Are you familiar with the situation when, at a negative temperature outside, the water supply from the tap stops? Such a problem occurs in your home with the onset of a cold season, and you do not know how to quickly fix it? To fight, it is required to choose an effective method for resuming the working capacity of the water supply network. Do you agree?
We will tell you how to thaw a frozen pipeline and how to prevent a problem situation in the future. Let's talk about effective ways to quickly restore water supply on a cold winter day for sanitary and hygienic purposes and cooking.
Our article provides a selection of the best ways to help deal with this trouble on your own. Methods for pipelines made of various materials are considered. So that you can better understand the nuances of warming, we have selected visual photos and thematic videos with a detailed presentation of recommendations for saving water pipes from ice captivity.
With a sharp onset of frost, supplemented by strong winds, cases of freezing with the formation of ice plugs inside them are not uncommon.
Frozen water as a result of improper laying or operation of the pipeline will, at best, make it impossible to use the system, and at worst, force the breakthrough to be repaired.
The problem of pipe freezing is more relevant for owners of summer cottages and private sector houses, whose water supply inlets pass along the street
There can be several reasons for freezing water in the plumbing.
The most basic among them:
- extremely low temperatures outside;
- laying pipes to a shallower depth than the level of soil freezing;
- insufficient insulation of the pipeline;
- low or even zero water consumption.
At night or for a longer period when the owners do not use the water supply, the water in the pipes remains still. At sub-zero temperatures, it freezes quickly.
Not only pipelines can freeze, but also taps that are not shut off in a timely manner, which supply water, both to an unheated basement and to the yard
The pipe, located in the frozen ground, after passing warm streams, begins to cool down, and after a short period it acquires a low temperature. Small portions of water, as they advance, begin to freeze and crystallize, at some point completely clogging the entire section of the pipe.
How to find a problem area?
The most difficult moment in this matter is to determine the place of freezing in an open area. Experienced craftsmen advise, when examining and probing the accessible part of the route, to focus on temperature sensations.
It is not difficult to determine the location of the ice plug in a plastic pipeline when probing: within the blocked area, when trying to slightly bend the pipe, a characteristic crunch is heard
Water pipes usually freeze in areas where the pipes come close to the ground. Vulnerable to frost are also technical wells, unheated basements.
It is noticed that concrete freezes faster than soil layers. Therefore, if the basement was unreliably insulated or ajar during severe frosts, it is quite natural that the pipeline lying in it froze.
If the freezing area cannot be determined, it is better to immediately abandon the idea of \u200b\u200bbreaking through the ice jam by mechanical means
If it is not possible to “calculate” a specific area, use the available methods at once on several of the most probable freezing places.
Effective solutions to the problem
The water supply can be defrosted by external thermal exposure, or by defrosting from the inside. Each specific case depends on the length of the frozen area and the material from which they are made, and therefore requires the use of different means.
Despite the fact that ice with the same mass is more voluminous than water, within its state of aggregation, obeying the laws of physics, it expands before melting.
To reduce the risk of pipe rupture during the period of thawing ice plugs, it is necessary to reduce the pressure on the walls of the structure by prudently opening the taps
Before starting work, it is imperative to open a water tap or “vent” after the valve at the inlet in order to determine the effectiveness of the actions performed by the water flowing from it.
Method #1 - Using Hot Water
If the system is frozen in an open area at, or inside an unheated basement, the easiest way to warm up a section of the water supply is to treat it outside with boiling water. Hot water has saved water pipes from freezing at all times.
To do this, the pipe is wrapped in several layers with rags and cuts of old rags that absorb moisture well. A wet rag will prolong the contact time of the pipe walls with water.
The area wrapped with a rag is poured with hot water in several approaches until the cloth gets wet and the ice under it begins to melt
When warming up a frozen section of the pipeline, it is important not to damage it. Areas of the structure that do not require heating must be covered with heat-insulating material. This will prevent the accumulation of pieces of ice moving along the pipeline along with water.
