Why do hot water pipes freeze first?
If the water is initially hot, cooled water at the bottom is denser than the hot water at the top, so no convection will occur and the bottom part will start freezing while the top is still warm. This effect, combined with the evaporation effect, may make hot water freeze faster than cold water in some cases.
In short, hot water does freeze sooner than cold water under a wide range of circ*mstances. It is not impossible, and has been seen to occur in a number of experiments. But despite claims often made by one source or another, there is no well-agreed explanation for how this phenomenon occurs.
The reason for the observation is warm water evaporates quickly than cold water. As evaporation will produce the cooling effect water will get cooling immediately and freeze earlier than cold water.
Hot water freezes faster than cold, known as the Mpemba effect.
Apply heat to the section of the pipe that is frozen.
This can be done by wrapping an electronic heating pad around the pipe, heating the area with a hair dryer or both. If you lack either of these items, using towels soaked in hot water will help as well.
Never pour hot water on frozen plumbing or try to thaw pipes with a blowtorch. The hot water usually freezes on the outside of the pipe, and the torch can cause frozen pipes to explode if steam is produced. Also, do not strike pipes in an attempt to break up the ice, as hammer blows can cause pipes to crack.
- Insulate Your Pipes.
- Disconnect Exterior Hoses.
- Shut Off the Main Water Valve.
- Blow Excess Air Out of Your Pipes.
- Drain Your Toilets and Water Heater.
The Mpemba effect is the name given to the observation that a liquid (typically water) which is initially hot can freeze faster than the same liquid which begins cold, under otherwise similar conditions. There is disagreement about its theoretical basis and the parameters required to produce the effect.
Water would have to be -42 F to immediately freeze. What is happening instead is that the hot water is quickly condensing into water droplets, essentially turning into steam. This happens at around -14 F and below and is much more possible in some of the colder U.S. states.
Cold water boils faster than hot water.
It's a wonder it persists. There is, however, a good reason to use cold water instead of hot for cooking: hot water will contain more dissolved minerals from your pipes, which can give your food an off-flavor, particularly if you reduce the water a lot.
Which pipes are most likely to freeze?
- Outdoor Water Lines.
- Basem*nt Pipes.
- Attic Plumbing.
- Pipes In Your Garage.
- Kitchen Cabinet Piping.
- Exterior Wall Pipes.
Some pipes simply freeze faster than others. Copper pipes freeze faster than PEX piping, which has more freeze resistance than other piping. This is because copper is a good conductor of heat, so heat loss occurs faster.
The rule of the thumb is that it takes roughly 6-hours for water in your pipe to freeze after left in an unheated area. Meaning if you lose power at your home and the weather is reaching below freezing point, you have approximately 6-hours until the pipes will begin to freeze.
Frozen pipes can cut off your home's water supply and cause damaging leaks. In many cases, the help of a plumber is needed to resolve the problem. To prevent further damage, it is generally recommended that you turn off your main water supply valve and your water heater until repairs have been made.
If the pipes have frozen and burst, a plumber can fix them. If the pipes are frozen but have not burst, a plumber can remedy them by applying a heat gun to thaw them. For an interim solution, a homeowner could use a hair dryer to start the thawing process.
Before cold weather hits:
If a pipe breaks, you'll need to shut off the water to your house to minimize damage.
And once the temperature outside dips below 32F, unprotected pipes are at a greater risk of freezing and potentially bursting. That said, it's still possible for your pipes to thaw without bursting. The key is to release the pressure and allow the pipes to thaw slowly.
Fortunately, most DIY methods for unfreezing pipes gets the water flowing again in 30-40 minutes. You might be tempted to wait for the pipes to thaw out by themselves. But keep in mind: Depending on the weather, the process can take days.
In most cases, you can unfreeze a frozen drainpipe by pouring hot water down it. Fill a pot with a half-gallon of water, and heat it on the stove. When it begins to boil, carefully remove it from the stove and slowly pour it down the drain. This may be enough to thaw the ice and completely clear your drain.
- A bulge or crack in a pipe with ice seeping out is a clear indication of a burst pipe.
- Frost on the outside of a pipe.
- A foul smell from the drain or faucet is a less-obvious warning sign. ...
- No water or a slow trickle when a faucet is used.
How do I keep my hot water heater from freezing?
- Install Your Water Heater in a Warm Place. ...
- Drain Your Water Heater. ...
- Maintain a Power Source. ...
- Consider a Recirculation System. ...
- Insulate, Insulate, Insulate. ...
- Run a Trickle of Water.
It's called the Mpemba effect. makieni/Shutterstock. For centuries, observant scientists from Aristotle to Descartes have harbored a suspicion that — contrary to all conventional wisdom — hot water can somehow freeze faster than cold water. But there was no scientific consensus that this conjecture was actually true.
The modern term for hot water freezing faster than cold water is the Mpemba effect, named after Erasto Mpemba, a Tanzanian teenager who, along with the physicist Denis Osborne, conducted the first systematic, scientific studies of it in the 1960s.
You'll get some snow from boiling water at 25 °F (-4 °C) if the conditions are right, but probably not a complete conversion. In other words, some of the water may fall as tiny bits of ice. Chances of success are good at -10 °F (-23 °C). The ideal temperature is -30 °F (-34 °C) or below.
