Deep freeze. Pipe question

[Chocaholic]

Going to be below freezing for 3+ days here in Atlanta with early morning temps in the low teens.

Water turned off to all outside spigots and covered. Here’s my concern…house is on a slab so most plumbing (copper) runs through the attic. Two H2O tanks are also in the attic as are furnaces (heat pumps). Attic ceilings are not insulated, only floors.

I’ve insulated the hot water pipes for obvious reasons but never thought to insulate the cold. Will make a trip to HD today to get more pipe insulation if they’re not already sold out and leave water dripping overnight. What’s my risk of attic pipes freezing? Heard horror stories from last years TX deep freeze.

[slow&rusty]

Here in Houston, I open my attic door to allow the warm air to get in and I also have an oscillating large electric space heater that I place adjacent to my pipes. Little things like that all help.

We're preparing for the same cold front starting today.

[A930Rocket]

It certainly would not hurt. I would do it.

I would insulate any waterline covered by batt/blown insulation as well.

[Chocaholic]

Originally Posted by slow&rusty

Here in Houston, I open my attic door to allow the warm air to get in and I also have an oscillating large electric space heater that I place adjacent to my pipes. Little things like that all help.

We're preparing for the same cold front starting today.

Thought about putting an oscillating ceramic space heater up there but wondered about safety. It will run for days and not easily accessible to check on. Thoughts?

There’s two lights up there and I was going to pick up some 100w incandescent bulbs and leave them on. Probably a drop in the ocean.

I suppose adjacent furnace will be running 24/7 for a few days and most leak some warm air.

[unclebilly]

Originally Posted by slow&rusty

Here in Houston, I open my attic door to allow the warm air to get in and I also have an oscillating large electric space heater that I place adjacent to my pipes. Little things like that all help.

We're preparing for the same cold front starting today.

That’s what I was going to suggest.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

Thought about putting an oscillating ceramic space heater up there but wondered about safety. It will run for days and not easily accessible to check on. Thoughts?

There’s two lights up there and I was going to pick up some 100w incandescent bulbs and leave them on. Probably a drop in the ocean.

I suppose adjacent furnace will be running 24/7 for a few days and most leak some warm air.

If you don't have or want to put a heater in the attic, the PO of my home put a halogen work light in the pump house to serve as a heater for the pipes out there. During "snowmaggedon" almost two years ago now, I sealed up the crawlspace and put 2 halogen worklights under the house to act as heaters. I think they are 500W, so they put out A LOT of heat. And yes, assuming you don't lose power, the heat from the furnace and house will probably keep the attic/pipes warm enough.

[greglepore]

I had a house on a slab here in Va for 3 years with late 90's Shell poly pipe in the attic-forget the name but its considered weak-and it was fine for a spell of a week in the teens a few years back-the air handlers in the attic kept it warm enough. If you're worried, let a faucet or two run very slowly at night.
However, did learn the hard way that mice get in in the cold and love to eat pex type pipe. Mine came in thru a external chase (think gutter alu pipe) that the freon lines ran in. Installers filled it with expanding foam, which the mice went right thru-should be filled with the stainless wool that rodent control guys use. Had numerous leaks in ceiling over Christmas week. Joy to the world.

[masraum]

For the folks that are worried that you're going to have the same problem that we had in Texas 2 years ago, the main reason that so many folks had issues here was because the power was getting shut off so the heat wasn't running so the house wasn't warm. That wasn't the issue everywhere.

Redbeard or his parents had an issue, IIRC, because they had pipes in the exterior wall of the garage and the garage wasn't heated. I think there may have also been an issue where there were pipes in an exterior wall OUTSIDE of the insulation. Lots of folks had issues because there were pipes in the ceiling of the garage, again, no heat.

I would think that as long as you're heating the house, that most of the pipes in the house should be good. Or maybe I'm wrong.

[blucille]

good call on letting the water drip from the faucet, running water won't freeze....