This method is used only in enclosed spaces and with an open method of laying pipelines. And this technology is suitable only for steel pipelines. The system located underground will have to be heated with boiling water for at least 12 hours.
Method # 2 - heating with a building hair dryer
You can also achieve the desired effect with the help of hot air created by a powerful building hair dryer. The method is used to heat frozen sections of the pipeline in places where it is quite easy to get to them, for example, when the system is laid inside the building.
In order to melt water along the pipeline shell, the surface of the structure is blown from all sides with a stream of hot air directed by the nozzle.
In order to create conditions for the movement of ice accumulation through the pipe, it is necessary to evenly distribute the flow of hot air, without forgetting to open all the valves first.
Keep in mind that a building hair dryer produces a temperature range that can reach from 100 to 650 ° C. Therefore, it cannot be used for pipes made of polymeric materials.
To enhance the effect, while reducing heat losses, the construction of an impromptu protective casing around the heated area helps. It will reflect heat, evenly distributing it over the entire surface of the insulated area.
To do this, a small pavilion is temporarily built, the walls of which are made of the same film or metal shields.
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Owners of private houses often face a situation in winter when one morning it suddenly turns out that water is not flowing from the tap: the water supply system has frozen. There are several reasons for the freezing of water in the water supply system: a decrease in the air temperature outside to extremely low temperatures, insufficient penetration of pipes (without taking into account the depth of soil freezing), the water in the pipe is motionless due to low or zero flow (at night or in the absence of owners ), insufficient insulation of pipes. Usually, all of these reasons, taken together, lead to freezing of the water supply. What to do, is there a way out of the current situation, because without water, as you know, neither there nor here? Yes there is. Consider some ways to warm up a frozen water pipe, which, however, will require a lot of patience and some skills from you.
Overview of different ways
The water pipeline can be thawed in various ways by external thermal effects on the pipe, or by defrosting it from the inside.
Method 1. Use hot water
If there is a suspicion that the water supply system is frozen in an open area - at the entrance to the house, in an unheated basement, etc., boiling water is used to warm it up.
To do this, the pipe must first be wrapped with any rag that will absorb water, and to extend the contact time of the pipe with boiling water. Pour hot water over until the ice begins to melt. And to speed up the process, the tap must be left open.
The easiest way to warm up a frozen pipe is to pour boiling water over it.
This method is used only indoors, because if the pipe is underground, it will take a long time to warm it with boiling water - at least 12 hours.
Method 2. We use a building hair dryer
The pipe can be defrosted using the hot air produced by a powerful building dryer. The surface of the pipe is blown from all sides, and to reduce heat losses, it is recommended to build a small pavilion made of plastic film over a frozen pipe, for example. If the pipe is plastic, you need to correctly calculate the heating so as not to melt it.
Solving the problem of defrosting a water pipe with a conventional hair dryer, but you can also use a building
With a slight freezing of the pipe, you can use a household hair dryer or fan heater to warm it up. If there are turns, narrowings, entrances to fittings, they also need to be warmed up, as ice can get stuck there. And in this case, do not forget to leave the tap open.
Method 3. An electric current comes to the rescue
How to warm up a frozen water pipe using electric current?
Heating of a metal water pipe can be made using a welding transformer: the positive wire is connected to one end of the pipe, and the negative wire to the second. In this simple way, the problem can be solved in a few minutes: the ice plug will melt.
The time for thawing frozen water metal pipes with a welding transformer is minimal
Heating of plastic pipeline can be done with a two-core copper wire with a cross section of 2.5 mm. This method is similar to the principle of operation of a familiar home boiler. The wire strands are disconnected. One of them is simply bent, and the second is exposed and twisted 3-5 turns around the wire, cutting off the extra end. The same is done with the first core, retreating 2-3 millimeters from the turns of the second core. It is necessary to pay attention that the cores do not touch, otherwise a short circuit will result. A plug is connected to the other end of the wire. The wire is pushed into the plastic pipeline and connected to the electrical network. Passing through the water, the current heats it up, and the ice begins to melt. The method is good in that only water is heated, while the wires remain cold and this prevents accidental melting of the plastic pipe. To quickly blow out the melt water, you will need an additional compressor.