If you didn't realize this, you're not alone. Hot water systems like tanks and boilers contain metallic parts that corrode as time goes by, contaminating the water. Hot water also dissolves contaminants in pipes faster than cold water. And no, boiling the water does not make those contaminants (like lead) go away.
2. USE ONLY COLD WATER FOR COOKING AND DRINKING. Do not cook with, or drink water from the hot water tap. Hot water can dissolve more lead more quickly than cold wa- ter.
MYTH: Salted water boils faster. TRUTH: Adding salt raises the boiling point of water (slightly), so it does make your water hotter, but it's not going to boil any faster. The amount of salt added is much too low to make a noticeable difference in your cooking time.
Because it is a thermoset plastic, PEX cannot be melted down and reused. A 2005 report by the San Francisco Department of the Environment found that PEX was the only type of plastic piping that no plastic recycler would accept.
Repair pipe without draining lines. Freeze liquids in steel, copper, cast iron, aluminum, or plastic. Uses Carbon Dioxide (CO2) to freeze liquids. Fast, compact freeze units.
Pipe freezing kits make pipework repair and maintenance a doddle without needing to drain down entire systems. You can save up to 85% on time and save money with minimum disruption and reduce the potential of water spillage and property damage.
What temperature should I keep my house in winter so pipes don't freeze?
Here's a list of ways to prevent freezing pipes in your home: Keep the thermostat at a minimum of 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure pipes are properly insulated. Keep water slowly flowing on outer wall faucets.
Pipes can freeze in as little as six to eight hours, meaning they can freeze overnight. If the outside temperature is below 32 degrees F and your pipes are unprotected, your chances for a frozen pipe increase.
If the water is initially hot, cooled water at the bottom is denser than the hot water at the top, so no convection will occur and the bottom part will start freezing while the top is still warm. This effect, combined with the evaporation effect, may make hot water freeze faster than cold water in some cases.
Will Frozen Pipes Thaw on Their Own? Pipes will eventually unfreeze on their own naturally, but this takes far more time and before thawing occurs the freezing could become much worse. This could eventually lead to the pipe bursting and causing significantly more damage.
As long as your frozen pipes haven't burst, a plumber will likely charge a flat fee of around $100 to thaw them out. However, the cost to repair burst pipes tends to be much higher and will ultimately depend on the extent of the damage. Expect to pay $500 on average, which includes the diagnosis and the repair itself.
Frozen pipes can lead to basem*nt flooding, increasing the risk of drowning, especially where young children and seniors are involved. It also triggers problems with your home's wiring, which may eventually result in electrocution, house fires, electric shocks, and even death.
Pipes are most likely to burst when exposed to below-freezing conditions for six hours or more, which can happen throughout winter and early spring. Burst pipes could lead to a disaster, bringing severe water damage to your home.
Never leave heater unattended. Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you cannot find the frozen area, if the area is not accessible, or if you cannot thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber. DO NOT use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device.
No matter the strength of a container, expanding water can cause pipes to break. Pipes that freeze most frequently are: Pipes that are exposed to severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, and water sprinkler lines.
Be prepared to wait at least 30 to 60 minutes. When the pipe begins to thaw, water will start flowing at a faster rate through the open faucet. Even after the water pressure is fully restored, it's recommended to keep the heat on the pipe to ensure the ice in the line is completely melted.
Are hot water pipes separate from cold water pipes?
Most water fixtures in your home use both hot and cold water. When that's the case, two separate water lines run to those fixtures—one hot and one cold. Some appliances only need one or the other. For instance, your dishwasher has just a hot line, and your toilet has a single cold line.
PEX, or cross-linked polyethylene, has a chemical structure that gives it flexibility to withstand pressure increases and perform better in the winter. If water freezes in the pipe, for example, PEX will expand to accommodate the change. Then it will contract back to original dimensions once thawed.
- Turn on the faucet. Keep it running. ...
- Apply heat to the frozen area. Slowly apply heat using a hair dryer. ...
- Continue to apply heat. Don't stop heating until full water pressure is restored. ...
- Check all faucets and prevent pipes from freezing in the future.
In most cases, you can unfreeze a frozen drainpipe by pouring hot water down it. Fill a pot with a half-gallon of water, and heat it on the stove. When it begins to boil, carefully remove it from the stove and slowly pour it down the drain. This may be enough to thaw the ice and completely clear your drain.
If the pipes have frozen and burst, a plumber can fix them. If the pipes are frozen but have not burst, a plumber can remedy them by applying a heat gun to thaw them. For an interim solution, a homeowner could use a hair dryer to start the thawing process.
Turning off the water to the entire home will also stop the flow of water into the water heater. However, if you have a tank-style water heater, then the water inside the tank may still flow out of the water heater. Open a faucet on the lowest level of the home to drain any water remaining in the line.
Local piping clogs can cause bad water pressure in entire sections of hot, cold, or both hot and cold water supply pipes and fixtures in a building.
Begin the flushing procedure by opening the hot water taps in your bathroom(s). Open ALL hot water sink fixtures, hot water bathtub or shower fixtures. Next, open all other hot water fixtures, such as in kitchens, wet bars, etc. Run all of these hot water fixtures for 15 minutes, then shut the water off.
