Author Topic: No heat for a week - how to protect pipes  (Read 18600 times)

Bettis

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No heat for a week - how to protect pipes
« on: October 28, 2013, 07:42:28 AM »
I'm getting a conversion from oil to gas done next Monday through Wednesday but last night, I ran out of oil which means no heat and no hot water for a little over a week.  I live in Mass so the lows have been around 30F.  Is there anything I can do to protect my pipes from freezing?  I've heard of letting the faucet drip which sucks but may be a necessary evil.  If so, would it be all my faucets or would just the kitchen sink be ok?

I called the oil company but I technically cancelled service a few weeks ago when I got a date for the gas conversion as I didn't want a large fill up.  I left a message so hopefully they will get back but if they don't, what precautions can I take?  I have a space-heater so we won't freeze but I am concerned about our dogs and of course the pipes as I'm sure that is a huge expense to repair.

NumberCruncher

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Re: No heat for a week - how to protect pipes
« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2013, 07:56:52 AM »
I live in Mass too and haven't had the heat on yet - it's around 60 degrees inside right now - well above freezing. You might not need to do anything. Obviously YMMV, but something to think about if you have decent insulation.

Bettis

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Re: No heat for a week - how to protect pipes
« Reply #2 on: October 28, 2013, 08:08:06 AM »
We don't have much insulation unfortunately.  I just had a Mass Save free energy audit done and they checked the insulation as I had never been in my attic before.  Nothing in the walls and only a couple of inches in the attic.  Their program won't add to the attic until I vent my (non-working) kitchen fan outside (wtf) so I suppose I have to learn how to do all of that myself.  The house temperature this morning was about 55F so I hope it can maintain but I don't have fancy south facing windows and stuff.  Wish this site existed before I bought my house or else I would've been a lot more choosy.

Frankies Girl

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Re: No heat for a week - how to protect pipes
« Reply #3 on: October 28, 2013, 08:13:46 AM »
You can open the cabinets below the sinks so the warmer inside air circulates better to the pipes. If you're running space heaters in your house, the interior temps should be warm enough to help offset the cold temps outside/in-ground.

Opening a faucet is supposed to relieve pressure in the pipes themselves in the case of water in the pipe freezing and expanding (thus bursting a pipe) during hard, sustained freezes. If your outside ambient temps are just dipping into the 30s for a few hours a night - not staying there for a sustained period of time (below freezing) - then chances are, that you shouldn't have to do that as your interior temps should be warm enough to prevent any freezing.

Miss Growing Green

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Re: No heat for a week - how to protect pipes
« Reply #4 on: October 28, 2013, 09:38:30 AM »
With lows around 30 you should honestly be okay.  Getting down to 25-ish though, that's when I would be concerned.  Like someone else mentioned, let the pipes maintain a slow, constant drip.  This not only relieves pressure, but brings in "warmer" water from your main water line.  The main line is deep enough that it will never freeze, so if the water in your house pipes is at risk for freezing and you are slowly flushing it with warmer water, that should help.

CommonCents

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Re: No heat for a week - how to protect pipes
« Reply #5 on: October 28, 2013, 09:46:06 AM »
Are your windows really leaky?  Plastic wrap them for the winter (and save on heating costs all winter).  We do this to the bedroom ones, but leave the one in the main room undone, so we can open/close if needed.  (Have had people over for superbowl/New Years and it gets hot then.

Bettis

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Re: No heat for a week - how to protect pipes
« Reply #6 on: October 28, 2013, 11:40:35 AM »
I know the windows aren't old and they are double paned but when I sit near the huge north-facing front window, it's pretty damn cold so I'm guessing the efficiency is crap due to the window size.  We always keep the curtains drawn which helps a little.  At least we talk to our neighbors or else they'd think we have a meth lab going on with all the curtains drawn all the time.

I've mentioned the plastic wrap idea (heard of doing bubble wrap actually) to my wife but she doesn't seem to want to which is odd because she is always the cold one.  I think she's concerned about how it looks.

I'm glad it doesn't look like the pipes are in danger but the lows will be around 30F a few days but rebounding by the end of the week. 

worms

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Re: No heat for a week - how to protect pipes
« Reply #7 on: October 28, 2013, 02:13:11 PM »
When in the past I've run out of oil and waiting for a delivery in cold weather, I've used normal motor diesel from the filling station.  A 4 gallon jerry can lasts me a couple of days with no ill effects on my boiler (your system or diesel spec may be different).  In my case in UK, this is really un-moustachian as diesel is about £1.30 a litre and domestic heating oil £0.56 Per litre, so it's not something I ever want to do!

But in your case just to last a couple of days it may be worth it.

CommonCents

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Re: No heat for a week - how to protect pipes
« Reply #8 on: October 28, 2013, 02:32:27 PM »
I know the windows aren't old and they are double paned but when I sit near the huge north-facing front window, it's pretty damn cold so I'm guessing the efficiency is crap due to the window size.  We always keep the curtains drawn which helps a little.  At least we talk to our neighbors or else they'd think we have a meth lab going on with all the curtains drawn all the time.

I've mentioned the plastic wrap idea (heard of doing bubble wrap actually) to my wife but she doesn't seem to want to which is odd because she is always the cold one.  I think she's concerned about how it looks.

I'm glad it doesn't look like the pipes are in danger but the lows will be around 30F a few days but rebounding by the end of the week.

Oh I swear by it here in Boston.  If you put it up carefully (easier with a smaller window - we had a double wide one that's harder) it can be done so well you might not even notice it's on.  Seriously, you can look out it as you did before.  Perhaps you can persuade her to do just one.  Near the end of window, if it's still sealed down (and hasn't popped a corner early - we get a lot of wind with bad seals on the wood, so ours sometimes do that) then pop one corner so she can feel the cold air trapped behind it.  It's crazy how cold it is, and how much better it is.  The one window should sell her on the rest.

Oh - we think 3M has better quality, even though Frost King is cheaper, go with the one that won't pop up.

Kevan

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Re: No heat for a week - how to protect pipes
« Reply #9 on: October 28, 2013, 08:20:25 PM »
Even down here in Memphis, pipes have to be insulated to pass Code.  I dare say that in Massachusetts all pipes that weren't properly insulated have already frozen, burst, been repaired, and been insulated by now.  Let the faucets drip for peace of mind, but I see nothing to worry about.

Mr. Minsc

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Re: No heat for a week - how to protect pipes
« Reply #10 on: October 30, 2013, 12:52:11 PM »
With lows around 30 you should honestly be okay.  Getting down to 25-ish though, that's when I would be concerned.  Like someone else mentioned, let the pipes maintain a slow, constant drip.  This not only relieves pressure, but brings in "warmer" water from your main water line.  The main line is deep enough that it will never freeze, so if the water in your house pipes is at risk for freezing and you are slowly flushing it with warmer water, that should help.
That's likely the best thing you can do.  We use this trick to supply water to our cows where the tubs are located in areas the water lines can freeze.  As long as the water is moving it should be fine.  You might need to do it on each tap off and on as there will be "dead areas" in the line if only one faucet is opened.

 

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