Fuck You Winter

"Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW!" (theduckduck) 02/08/2019 at 16:42 • Filed to: None

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Well I have water flowing again in my house. Lost water last Wednesday because we forgot to leave a faucet running. On Monday and Tuesday Wednesday  Roto Rooter came out and broke through the ice and when I reassembled everything water came out of the ground surrounding the water line. That meant that the water line broke. My awesome dad came out on Wednesday and rented a diesel air compressor and a couple of jackhammers and we dug down until we found the water line. Replaced the bad portion that luckily was close to the house. Hooked everything back up and no water at 7:30pm. No clue if the line froze up again or what. Called it quits for the night and planned on calling Roto Rooter again on Thursday morning to get them to hopefully thaw the line again. Well on Wednesday night at 11pm water started trickling from a faucet we left open on the off chance it would help. So now I have water again. Fuck winter.

The house in question. Nothing is an easy fix.

Behind the plywood is the water line and the septic line.

From Tuesday when I tried to free it up my self.

That’s me about 5 feet deep. I am 6ft. My face summarizes how I felt all week.

Chariotoflove > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! 02/08/2019 at 16:47

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Sorry you had to go through that, but damn, won’t that hot shower feel good when it finally gets fixed?

I’m t rying to stay positive.

CB > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! 02/08/2019 at 16:47

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When I was living in Ottawa, during -40 week our kitchen sink would freeze solid, but everything else was okay. Ever done dishes in the bathroom sink? Let me tell you, it sucks.

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > Chariotoflove 02/08/2019 at 16:49

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It did. 

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > CB 02/08/2019 at 16:53

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Our kitchen overhangs the foundation of our house by 1-2ft and that part that overhangs is always really cold to walk on. The sink is also on this side of the kitchen. I was pleasantly surprised that nothing froze during our -30 days last week, all we did was keep the cabinet doors cracked open.

facw > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! 02/08/2019 at 17:00

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Well glad you’ve got it going. Planning on taking measures to ensure it stays warm down to the frost line? I’d imagine it’s even more at risk with that hole exposing it (unless you’ve filled it in already).

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! 02/08/2019 at 17:50

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Five feet isn’t deep enough for water lines. Gotta be at least eight if you want your water to flow in the winter. I worked in a two-season campground many years ago where the lines were only put in two feet deep, and there were a couple washroom buildings we couldn’t open until June because the ground was still frozen. Laying styrofoam insulation above the pipe when you bury it again can help prevent freeze-up, and also gives a good indicator where your pipes are for digging.

Copper lines conduct heat pretty well, so pointing a torch at one nearest to where you think the problem exists is usually enough unless it's exposed to significant cold at the other end . But you don’t want to do that with galvanized steel, lead, or any sort of plastic line.

smobgirl > CB 02/08/2019 at 17:56

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Cold water to my kitchen sink froze last night. Thawed out again now but I got a choice of scalding or bathroom sink this morning!

pip bip - choose Corrour > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! 02/08/2019 at 17:58

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i genuinely have no idea how you can live there  like that.

i would move so quickly away from the cold like that

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! 02/08/2019 at 18:01

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Dude that sucks, I’m sorry. That’s...an odd house construction for a place that gets so cold. 

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! 02/08/2019 at 18:39

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Wow, I’ve never seen a house quite like that, but maybe some similar in the Snohomish River flood plains.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! 02/08/2019 at 20:06

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I see the enclosure is insulated, but were the pipes themselves? Would putting any of that foam insulation stuff right around them help?

TheRealBicycleBuck > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! 02/08/2019 at 20:24

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When I lived in Oklahoma, heat lamps, heat tape, and sometimes a small portable heater were necessary to keep the well and associated pipes from freezing. I had to fix pipes several times over the years, usually when the power went out or the heat tape failed. 

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! 02/08/2019 at 22:13

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anyway to put a mild heating element around the line? I have no idea how hot these things get. could help keep that pillar from freezing. 

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee 02/09/2019 at 20:09

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We are going to bury a new line this summer 8 feet deep. I put heat cable and foam around the reburied section. 

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 02/09/2019 at 20:11

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I did put new heat cable on the section of line that I replaced and surrounded it in foam. 

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 02/09/2019 at 20:13

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I did put two layers of foam around the replaced pipe. Hopefully it's good for the rest of the winter

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! 02/09/2019 at 21:00

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Hopefully that’ll help keep enough heat in it that it won’t freeze and it won’t be an issue for you again! :)

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 02/11/2019 at 11:41

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Just need to make it to spring thaw.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! 02/11/2019 at 15:36

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Good luck!