Frozen Water Line, Will this do any good?

[Industrial Toys]

That picture was taken when it was put in. I think when I get my extra pex, and if I can get through the "T" again, the battle will be all but won. Hope there isn't any damage. I don't want to try and excavate. There are a ton of services buried all around the "T".

I blow out the line with compressed air, and pull out the 3/8" pex when abandoning the project for the time being. That has been very effective.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Well, at 19:00h today, I got my water running again!

I will explain in more detail when I have a moment. Right now, I am doing laundry, especially bedding which has started to smell really strange! And no use taking a shower (after two weeks) and then getting into that strangly smelling bed.

I know this isn't the end of the world. I accept all this with considerable reflection and thoughtfulness. I once saw a documentary about loggers in the Canadian North. They would live in those bunk houses without ever taking a shower or bath for what, six months? I have a hard time fathoming that!

My water is taking a long time to warm up, sa I only have a 220 volt heater running on 110 volts to cut down on lime depositing on the elements.

 

[gary49]

Good news!

 

[Billrog]

Good for you perseverance paid off.

 

[buickanddeere]

Well, at 19:00h today, I got my water running again!

I will explain in more detail when I have a moment. Right now, I am doing laundry, especially bedding which has started to smell really strange! And no use taking a shower (after two weeks) and then getting into that strangly smelling bed.

I know this isn't the end of the world. I accept all this with considerable reflection and thoughtfulness. I once saw a documentary about loggers in the Canadian North. They would live in those bunk houses without ever taking a shower or bath for what, six months? I have a hard time fathoming that!

My water is taking a long time to warm up, sa I only have a 220 volt heater running on 110 volts to cut down on lime depositing on the elements.

I would invest in a water softener.
The extended times between baths protects the loggers from attacks by wild animals.

 

[nybirdman]

You will need to address in the summer.At the minimum I would excavate about a foot and install "2 in. blue board on the top and cover with dirt.

 

[PILOON]

You will need to address in the summer.At the minimum I would excavate about a foot and install "2 in. blue board on the top and cover with dirt.

I second that solution as I have had good results doing just that.
The closer to the line the better, either the blue or the pink foam will do the job just fine.
I like 4 X 8 sheets cut in 16" width and laid center over the line.

Around here the roads department now use 24" above and below the culverts to keep them open tear round as it saves them tons of maintenance problems comes spring thaws.

Bet that was the best shower you ever enjoyed!

 

[Industrial Toys]

So, got it running Friday. That was around two weeks without water. Used quite a bit of water over the weekend and left the water trickling when not using it. Sunday night, the water almost froze up again and I'm guessing I just avoided doing this whole operation again.

A friend came by with a digital meat thermometer. He told me to monitor the tap temperature. Keep it abt about 34 F, and if goes down into the 32 range, open the tap slightly. That thinking did not work, as the temperatre when it almost froze was in the forties! I think it has something to do withe the long 300 foot line and the fact that the hundred feet closest to the house is deeper, snow covered and protected from freezing.

Anyway, this has been causing me sleepless nights, listening for the sound of trickling water and whether it has stopped flowing.

 

[SPIKER]

Have you tried to back flush some hot water into the line for a while to warm up the earth around it>?


You can pump the heated water out and maybe run a hose back>? Running it long enough to warm up the earth closest to the line.?

M

 

[Industrial Toys]

I imagine that one would need a lot of energy to melt the frost. I wish I knew what was happening down below. Last Friday, three weeks into this thing, I almost lost the water again. Early in the morning my little trickle of water had almost stopped. Turning on the tap full netted no quick results, but in five or ten minutes the full water flow returned, thankfully.

Now my only question is whether I should remove some of tones of snow I dumped on the line? I have already made an opening last weekend so I could walk and get a vehicle to my garage/shop. We have milder temperatures now, and I believe there won't be any further prolonged deep freezes/polar vortex type weather this winter. I don't think removing the snow will do anything much one way or another, but just makes moving around here easier.