Also, when you shut off the outside faucets, it is best to leave the outside spigot open, if any water is still in the pipes, it is the expansion during freezing that causes the problems, so an open spigot will relieve the pressure.

[BK911]

Heat trace thermostatically controlled to energize when temp below 35F.

Of course only works with electricity.

[BK911]

Image didn't work but something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=electric+heat+trace&adgrpid=76729917039&gclid=CjwKCAiAnZCdBhBmEiwA8nDQxVIFHw37cZfvlmizjsZs gpLpqoEhjWPpwaGCTDq7kynVdJ-bnCVuUxoCHh0QAvD_BwE&hvadid=409930806915&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9060223&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=12329390597211387762&hvtargid=kwd-300523798736&hydadcr=13567_11413433&tag=hydsma-20&ref=pd_sl_1iof4iqtjn_e

[BK911]

And the HT goes under the insulation.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by masraum

If you don't have or want to put a heater in the attic, the PO of my home put a halogen work light in the pump house to serve as a heater for the pipes out there. During "snowmaggedon" almost two years ago now, I sealed up the crawlspace and put 2 halogen worklights under the house to act as heaters. I think they are 500W, so they put out A LOT of heat. And yes, assuming you don't lose power, the heat from the furnace and house will probably keep the attic/pipes warm enough.

A painter left one of those work lights on underneath my brother’s house in Dallas and caught it on fire. Total loss.

Be careful out there…

[911 Rod]

I don't think you'll have a problem. The heat from the house will get sucked up in to the attic.
It takes consistent cold for days before your pipes will freeze enough to burst them.
If you are worried about it, let your taps drip.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by BK911

Heat trace thermostatically controlled to energize when temp below 35F.

Of course only works with electricity.

Originally Posted by BK911

Image didn't work but something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=electric+heat+trace&adgrpid=76729917039&gclid=CjwKCAiAnZCdBhBmEiwA8nDQxVIFHw37cZfvlmizjsZs gpLpqoEhjWPpwaGCTDq7kynVdJ-bnCVuUxoCHh0QAvD_BwE&hvadid=409930806915&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9060223&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=12329390597211387762&hvtargid=kwd-300523798736&hydadcr=13567_11413433&tag=hydsma-20&ref=pd_sl_1iof4iqtjn_e

Originally Posted by BK911

And the HT goes under the insulation.

Yep, I bought and installed something like that in our pump house after the big freeze 2 years ago. The pumphouse was the only place that we had a pipe freeze. It was on the opposite side from the work light, and I assume due to the power outages that we had. Fortunately, it was an easy fix so I didn't have to wait for a plumber like so many people.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by javadog

A painter left one of those work lights on underneath my brother’s house in Dallas and caught it on fire. Total loss.

Be careful out there…

I'm not using that method now. I've made improvements and have a better understanding of what's going on.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

Water turned off to all outside spigots and covered.

Are you supposed to open the outside hand crank valve after shut off? Makes sense to lose any standing water inside.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

Are you supposed to open the outside hand crank valve after shut off? Makes sense to lose any standing water inside.

If you have a way to empty the pipes, that's ideal. I don't think most pipes will empty. I wouldn't hurt, I'd think to open the valve and let anything flow out that will.

I've heard it recommended to add a way to use compressed air to blow the lines out.

[911 Rod]

He's talking about 3 days around the freezing temp in a occupied home here.
Not going into an ice age

[wilnj]

Originally Posted by masraum

If you don't have or want to put a heater in the attic, the PO of my home put a halogen work light in the pump house to serve as a heater for the pipes out there. During "snowmaggedon" almost two years ago now, I sealed up the crawlspace and put 2 halogen worklights under the house to act as heaters. I think they are 500W, so they put out A LOT of heat. And yes, assuming you don't lose power, the heat from the furnace and house will probably keep the attic/pipes warm enough.

I’ve done the same. Finally did it right and installed heat tape on the pipes under the insulation.


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