Method 4. We heat the pipeline with improvised means from the inside
How to warm the water supply if it has many bends and sections? For such a case, you can build a special device. You will need a wire, a hydro level tube, Esmarch's medical mug (in a simple way - an enema), which consists of a rubber container with a rubber hose and a small faucet for draining water. The hydraulic level tube is fastened to the wire with electrical tape so that the end of the tube is slightly longer than the wire. Push it into the water supply until it stops. Hot water flows out of the rubber tank into the pipeline. It is necessary to organize the collection of melt water.
Schematic representation of the warming process with wire and enema
As the ice thaws, the tube with the wire is pushed further. The process of heating a frozen water pipe with improvised means is quite laborious and requires a lot of patience and time (about 1 hour per meter of a frozen pipe), but the costs are minimal.
Method 5. Calling specialists
You can also warm up a water pipe from the inside with the help of special equipment - a hydrodynamic installation, the direct purpose of which is preventive flushing of water and sewer pipes.
Hot water with a temperature of 150 degrees is supplied under high pressure (90-100 atm) through the sleeve. The water boiler of the installation runs on diesel fuel, and the unit is powered by an electrical network with a power of at least 7 kW and a voltage of 380V. For this method, you need to call specialists, so this method is not suitable for everyone.
How to prevent pipeline freezing?
First of all, pipes must be laid taking into account the type of soil and the depth of its freezing. To avoid freezing, it is best to lay the pipe at a depth of at least 2m. Well, if this is not possible, then you need to make high-quality thermal insulation of the pipeline or think about using a special heating self-regulating electrical cable, which turns on if necessary. In addition, all leaks must be repaired.
Freezing of the pipe can be avoided by using a special heating electric cable
It's important to know! Water often freezes in pipelines of small diameter, therefore it is recommended to use pipes with a diameter of more than 50 mm for plumbing.
Water can freeze in the plumbing where it passes through the basement or basement, as concrete freezes faster than soil. In such places, it is recommended to place the pipe in a sleeve (pipe with a large diameter), and inject polyurethane foam into the voids formed.
Underground water supply can also be protected from freezing with glass wool, mineral wool, foam strips, filling all voids with polyurethane foam.
High-quality insulation of water pipes will protect them from freezing
There is another option, which one of the experts will tell you about:
If not all of the above measures have been taken, and there are frosts on the street, one thing remains - contrary to safety regulations, leave the tap ajar at night and when no one is at home - the movement of water will prevent the formation of ice.
Winter frosts are a test that not only living beings have to endure, but also engineering communications.
If the rules for laying pipelines are violated in winter, they often freeze and then the problem will arise in full growth, how to defrost a water pipe?
Causes of freezing water in pipes
As a rule, the cause of freezing of water in pipes is an elementary violation of the water supply installation technology. For example, if the pipes were laid without taking into account the depth of soil freezing in a given area.
Or the requirement to conduct pipe insulation was ignored. It happens that pipes freeze not only in external networks, but also indoors if there is no heating in it.
How to avoid freezing pipes?
In order not to require defrosting of water pipes, care should be taken to ensure that the following requirements are met during the installation of the pipeline:
- When laying underground pipelines, ditches should be dug to a depth that exceeds the level of soil freezing in the area.
- It is not necessary to lay the water supply pipeline near reinforced concrete structures. The fact is that the coefficient of thermal conductivity of concrete exceeds that of the soil, that is, when pipes are laid in the immediate vicinity of reinforced concrete elements, the likelihood of water freezing in pipes increases.
- It is advisable to install pipelines complete with a heating cable.
This, of course, will lead to an increase in the cost of installation, but it will forever get rid of the problem of freezing. - In places where the pipeline passes through the wall of the building, glass wool insulation should be used to avoid direct contact of the pipe with the wall.
- In pipes of small diameter, water freezes more often, therefore, for plumbing, it is advisable to use pipes with a diameter of 50 mm or more.
