High usage on frost free contributed to freezing it?

[CobyRupert]

You nailed it!

I didn't realize it until this afternoon when I woke up, the 75' distance of pipe we unfroze is almost exactly to the foot, how much snow I cleared down to dirt just before we had 5 days of -20 wind chill up here.

I cleared away the snow, and then the wind did its job and cleared away the temperature from the earth, no doubt all the way down to the line.

~Moses

Yes, this can be a double-whammy. Since we tend to plow the snow away on areas that are also driven over and compacted.

I realized that not only does the lean-to on the side of my barn prevent insulating snow cover, but it's where I also park/drive my 8000 lb tractor over the water line too.

 

[arpt209]

A simple cheap thaw on a frozen hydrant is to pour a couple of bottles of Heet gas line antifreeze down the tube. I saw a neighbor just slowly pour it down the pipe next to the stem that lifts & drops the plunger when the handle is raised & lowered.