Asked on Jan 22, 2014

How do I prevent my indoor pipes from freezing?

Bda286827
by Bda286827
the pipes run above the ceiling in the addition
  6 answers
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Jan 23, 2014
    Keep your heat on all the time and open the doors under the sinks...pull back shower curtains, etc. Get as much heat as you can to these areas. If your attic gets really cold you might even want to open the attic opening to let some heat up there. And these pipes should be wrapped. They make a molded type that are just slipped on the pipes and taped.
  • Jackie Smith Jackie Smith on Jan 23, 2014
    Leave a small stream of water running in a sink. I use the kitchen so I don't hear it at night.
  • Amy Woods Amy Woods on Jan 23, 2014
    if you can get up there, wrap your pipes in insulation. They make a special insulation just for this purpose.
  • 360 Sod (Donna Dixson) 360 Sod (Donna Dixson) on Jan 23, 2014
    We use heat tape in the well house, You can get it at a hardware store and it needs an electrical outlet to plug into.
  • Well first off you should not have any pipes that contain water in locations that can freeze such as those in attic spaces. And if at all possible in the spring get your plumber in there to correct this condition if at all possible. In the meantime, Donna is correct installing heat tapes will help prevent, but you also need to do what Amy suggests also. Pipe heat tape alone is not enough to prevent pipes from freezing if they are located in an area where they are subject to a breeze or air movement. This blowing air sub cools the pipe quicker and results in them freezing faster. The heat tape is fastened with a small amount of electrical or duct tape and then wrapped around the pipe. Its not supposed to run parallel to the pipe. One end of the heat tape (the end with the plug) should have a thermostat inside a plastic cover. This should remain outside of the tape and insulation that you will install once the tape is wrapped and fastened to the pipe.
  • Comet Comet on Jan 24, 2014
    @WOODBRIDGE ENVIRONMENTAL---This year many people have had weather issues in places where they never had to THINK about freezing anything. Much less their pipes! So this person could be in the Deep South and not have the knowledge of winter like us Northerners. And even here far far Upstate NY (close to Canada) I have seen pipes run THRU poured concrete flooring--and NOT for heating the floors!---and I had a house where they had run them under the floors until they froze so often they finally put them on the INSIDE of the kitchen---yep right out in front of God and everyone on the top of the cabinets! Lovely scorch marks too from soldering them. This however did NOT stop them from freezing one winter much like this with a glowing red woodstove a few FEET away and me staying up all night to tend it so WE didn't freeze. Lost the pipes the dishwasher the washing machine and the bathroom plumbing. So-----don't judge. In places like Arizona the pipes in the ceiling is very common--and yes it DOES sometimes freeze there and yes I know this from first hand. That didn't end well either.