- When laying pipelines in unheated rooms and on the streets, it is best to use polyethylene pipes. Such pipes tolerate freezing and defrosting well, unlike polypropylene pipes, which can become unusable if they freeze once or twice.
- If the water supply or sewerage is supposed to be used only periodically (for example, in the country), then during downtime, it is advisable to completely free the system from water so that there is nothing to freeze.
Methods for defrosting metal pipes
There are several ways. They will be described below.
But when choosing any of them, you should adhere to the following general rules:
- When heating pipes, keep the water tap open so that the defrosted water can escape.
- It is forbidden to produce a sharp heating of the frozen section of the pipe, starting from its middle.
- Warming is carried out from the water tap towards the riser. But if it requires heating the sewer pipes, then you need to move in the opposite direction, that is, from the riser to the water intake point.
- Heating of the pipe should be started after the location of the frozen section has been assessed. This will help you choose the right defrosting method.
All methods can be divided into two large groups, these are:
- Methods based on external impact on the pipe.
- Methods with an internal defrosting method.
Consider how to defrost water pipes using external exposure.
This will require the use of some kind of heating device, it can be:
- Blowtorch;
- Building hair dryer;
- Electrical heating device.
When using a blowtorch indoors, fire safety measures should be taken.
In particular, a metal screen should be installed behind the pipe to protect the walls.
Using any of the listed devices, you should methodically act on the pipe. The success of the measures taken will be evidenced by the water that will appear from the supply tap.
It should not be forgotten that when freezing, water expands in volume, so it is likely that steel pipes will be damaged after freezing.
After the water is warmed up, you should carefully inspect the pipeline for leaks.
The safest and most effective way to defrost pipes by external exposure is to use an electrical heating tape or heating cable.
In this case, you just need to wind the tape around the frozen area and plug it into the network.
To defrost steel pipes, you can also use this method: a welding machine is taken and connected to different ends of the frozen section.
As a result, the pipe heats up. When using a welding machine, the whole process takes 2-4 hours, depending on the length of the frozen section.
How to defrost a plastic pipe?
Recently, steel pipes for plumbing are used less and less, they have been replaced by plastic pipes. Such pipes are not subject to corrosion and do not collapse if water freezes in them.
However, if an ice plug appears in them, practically all methods of external influence cannot be applied to them. Naturally, the use of open fire to heat the plastic will lead to the destruction of the pipe, and the use of a building hair dryer often turns out to be ineffective, since plastic does not conduct heat well.
Connecting a welding machine to such pipes is also completely useless, since the pipes do not conduct electricity.
The mechanical method of action, that is, the removal of the ice plug by inserting a steel rod inside, can be effective with a small freezing area, however, its use creates a serious risk of damaging the pipe.
Thus, if it is necessary to defrost plastic pipes, the only way left is to use hot water poured inside.
Below are several ways to defrost plastic pipes. All of them are quite effective, however, it is advisable to use them only on small diameter pipelines.
The first way to defrost is to organize the supply of hot water to the place of freezing.
It is done like this:
- To defrost a plastic pipe, a pipe or hose of high rigidity with a smaller diameter should be prepared.
To remove an ice plug in a pipe with a diameter of 20-30 mm, a pipe or hose with a diameter of 16 mm should be used.
- If the damaged section of the pipeline is straight, then it is more convenient to use a metal-plastic pipe. In the event that the frozen pipeline has bends, the use of a hose is required.
Ordinary irrigation hoses are not suitable for this operation. The fact is that they soften greatly under the influence of hot water, so it will be problematic to push them further.
For defrosting use gas or oxygen hoses.
- Metal-plastic pipes are sold, as a rule, rolled into coils. Therefore, the pipe should first be unbent, and then begin to move along the pipeline, pushing the ice plug all the way.
- Now you can pour hot water into the pipe, trying to maintain the highest possible temperature.
- Defrosted water will flow out at the pipe connection, so a collection container should be placed there.
- As the ice melts, the plastic pipe will need to be pushed further and further until the problem is completely fixed.
