# what do you do when pipes freeze? **URL:** \ **Category:** PittSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [February 6, 2007, 4:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-do-you-do-when-pipes-freeze/187871 "2007-02-06T04:49:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![1320](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/1320/32/5949_2.png) [@1320](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/1320)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 4:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-do-you-do-when-pipes-freeze/187871/1 "2007-02-06T04:49:50Z")
:rant: Okay, only the hot water is working. Toliet wont flush and none of the cold water knobs work in any of my sinks. I hate winter. ---
**Author:** ![imported\_Hero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ccd318/32.png) [@imported\_Hero](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/imported_Hero)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 5:25am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-do-you-do-when-pipes-freeze/187871/2 "2007-02-06T05:25:15Z")
Hair dryer… or mild propane heat (if Cu pipes) Thaw slowly. keep heat away from any soldered joints. Check for leaks after thawing. ---
**Author:** ![eurodad](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/eurodad/32/5988_2.png) [@eurodad](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/eurodad)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 5:31am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-do-you-do-when-pipes-freeze/187871/3 "2007-02-06T05:31:16Z")
hair dryer and invest in some heat tape. ---
**Author:** ![The1SloR\_T](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/the1slor_t/32/5984_2.png) [@The1SloR\_T](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/The1SloR_T)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 6:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-do-you-do-when-pipes-freeze/187871/4 "2007-02-06T06:06:21Z")
if the pipes are in a another room in the game room/basement then leave the door cracked and they wont freeze, hair dryer or propane works to unfreeze them ---
**Author:** ![VictorSmalls](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/victorsmalls/32/5944_2.png) [@VictorSmalls](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/VictorSmalls)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 6:10am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-do-you-do-when-pipes-freeze/187871/5 "2007-02-06T06:10:03Z")
I am using 2 small electric space heaters near the pipes in the basement ---
**Author:** ![HaNnIBaL64](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/hannibal64/32/5954_2.png) [@HaNnIBaL64](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/HaNnIBaL64)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 6:39am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-do-you-do-when-pipes-freeze/187871/6 "2007-02-06T06:39:39Z")
heat tape them and let them drip once they unfreeze so they dont freeze again ---
**Author:** ![vtecsol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@vtecsol](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/vtecsol)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 7:12am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-do-you-do-when-pipes-freeze/187871/7 "2007-02-06T07:12:46Z")
^^^ what he said ---
**Author:** ![foz](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/foz/32/6028_2.png) [@foz](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/foz)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 7:56am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-do-you-do-when-pipes-freeze/187871/8 "2007-02-06T07:56:45Z")
I think a barowner was on TV last night from thawing his pipes with a heat gun… mainly cause it ended up setting the place on fire yesterday! ---
**Author:** ![munster\_ek](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/munster_ek/32/5977_2.png) [@munster\_ek](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/munster_ek)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 10:04am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-do-you-do-when-pipes-freeze/187871/9 "2007-02-06T10:04:54Z")
Basically what everyone else said. Propane, electric, whatever heaters. Use a blow dryer too. Get some heat tape, pipe insulation, etc in the meantime. Leave a faucet dripping once you get it to thaw. Mine froze yesterday. Made me finish the garage heater project earlier than expected. ---
**Author:** ![bgblockelcamino](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/bgblockelcamino/32/5997_2.png) [@bgblockelcamino](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/bgblockelcamino)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 10:38am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-do-you-do-when-pipes-freeze/187871/10 "2007-02-06T10:38:16Z")
mine just froze right now!! luckily it was in the unfinished bathroom but still sucks luckily i was in house when it happened so only about 3 gallons of water on floor. so dried the floor up and shut the water off to that bathroom. ---
**Author:** ![mustang03gt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@mustang03gt](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/mustang03gt)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 10:41am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-do-you-do-when-pipes-freeze/187871/11 "2007-02-06T10:41:43Z")
> [@Bad clutch or bad transmission???](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-clutch-or-bad-transmission/27756/2): > > heat tape them and let them drip once they unfreeze so they dont freeze again what he said, make sure u leave the faucet drip a bit! ---
**Author:** ![Orr89rocz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac91a4/32.png) [@Orr89rocz](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Orr89rocz)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 10:51am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-do-you-do-when-pipes-freeze/187871/12 "2007-02-06T10:51:11Z")
how does dripping help against freezing? the flow of fluid i know helps keep it from freezign but dripping isnt really flowing alot of water in the pipes… if its cold enough, rivers freeeze over and they flow more than dripping pipes ---
**Author:** ![burnyd](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/burnyd/32/6020_2.png) [@burnyd](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/burnyd)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 10:57am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-do-you-do-when-pipes-freeze/187871/13 "2007-02-06T10:57:48Z")
> [@LA1 3400 discussion](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/la1-3400-discussion/27781/9): > > mine just froze right now!! luckily it was in the unfinished bathroom > but still sucks > luckily i was in house when it happened so only about 3 gallons of water on floor. so dried the floor up and shut the water off to that bathroom. heat gun to anything \> \* ---
**Author:** ![mustang03gt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@mustang03gt](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/mustang03gt)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 11:07am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-do-you-do-when-pipes-freeze/187871/14 "2007-02-06T11:07:55Z")
> [@Found at M&M](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-at-m-m/27367/33): > > how does dripping help against freezing? the flow of fluid i know helps keep it from freezign but dripping isnt really flowing alot of water in the pipes… if its cold enough, rivers freeeze over and they flow more than dripping pipes [http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mpipefreeze.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mpipefreeze.html) it just works. I used to live with my cousin and had well water, and we had to do it every winter. Tho it probably never got this cold…burrrrrrr ---
**Author:** ![Orr89rocz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac91a4/32.png) [@Orr89rocz](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Orr89rocz)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 1:47pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-do-you-do-when-pipes-freeze/187871/15 "2007-02-06T13:47:40Z")
> [@\<3 Will Ferrell](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/3-will-ferrell/27783/9): > > [http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mpipefreeze.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mpipefreeze.html) > > it just works. I used to live with my cousin and had well water, and we had to do it every winter. Tho it probably never got this cold…burrrrrrr yeah i figured that much…but even dripping doesnt seem to keep enough water flowing away from pipe walls… but hey if it works, it works. my guess is if it does get cold enough, like they say, drippin wont matter:) ---
**Author:** ![munster\_ek](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/munster_ek/32/5977_2.png) [@munster\_ek](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/munster_ek)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-do-you-do-when-pipes-freeze/187871/16 "2007-02-06T14:20:58Z")
I was lucky enough that no pipes burst. Did you get it straightened out, Kolar?