PILOON
Super Star Member
I have more than once thawed frozen lines.
Get a 20 gal or so tank, fill with 18 gals of water, heat it with a torch and attach your 3/8 to the outlet
Jurry rig a fitting to attach an air compressor.
Heat the tank 'til it starts to steam and when it does insert the 3/8" into your frozen line pushing as until it hits the frozen section.
Blow the hot water into the line all while feeding the small tubing.
You will find that you will be feeding that hot line hand over hand as the ice will melt that fast.
You want the pressure as when the hot is flowing inside the small tube it will be constantly cooled by the surrounding cold water so pressure will move it faster than it can cool.
LOL, I once pressurized a client's hot water tank in order to back feed his supply line from the source.
That operation took all of about 10 mins. Customer was totally awed.**
My prevention tactic is to slit 4 x 8 sheets of blue urathane foam boards into 16" strips and lay then centered over the buried lines and cover with sand. Even buried a mere 16" prevents freeze with some snow cover. (frost line here is considered to be at 4 ft) Theory is ground is generally 40 deg and frost works from surface down and won't wrap its way around the foam therefor pipe line stays at 40. Anyway, it works.
Old farmers simply laid wide planks over their well lines and forbade walking over the line.
** If your hot water tank is full, up the thermostat, rig a compressor and go for it. You only want low (like 10PSI) so tight fitting not important.
Get a 20 gal or so tank, fill with 18 gals of water, heat it with a torch and attach your 3/8 to the outlet
Jurry rig a fitting to attach an air compressor.
Heat the tank 'til it starts to steam and when it does insert the 3/8" into your frozen line pushing as until it hits the frozen section.
Blow the hot water into the line all while feeding the small tubing.
You will find that you will be feeding that hot line hand over hand as the ice will melt that fast.
You want the pressure as when the hot is flowing inside the small tube it will be constantly cooled by the surrounding cold water so pressure will move it faster than it can cool.
LOL, I once pressurized a client's hot water tank in order to back feed his supply line from the source.
That operation took all of about 10 mins. Customer was totally awed.**
My prevention tactic is to slit 4 x 8 sheets of blue urathane foam boards into 16" strips and lay then centered over the buried lines and cover with sand. Even buried a mere 16" prevents freeze with some snow cover. (frost line here is considered to be at 4 ft) Theory is ground is generally 40 deg and frost works from surface down and won't wrap its way around the foam therefor pipe line stays at 40. Anyway, it works.
Old farmers simply laid wide planks over their well lines and forbade walking over the line.
** If your hot water tank is full, up the thermostat, rig a compressor and go for it. You only want low (like 10PSI) so tight fitting not important.