This defrosting method is good if an ice plug has formed in an area located near the entrance to the pipe. If the pipe is frozen far from home and there are turns and bends in the pipeline section, then the pipe cannot be pushed into the pipeline.
- To carry out the work, you will need a hydraulic level, a coil of steel wire with a diameter of 2-4 mm, and an Esmarch mug, that is, a device that is used in medicine for cleansing enemas.
- We take the tube of the hydraulic level and wrap it with wire or attach the wire to the tube with adhesive tape or electrical tape. This must be done so that the wire does not stick out in different directions, while the tip of the tube should protrude by one centimeter.
- Now we connect the second end of the hydraulic level tube to the outlet pipe of the Esmarch mug and begin to push our structure into the pipe.
- Since the hydraulic tube has a small diameter and weight, there are no difficulties when pushing through, even if there are turns along the way.
- Push the tube until the tube hits the ice plug.
- Now pour hot water into Esmarch's mug and open the supply valve.
- As the ice plug decreases, push the tube further.
- A suitable container should be installed at the junction of pipes to collect the escaping water.
This method of defrosting is quite effective, but it takes time. For one hour of work, you can have time to free from ice about 0.8-1.0 m of the pipe.
So, there are several fairly effective ways to help solve the problem of how to defrost water pipes. However, all of them are time-consuming, so it is more correct to take the necessary measures, for example, to prevent freezing of water in the pipeline.
Often people wonder if the hose in the well is frozen, what to do, how to solve the problem. In a private house or in a country house, many people have a well with water or a water well, from where drinking water is pumped with a pump.
Why does the hose freeze in the well?
Often such a well is created practically within the house, using a basement or underground for this. The location of the well with water does not save from the fact that in winter the well hose for drinking water freezes.
This happens, as scientists have established, not underground, but at the transition between the air and land borders. A draft that occurs in the basement or underground can complicate the situation. This causes the air to crystallize, which in winter causes the water in the hose to freeze.
Among other common reasons for this phenomenon, it is worth noting the following factors:
- The well was built incorrectly, causing the water in the pump shaft to be close to the ground. If it freezes, which is not uncommon at low temperatures, then the water in the well will freeze.
- Poor well insulation.
- The water supply system is very close to the earth's surface.
- Groundwater is located very high.
- Low level of soil freezing, which is typical for regions with a harsh winter climate.
An important reason why the pipes and hose from the pump can freeze in winter is the quality of the well material. If it is built of wood, not reinforced concrete, then the risk of freezing of the hose and water system underground is reduced significantly.
What to do if the hose in the well is frozen?
Consider how to warm a flexible hose in a well. You can prepare for such situations if the hose for the water well has already been frozen.
It is necessary to solve such problems immediately so that by winter the water supply system does not become unusable at all. If the water in the well is frozen, then there are effective methods on how to warm up or how to defrost the water.
If the water in the well freezes, first of all you need to look at the ice film. If it is dark and has cobwebs, then the coating of water from frost is thin and breaks with a crowbar. It is necessary to act very carefully so as not to break anything, but only to break the ice on the hose leading to the mine. Water must be gently stirred with a bucket to mix all the particles of the ice crust.
Considering that such a situation may recur, it is necessary to insulate the shaft and the hose connection. It is recommended to replace it with frost-resistant. It is necessary to buy a reinforced one and replace the previous one with this hose.
You need to purchase and install it in the spring-summer period. You can use other types of such devices, but for this you need to consult with a specialist. Only he knows exactly what should be the hose for pumping water from the well.
In the event that the ice crust has become very thick, it is necessary to melt the water through a touch with heat. How to warm up in this way? You will need a special building hair dryer, you can use a heating element or other similar devices. It is recommended to cover the defrosted surface with something from above - boards or film.
It is necessary to connect the device so that it works without interruptions and can cope with the task in a short period of time. A purchased and connected hair dryer or heating element can be put on autonomous power.
You need to find out more about this in the store at the time of purchasing the product. All this will speed up the process of thawing ice, which will then turn into water flowing down into the well.
