No hot water during a freeze

rhagfo wrote:

noteven wrote:
What is not a myth is if the supply line to or from your hot water heater freezes hot water will not appear at the taps.

Scout around for where lines are run are they inside the heated space under a cubbard up against a cold wall? If yes open the doors to the space and turn the heat up to about 90. Crack a hot water tap on. When it starts to spit and flow the line is thawed. If you have a small fan to move some air through the space with the doors open that's better yet.

If your lines are outside in the cold oops

Well seeing how the water connections to the WH are in an interior space I think the supply line is less likely than the hot water line after the the WH freezing. This would only be likely if the WH was remote from all other water using devices, which is not likely.
More likely is the hot water line, after the heater run in a somewhat cold space. In our 5er we have a run of about 15’ where the lines (cold and hot) run in the floor space (2”) on the outside edge of the floor. If we will see extremely cold temps, I will likely put some put some of the foil bubble wrap under that area.
My bet is still on the exposed hot water low point drain.

Why would a hot water low point drain affect hot water flow at a faucet......LOW point drain

My bet issue is AT the WH Tank...cold in or hot out
Cold in could be frozen
Hot out...check valve jammed/clogged