Winter Comes To The South...........and A Question

[ehenry]

I know most of yall are use to the kind of weather thats coming to my town for the next few days but its suppose to get down in to the single digits for a couple nights. I'm not use to this kind of cold! I have a question for you all that are.....I have 3 bathroom walls that are outside wall with water pipes in them to the sinks and toilets. Should I let those sinks drip ??

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Winter Comes To The South...........and A Question

Drip and open the vanity doors. If you have a laundry room on an outside wall, leave the door open too.

 

[ehenry]

Re: Winter Comes To The South...........and A Question

I dont have any plumbing in the attic but my folks do. Both their water heaters are in their attic. Should I do anything for that?

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Winter Comes To The South...........and A Question

Drip the hot water faucets too. Not much else you can do that I know of.

Don't forget any outside faucets - drip those too.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Winter Comes To The South...........and A Question

I dont have any plumbing in the attic but my folks do. Both their water heaters are in their attic. Should I do anything for that?

The insulation in their attic is probably not all that "robust". The heat loss through the ceiling into the attic space will probably keep the attic space reasonably above freezing.
If the insulation in the ceiling has been updated (or was originally installed) to reduce A/C costs, then it may be a problem.
The only way to really be sure is check the ambient temp in the attic regularly....or drain the heaters if you lose heat.

If the heaters are operating properly, there is no way it will get cold enough to freeze them anyway. Your risk is the piping freezing and splitting.

Pipes in the wall are also at greatest risk. Drain them if there is any way.

 

[ehenry]

Re: Winter Comes To The South...........and A Question

Pops attic is pretty big and floored for the most part. Its only going to be blistering cold tonight 16 degrees, monday 26 during the day and 11 monday night, tuesday high of 32 and 20 for a low then it warms back up to 47 wednesday.

I have one of those round Mr. Heater things that mounts on a five gallon propane tank.....would it be a bad decision to put that in pops attic to keep it warm?

 

[aspeck]

Re: Winter Comes To The South...........and A Question

I would be careful with an open flame in the attic unattended. You would be better off to leave the attic door or access panel open to make sure enough heat is up there. As others said, keep your vanities open and faucets dripping. Heating your house a few degrees warmer is never a bad idea, either ...

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Winter Comes To The South...........and A Question

I wouldn't put a heater in the attic, either. It really won't do much with the uninsulated space, not to mention the danger involved. As far as opening the attic door or access panel, you have to play that by ear. More cold will sink into the heated living area, so it might make the house a lot colder.

 

[ehenry]

Re: Winter Comes To The South...........and A Question

Thanks yall. I'm not too worried about tonight. Its tomorrow and wednesday nights I"m worried about.

 

[rbh]

Re: Winter Comes To The South...........and A Question

I wouldn't put a heater in the attic, either. It really won't do much with the uninsulated space, not to mention the danger involved. As far as opening the attic door or access panel, you have to play that by ear. More cold will sink into the heated living area, so it might make the house a lot colder.

As was said hot water tank wont freeze but the pipes can, base board heater, 100 watt light bulb, halogen work light anything that puts out heat (no hair dryers or heat guns) something that is safe to keep on for long periods.
And crack the attic hatch to bring the temp up just a little above freezing, try blocking any vents to keep the heat in.

 

[generator12]

Re: Winter Comes To The South...........and A Question

just leave a couple faucets cracked open (fast drip), running water won't freeze at those temps.

Bubba is right. This is the best/first thing to do. If you feel you need more, an electric space heater and/or some 75 or 100 watt light bulbs will provide a significant heat input to an enclosed space. (i.e., 74 or 98 watts)

 

[tazrig]

Re: Winter Comes To The South...........and A Question

Keep vanity's open and drip some water. check every so often and you should be fine. If you run into a problem you can always run a hair dryer on the copper pipes (while you are there) if they slush up.

 

[Grandad]

Re: Winter Comes To The South...........and A Question

I dont have any plumbing in the attic but my folks do. Both their water heaters are in their attic. Should I do anything for that?

Any exposed plumbing in the attic should be wrapped with insulation. If any pipes are close to the floor of the attic, don't put insulation between the floor and the pipes, only between the cold temperatures and the pipes. When you're awake, I'd run a tap for a minute every half hour or so. Just leaving a tap to drip when you're asleep helps, but each drop of water doesn't carry many BTU's. - Grandad

 

[Bayou Dave]

Re: Winter Comes To The South...........and A Question

I dont have any plumbing in the attic but my folks do. Both their water heaters are in their attic. Should I do anything for that?

Are water heaters in the attic a common thing in your neck of the woods? Seems like it could be a disaster if they ever leaked.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Winter Comes To The South...........and A Question

I have one of those round Mr. Heater things that mounts on a five gallon propane tank.....would it be a bad decision to put that in pops attic to keep it warm?

...do not ever run a propane fired device inside your home...you'll get sleepy...and be quietly dead by morning...thats if a fire doesn't break out.
Areas in Ontario were recently hit by an ice storm which took out the power and a few people decided to move their bbq's inside to cook and keep warm.....and several of these people are now dead.

...there are some great other tips put up here well worth following.

My two bits.
BP

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: Winter Comes To The South...........and A Question

A good way to freeze your drain pipes (sewer) is by leaving faucets dripping. A slow trickle will freeze them up good. Now I'm talking way up North here, I would never leave a faucet dripping again. Been there done that. Might be where its warm You know, like above zero its OK.

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: Winter Comes To The South...........and A Question

Growing up we had a water line in wall by bathtub it was a cast iron tub we just put an electric heater in tub when the soft copper pipe would freeze and it would thaw in short order. I would try to run a steady stream of water to keep line and drains from freezing or put antifreeze in drain.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Winter Comes To The South...........and A Question

Just turn the heat up in your house higher than normal for the few days its going to be cold.

I looked up the temps you are going to have. It would take way more days that what you are going to have to be a problem.