Frozen pipes!!

[bromley mum]

Managed to defrost the pipes with the help of my hair drier and a fan heater. I have now insulated the outside tap which is where the pipe had started to freeze in the first place. The house was freezing but DH managed to sort that out (he switched the boiler off and on again and that worked ). Now, that the house is warmer than it has been I'm hoping I won't have any more trouble with the pipes. I did go out yesterday and bought bottled water, just in case.

[yunny]

Hello, wondering if anyone can give me advice, my mother has frozen pipes - no hot or cold water whatsover so we did the hairdryer thing and the cold water gushed out, however, there is still no water coming from the hot tap!! Is that another pipe which needs the hairdryer on and if yes then where would the pipe be? I apologise for sounding dumb but I really don't have a clue. Please help!

[hermanmunster]

is it a combi boiler ? maybe the cold supply to that is frozen?

[marigold]

Our combi stopped working because the outlet pipe was frozen ( rather than the inlet one which is mainly underground ) despite being well lagged. An EA code was flashing. I spent about half an hour pouring hot, not boiling, water down the lagging and it started up again. There is a video of how to do this on you tube, just google "condensing boiler not working" masses of advice available.

[yunny]

Hi HM, yes it is a combi, so where would the frozen pipe be?

[hermanmunster]

heading outside somewhere! nip outside to the wall nearest the boiler and see where the steam should be coming out , there should be a cage over it or something like that - our outlet has a spectacular icicle on it!

I was phoning Brit Gas about something else earlier and the recorded message at the beginning was talking about combi boilers and looking for the outlet pipe which was probably frozen if the boiler wasn't working (get the hairdryer on it!) -sounds like a common problem.

[doodles]

This forum never ceases to amaze me. Fantastic advice available FREE. How much has this thread alone saved in plumbers fees, never mind the angst.

[hermanmunster]

http://www.hvpmag.co.uk/MemberPages/article.aspx?id=479" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


disclaimer: I'm a doctor not a plumber

[bromley mum]

no hot or cold water whatsover so we did the hairdryer thing and the cold water gushed out, however, there is still no water coming from the hot tap!!

I don't have a combi boiler but I had the same problem. No cold or hot water and theh after I put a hair drier under the sinlk, the cold water started coming but still no hot water. I kept the drier in place and after about an hour or so the hot water started again. So, this is a problem you can have with both tyoes of boilers.

[Daogroupie]

We had that ultimate nightmare, water pourig through the ceiling, twice! Even after I switched off the water it took over an hour to stop because so much water had built up. Also, even though the bathroom ceiling lights were switched off the water made a circuit so they switched themselves back on and started to smoke. The only way I could stop this was to turn all the sockets off at the mains. I found out quite a lot of things about my dd's and my neighbours and the most amazing torch and work lantern from B and Q during the process. My elder dd having always been very capable and sat nine entrance exams last year went totally to pieces. She now refuses to be in the house alone even for a few minutes and is desperate to return to the sanctuary of school. Younger disorganised messy dd calmly donned a pair of wellingtons and manned the loft with saucepans. Next door neighhour is a plumber, we have helped them in the past with little things like taking in parcels and knocking on their door when they have left lights on in car, so I felt that asking for help when water was pouring through the ceiling and it was his trade was acceptable and I was desperate. I was wrong. They refused to open the door and spoke to me through the letterbox telling me to get an emergency plumber. In the end I sent hysterical dd round to cry outside the door in her pyjamas and he came for ten minutes. It is good to know that I must never rely on help from them in any circumstances whatsoever and we wont be telling them about the lights or taking in parcels anymore. We now switch the water off everytime we leave the house. When we replaced the pipe it was completely packed with ice and it cracked along the top. My ear is now permanently tuned to the sounds of drips and sprays and running water. Eleven plus exams are an absolute pleasure compared to burst water pipes in your house. All the pipes were lagged and I had the loft hatch open but it is a sixty year old house. I am sure elder dd will always choose to live in a modern flat when she has the chance. It is without question the most harrowing experience of her life. She now hates and fears water. DG