In order not to suffer every autumn and winter over the question of how to defrost the hose from the well and the water in it, you need to take care of the water equipment even in the warm season.
Water structures in adverse weather conditions require additional protection. You need to protect the well near the base of the soil and from all sides.
It is best to use a material called polystyrene foam, it is perfectly cut into pieces. This allows you to make the required number of sheets and plates, wrapping them around the well completely. But before installation, the expanded polystyrene must be given to the workshop or independently coated with oil paint, then wrapped in foil.
From the sheets obtained, you need to make protection by digging a trench around the perimeter of the well. It is necessary to insert material into it, and then bury it. The earth needs to be regularly rammed, this will create additional protection. Additionally, you can wrap the pipes and hose with special heat-insulating substances.
The lack of water in the water supply in a private house can be due to various reasons. One of them is the formation of an ice plug in the pipe. Such a nuisance occurs if the temperature is very low outside, and the rules were violated when laying the water supply. You can try to fix the problem yourself, but it requires considerable effort. Consider the answer to the question: water froze in a pipe underground - what to do in this situation?
Before figuring out what to do if the water in the water pipes froze, let's figure out why this can happen. Main reasons:
- laying pipes at insufficient depth;
- a small layer of insulation, its poor quality or complete absence;
- insignificant or zero water consumption during severe frosts;
- abnormal weather conditions.
As a rule, pipes passing on the street - outside or underground - freeze. But in the absence of heating and significant sub-zero temperatures for a long time, the problem may occur indoors or at the point where the pipe enters the wall.
Cork search
Before deciding how to warm up a frozen water supply, first of all, you should find the place where an ice plug forms in the pipe. Most often they are formed at the joints of the elements, but sometimes the structure freezes along the entire length. Search methods:
- Visual inspection of the outer pipes. Due to the fact that water increases in volume when it freezes, ice plugs lead to the expansion of plastic elements. In addition, these areas feel colder to the touch than the rest.
- Internal check. If it is not possible to inspect the pipeline, it should be partially disassembled and a flexible cable inserted into the hole. As soon as there is an obstacle in the way of its progress, the traffic jam is detected. To determine its location, you should measure the length of the included cable.
The solution to the problem of how to warm up a frozen pipe with water depends on whether there is open access to the problem area, or whether it needs to be heated from the inside of the water supply system.
External pipe heating
If the water in the pipe is frozen, how to warm it from the outside? If there is open access to the area in which the ice plug has formed, it is not difficult to solve the problem. Before heating, be sure to open the taps so that the melted liquid can freely exit. The main methods involve the use of:
- hot water;
- warm air;
- elements of the "warm floor" system (heating cable).
Hot water
This method is suitable for any pipes: polypropylene, metal-plastic, metal, and others. But the temperature of the water should be increased gradually so that the structure does not crack.
- Wrap fabric around the frozen area. This is necessary to protect the pipe and distribute heat more evenly.
- Place a container under the pipe to collect water.
- Spray the area with hot water for a few minutes.
- Periodically wring out the fabric and repeat the steps until the water supply is restored.
Warm air
It is best to use a building hair dryer as a source of warm air. It should be directed to the area with an ice plug and held for a while.
If the freezing area is small and the pipe is thin, then you can use a regular hair dryer, but it should not work longer than 15 minutes in a row. It is advisable to wrap the pipe with heat-insulating material and let hot air under it. Such a "casing" will accelerate warming up.
It is useless to use a fan heater or an electric radiator, since they cannot be used to create a concentrated air flow. With a building hair dryer, you can safely defrost metal pipes. Plastic structures with inaccurate use, it can damage.
Heating cable
To heat a plastic pipe, you will need an electric cable that is used when installing a "warm floor" or a special cable for heating pipes. Action algorithm:
- Wrap the pipe section with foil. Place the electrical cable on top.
- After the cable, put a layer of insulation. Secure everything with tape.
- Connect the cable to the network for 2-4 hours.
