Translating…
In places where temperature falls below freezing point, access to water is limited. When your water and drain pipes freeze, you cannot have water for routine cooking, washing or drinking purposes. Even the office cleaning or janitorial services are affected in the absence of water. In case you are home, the problem can be solved without any assistance. Below are some tips to thaw frozen pipes and the water will be flowing as good as ever.
• First of all, make sure the frozen pipe has not cracked. As you all know when water solidifies, it actually expands. This can possibly create cracks in the pipe. When the water has turned solid after freezing it will expand enough to actually crack the pipe. Obviously, in this case, you will need to get the repair done. But most of the times, the pipes are not cracked but simply blocked.
• Once you have checked, there are no cracks or leaks in the pipe, turn off water running through the pipe. In some cases, this meant that the main water supply to your house has to be closed. However, in most of the new homes, there are some intermediate shut off valves also available. This actually allows you to isolate the frozen pipe from the rest of your water system.
• Next you have to open up all faucets connected to the frozen pipe. This way you can get rid of the cold water trapped in the pipe. After the pressure is somewhat minimized, allow the thawed water to move out of the pipe.
• As for the remaining pipe, you can opt for two approaches. It all depends on what is available to you and the feasibility to reach to the core of the pipe in order to get it thawed.
• You will surely have a towel in your home. Just wrap it around the pipe and pour hot water from the kettle. This will provide warmth to the frozen section of pipe. With a few minutes the frozen chunks of ice will start melting.
• Although, that was feasible, you can also use a handheld dryer if you have one. With a dryer you can blow warm air on to the frozen part of pipe to thaw the ice.
• Or you can prop a small heater close to the pipe if you have it. Leave the heat on for about an hour. This much time is sufficient to thaw the frozen ice.
• If possible, you can also buy an electric pipe heating tape.
• Another option is to run plumbing torch along the length of the frozen pipe.
• All these methods for thawing a frozen pipe will be fine if you wish to thaw a frozen drainage pipe. But in case it is an ABS or PVC pipe, torches would not work.
• You can even snake a piece of rubber tubing down the drain to clear the blocked pipe. What you can do is attach the other end of the tube to the spout of a boiling kettle. Here steam will do the trick and melt away the blockage.