More frozen pipes - Oklahoma winter storm

[okrobie]

Hi all, a few days ago when we had outdoors temperatures in the single digets I'm experiecing very tiny water flow throughout the house. I go down into the crawlspace and use my infrared lazer thermometer to measure pipe temperatures and I find a few that measured less than 32 degrees F. so I use my wifes hair dryer to heat them. I was able to increase the flow from a drizzle to a trickel ( DIY tecnical terms. Don't try to undertand them if you're not a card carring DIY) in the bathroom sink and the kitchen sink (both hot and cold) and an outsid hose bib to full flow and the bathtub to full flow both hot and cold water. I was even able to take an almost normal shower this evening. But still just a trickel in the bathroom and kitchen sinks. Even though I was getting almost normal flow from the hose bib and the bathtub, out of desparation, I installet a heat cable on the incoming line from the street (city water) and it made no difference at all. BTW, the hose bib and bathtub are near the back of the house opposite to where the city water comes in. BTW the toilet in the same bathroom is operating normally, that is the tank re-fills in a normal amount of time after a flush.

I must be missing something, but what could it be?

P.S. I can't currently find any pipes that are measuring less tha 35 degrees F.

thanks for any and all help.

BTW, if you haven't already figured it out, I'm an ignorant DIY'er.

 

[okrobie]

“I was able to increase the flow from a drizzle to a trickel ( DIY tecnical terms. Don't try to undertand them if you're not a card carring DIY)’

For the uninitiated, this is a picture of the current flow rate in the bathroom sink. It’s now more than a trickle. Thanks, and For those who celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Merry Christmas

P.S. The outside ambient temperature is 22 degrees F

 

[TomFOhio]

Just leave that run for a while and it will probably get better wants the ice thaws. Without seeing how your piping
is ran the kitchen lines are probalby still frozen some. Let the kitchen run also. Wants the ice thaws in the pipes
the water will let loose. You might need some heat in the crawl space. Keep any eye on your sinks so there is no
over flowing. Merry Christmas to you also.

 

[Geofd]

Leave all heat zones on open all cabinet doors to sinks like Tom mentioned get heat wet ever you can

 

[okrobie]

Well the outside ambient temperature has been well above freezing for over two days now and the flow on the bathroom and kitchen sinks is still slow. I'm wondering if the pipes might have debris or rust particles blocking the flow. I'm tempted to blow compressed air into the fawcets to see if anything blows back. Is that a good idea. Something is telling me not to do it. What do y'all think?

 

[sarg]

First thing I would check are the aerators on the faucets. They do become plugged & are easy to clean or replace. I have a bag full & replace a couple times per year.

 

[okrobie]

BINGO Sarge, that did the trick. Thank you. The areators were plugged.