Unfreeze Pipes In Attic

What to do if a pipe bursts.

Unfreeze pipes in attic.

Don t thaw pipes using a propane torch which presents a fire risk. If you find a leak close the main shut off valve to your house and call a plumber immediately. Thaw frozen pipe in a wall. If you need to unfreeze water pipes leave your faucets open slightly to help thaw out the pipes.

Set a fan up to blow room temperature air at the cold wall. Otherwise you can thaw out the pipe by wrapping the pipe in a single layer of thermal tape or blowing air from a hair dryer back and forth across the pipe. Use heat tape on problem pipes. Just because it s 32 degrees outside doesn t mean the pipes will reach those temperatures.

Water freezes at 32 degrees fahrenheit but indoor pipes are somewhat protected from outdoor temperature extremes even in unheated areas of the house like in the attic or garage. If a span of pipe is particularly vulnerable to low temperatures electric pipe heating tape acts like an electric blanket for pipes to prevent freezing. Controlled by a thermostat to activate only when the attic temperature plunges dangerously low the tape typically consumes about 5 watts per foot. Open any cabinet doors or panels to expose the pipe to the warmer room air.

Use a space heater heat lamp or hair dryer to thaw the frozen length of pipe. Field tests of residential water systems showed that for uninsulated pipes installed in an unheated attic freezing began when the outside temperature fell to 20 f or below.