PREVENTING FROZEN PIPES

[M_GO_BLUE1]

Our MIL has no power in her struck and brick hone since the past Sunday at 6am...supposed to be back on by Saturday they say...

No way to get power into the house...has a gas fireplace going on first floor but the problem is trying to figure out a way to prevent frozen pipes in her house especially in the basement...

Any tips or suggestions?????

[Matt_Colie]

M,

With data from both the outage and street maps, it is difficult to get real good information that I would need.

If she is on a well, you need a generator that can power the pump. That may be 220V. If on city water, just let it trickle.

If you can get a generator anywhere, do it. She is headed into some cold before the promised power restoration.

Wish her luck, she is going to need it.

Matt

[schlep1967]

If she is on a well running the water is not an option as she would not have electric to run the pump. For what repairing plumbing would cost I cant see why people don't buy a small generator to run the furnace. Harbor Freight has small Genny's 900W starting at $130 and 4000W at $340Give her a christmas present.

[Dave_H_M]

Any heat in the basement is good. It will eventually radiate up thru the house as opposed to the main floors radiating outside.

Careful on assuming the furnace has a 120 fan. My squirrel cage is spun by 220. :E

My experience with fireplaces are unless they have a good heat exchanger they suck the air out of the house and blow it up the chimney. Better than nothing, but next to being a poor option for heat.

[M_GO_BLUE1]

This is the MIL we are talking about and she gives stubborn a new meaning...

[westend]

Don't forget the drains if there is a possibility of the house reaching <32f. A bit of antifreeze in the traps and the toilets will get you by without draining everything. Disconnect the washing machine and dishwasher hoses, as well.

Maybe this would be a good opportunity to get a new Honda generator. As Piano said, all you need for forced the air furnace is one 120V cord. When my power goes down, I have a 5500W genset that will keep all the essentials operating.

[pianotuna]

Open the door to the basement. Run the main floor as hot as the fireplace will manage to do.

Is the water heater working too? If so, turn up the heat setting.

Set the taps on the hot water slid to drip constantly and the cold water taps to the minimum for a steady stream.

If you can find a way to run a cord to the furnace from a generator--it would be a good thing.

[M_GO_BLUE1]

MIL is in Burton (next to Flint)

[Matt_Colie]

You are in Southgate. Where is MIL??
If she is on city water, the letting water run will work. It comes out of the ground around here are about 50°.

DO NOT try to drain the house plumbing!
In Michigan, only rural houses on wells are built with that consideration.

Matt - actually in New Boston

[Vulcaneer]

My basement is underground. We showbird and kill the heat in the house. My memory thermometer has recorded the lowest temp as 37 degrees. The pipes there should not freeze. The upstairs pipes in the walls may freeze if it gets cold enough. I would drain those pipes. If the house heats with hot water in baseboards, drain that system too...if no antifreeze in them.

[NC_Hauler]

Spent Thanksgiving camping in WV with temps into teens and single digits with the wind...as stated, I turned on water faucets to keep water trickling....never got a frozen line and that was in my 5er....When a kid, my dad use to do the same thing at our home when temps dropped well below freezing....It works...all you need is a trickle.....

[time2roll]

Measure the actual basement tempurature. I am thinking the frost may not get that deep.

Otherwise I would recommend one of the propane catalytic heaters with O2 and CO sensors in place.
Should have IMO a CO sensor upstairs anyway with a fire going 24/7.

[dave17352]

If her basement is mostly underground and the upstairs is above freezing there should not be any frozen pipes. Unless the basement is not sealed up well and cold air is blowing on a pipe someplace.

[Canuckistani]

wgriswold's got it. Crack the faucets, and let them dribble. Open the cabinet doors under the sinks, and let whatever little bit of warm air might be in the house into the space where the pipes are.

Alternatively, look if there is a shutoff valve & drain where the water comes into the house. Shut off the main valve, then open the drain (have a bucket handy!). Open all the faucets, and drain all the water you can out of the house lines.

Then cross your fingers. How cold is it supposed to get at night?

[M_GO_BLUE1]

Kerosene heater inside an enclosed space requires ventilation if I am not mistaken...which in my eyes defeats the purpose (unless I am wrong here)