic water pipes freezing inside your home, you will need to give them heat via the surroundings (heating) or via a jacket (heat tracing), although if you've pipes freezing indoors, that's another issue about being warm altogether (Do you live on a farm?).
Putting a heating system just to stop pipes freezing is a significant investment.

If your pipes are freezing outside, then you probably have them buried incorrectly (too shallow), or, your usage is too low.

A trick used in industry (and in other places) is to leave a water supply running in cold weather to stop freezing.
You could perhaps leave a tap cracked open on the colder nights.

A little more info about your situation would be helpful.

 

[Jeff543]

Which pipes?
I

Heating piping is separate to the domestic (potable) water supply.
Heating piping is usually internal, not external. If you have domestic water pipes freezing inside your home, you will need to give them heat via the surroundings (heating) or via a jacket (heat tracing), although if you've pipes freezing indoors, that's another issue about being warm altogether (Do you live on a farm?).
Putting a heating system just to stop pipes freezing is a significant investment.

If your pipes are freezing outside, then you probably have them buried incorrectly (too shallow), or, your usage is too low.

A trick used in industry (and in other places) is to leave a water supply running in cold


our

I live in a mid -70s built Barett house on an estate. The main pipe is in the cupboard by the front door. The water doesn't come out of taps some cold winters usually after a couple of days of below zero temperatures. That is a main water-supply problem isn't it or maybe becuse the house is cold? I don't know how deep the pipes are in the ground? Like all the other houses on the rest of the estate I guess. Maybe its because the main stop tap and pipe is by the front door thats why it is cold and so the water freezes up in winter?


I have no central heating any more....a long story......so as I have no boiler or immersion heater so no warm water flows through my pipes to keep ice at bay. People with boilers and radiators never get frozen pipes do they because regular flow of warm water breakup any ice build up? Is that right?

Thanks.

 

[BlueLoo]

Well, i would say no, the freezing of the water main is underground, nothing to do with the house.
The two systems don't mix as mentioned above.

I think your issue is just usage. I live in a very modern house and those living in the area on their own also suffer from frozen piping in winter because the water usage they have is so low that it has time to freeze.

In really cold weather, look to leaving a tap "drip" overnight and run on a few minutes in the mornings.

Long term remediation would need some form or plumbing rework to get the incoming line lower into the ground (if that is where it is freezing)

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Pipes can freeze, even when there is a working central heating system, much depends on the temperatures where the pipes are located whether they will freeze or not, plus outdoor temperatures. It would be unusual for indoor pipes to get cold enough to freeze in indoor occupied areas. Out of doors, pipes are required to be installed deep enough in the ground, that they cannot freeze. Are other neighbours complaining of frozen supply pipes? It will take more that a few days of below freezing temperatures to freeze even shallow pipes in the ground.

 

[JohnD]

It is not so likely to freeze in the ground, unless buried very shallow.

More likely where the pipe is exposed to air in the space under the floor, especially if it is close to an airbrick

If you have a wooden floor open it up and use foam pipe lagging, preferably the "bylaws" grade, which is thicker.

In my unheated garage, where the supply pipe comes out of the concrete floor, I have 60 watt "pipe heater" on a thermostat set to 5C.

https://www.screwfix.com/c/heating-...lar&cm_sp=managedredirect-_-hvac-_-tubeheater

 

[bernardgreen]

In really cold weather, look to leaving a tap "drip" overnight and run on a few minutes in the mornings.

What happen if the waste pipe freezes up with the drip still dripping.

 

[BlueLoo]

What happen if the waste pipe freezes up with the drip still dripping.

Waste pipes are constant drain to empty never full so (should) don't freeze.

It is a different mechanism.

As for the OP, If the pipe is freezing internally in the living space, then that's a quality of life issue which needs attention moreso than the tap.

And these are Barratt home from the 70's. Not renowned for quality of construction lol.

 

[iateyoubutler]

What happen if the waste pipe freezes up with the drip still dripping.

How can it? You have answered your own question really. If the water in the pipes is moving because the tap is dripping, surely it will be in the drain too???

 

[RandomGrinch]

Moving water can still freeze!

 

[bernardgreen]

because the tap is dripping, surely it will be in the drain too?

If the water droplets fall down the middle of the waste pipe without touching the insides of the pipe they are unlike to freeze,

BUT the water will run down the inside of the pipe and if the temperature of that pipe is below freezing then ice will build up.

Condensate from boilers is warm but can still freeze in the condensate drain pipe...

 

[Jeff543]

Which pipes? and where? The water supply in? Inside?, Outside?
I read your other thread and @oldbuffer gave a good answer to this issue.

.
You could perhaps leave a tap cracked open on the colder nights.

A little more info about your situation would be helpful.

What about if i get my immersion tank/heater working again? Wouldn't the hot water supply through the pipes prevent ice from building up?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

What about if i get my immersion tank/heater working again? Wouldn't the hot water supply through the pipes prevent ice from building up?

No, the heat would remain where it belongs, in the cylinder.

 

[Jeff543]

No, the heat would remain where it belongs, in the cylinder.

But when i turn the taps on to e.g. have a bath or do the dishes in the kitchen sink, the hot water would be flowing around wouldn't it?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

But when i turn the taps on to e.g. have a bath or do the dishes in the kitchen sink, the hot water would be flowing around wouldn't it?

Only through the hot water pipe between cylinder and tap, certainly not the rest of the system.