Note: Metal structures can be heated using a welding machine by attaching it to a frozen section of the pipe. It is also allowed to use open sources of fire - a fire, a blowtorch. For propylene and other plastic pipes, such methods are not suitable.
Internal heating of pipes
Consider what to do when water froze in a pipe underground. With a shallow depth and low hardness of the soil, it is worth digging a trench and applying some of the methods described above. If this is not possible, internal heating should be carried out. The main methods are based on the application:
- steam generator;
- homemade boiler;
- hot water.
All methods assume the possibility of penetration into the pipeline. If it is missing, you should disassemble or cut out part of the structure, after blocking the water supply.
steam generator
To defrost the pipe, you will need a steam generator - a device that produces hot water vapor under pressure. Stages:
- Pour water into the tank.
- Connect a heat-resistant hose with a small diameter to the steam generator.
- Insert the hose as far as it will go (up to the ice plug) into the water pipe. At the same time, there should be free space in it for the flow of melt water.
- Turn on the steam generator. Wait until the ice begins to defrost. This usually takes 5-15 minutes. The amount of water in the steam generator tank must be monitored.
When solving the problem of how to heat water in a plastic pipe underground, if there is no steam generator, you can use an autoclave. The heat-resistant hose must be connected to the fitting of the appliance.
Homemade boiler
You can warm up the water supply from plastic using a homemade electric boiler. This method is not suitable for metal structures. It involves working with high voltage, so you need to be careful.
Action algorithm:
- Take a copper wire with two insulated cores (section - 2.5-3 mm).
- Separate the wires and spread apart.
- Remove the winding from one wire. Bend the second core in the opposite direction along the wire.
- Tightly wrap the "bare" part 3-5 times around the fold. Cut off the rest.
- Retreat from the turns of 2-3 mm. Strip the end of the bent wire. Wind it around the insulated wire 3-5 times. Trim off the excess. The turns of the first and second wires must not touch.
- Connect the plug to the other end of the wire.
- Insert the "boiler" into the water supply until it stops.
- Plug in the plug. Under the influence of heat, the ice should begin to melt.
- As the cork decreases, the "boiler" should be moved deeper.
Tip: When using a steam generator or "boiler", ensure that the melt water is drained. It is required to periodically turn off the device and use a thin hose and a compressor to pump it out of the pipe.
Hot water
The essence of this method is reduced to the impact on the ice in the pipe with hot water. For its "delivery" to the cork, you can use:
- hydro level and Esmarch's mug;
- pump.
The first option is suitable if the question arose of how to warm up a frozen pipe underground when the plug is far from home, and the system has turns and bends. Required:
- building hydraulic level;
- Esmarch's mug (device for enemas);
- hardened steel wire.
- Connect the hydraulic level tube and the wire along the length, making a loop at its end for greater rigidity. The edge of the tube should protrude 1 cm beyond the end of the wire.
- Attach the second end of the hydro level to Esmarch's circle.
- Push the device into the water supply as far as it will go.
- Place a bucket under the pipe hole.
- Pour hot water into a mug. It must flow through the hydraulic level tube to the ice and heat it. In this case, defrosted water will pour out of the hole in the pipe.
This method of heating requires a lot of time and effort. To thaw 5-10 cm of ice, you need up to 5 liters of hot water. The whole process can take 5-7 hours depending on the length of the cork.
If there is a pump, then it should be installed in a container in which water is constantly heated, and a heat-resistant hose, insert it into the water supply and supply hot water under pressure. The diameter of the hose should be such that there is a gap for the melt water to exit the pipe. It can be reused for heating.
Note: In the warm season, it is worth inspecting the water supply that has undergone defrosting. Deformed elements may need to be replaced. It is also worth taking measures to prevent the freezing of pipes.
Prevention
Freezing water supply is a problem that owners of private houses periodically face in cold winters. You can remove the ice plug yourself. The easiest way to restore the patency of the pipe, which has external access. If the structure is in the ground, then certain devices will be required. In difficult cases, it is better to turn to the help of specialists who have a powerful apparatus for breaking ice - a hydrodynamic machine.
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