subject: Dealing With Frost Damaged Pipes [print this page] It is fair to say that we are experiencing some very strange and at times bizarre weather. In my area we had gone from a very cold snap, and overnight it turned to what seemed a July day in the middle of March. The flowers were confused, as were all the bugs that were now covering my garden plants. It was short lived, and we were to then experience the coldest week in our villages history. It caught us all by surprise and we had more than the cold to deal with.
After the warm day we all turned off our central heating and enjoyed some natural heat from the sun, I remember the evening was particularly warm and we had a very nice sleep without the central heating on. As we awoke it was not only below freezing, but we had to endure some frost damage to our pipes. I had not turned on my outside tap like most others, so they could wash down outside and clean the car from the winter salt that they have been spreading on a daily basis. I did think these people were a little premature, doing the spring cleaning but all to their own.
I had one frost damaged pipe under my sink, I think it had just happened judging by the amount of water deposited on the kitchen floor. I quickly turned off the water by the stop cock under the kitchen sink. I mopped up the water before it had time to soak away under the units and possibly damage my laminate flooring. I think I did an excellent job of containing the damage, I am glad I did not have to go through a long and painful insurance claim.
I turned my attention to the frost damaged pipe. It was a split about two centimeters long, but I had to heat the pipe with a blow torch first, as it was still a little frozen. It was wet and very cold work but until it is done I have no heating. I renovated my kitchen a short time ago and I had fortunately changed all the old copper pipes for the new plastic push fixings, and 13mm pipes. I did all the work myself so I still have many and various ends, joints and pipes in my garage. I had to remove two ninety degree joints but these things go on easy, but you try removing them! It is impossible, and I had to result in cutting them off.
I simply pushed two new elbows in place and then cut a length of pipe and inserted it in to the two new joints. Whilst I was there I fitted some pipe lagging, so to protect it from further frost damage. I checked the rest of the house as a safety measure just in case there was any further frost damage. With the all clear, I turned on the water slowly at first and then on full once I was sure I had no further leaks. The heating was on in an instant and turned up full. It was time for a quick shower and to get warm.
