TEXAS FOLKS = Time to react.

Shop deals on ebay
shop deals on amazon
Advertise with us
Support your community
Plumbing Forums

Help Support Plumbing Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
sarg

sarg

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2020
Messages
445
Reaction score
242
Location
Upstate New York
For folks in the Texas area ... especially those with a well system .... your temps are supposed to go to single digits. Time to stockpile some water and drain exterior piping. ( I've been told they only bury piping less than a foot under ground. )
Remember your outdoor spigots too.
 
Last edited:
The underground will probably be ok unless it stays in the single digits for an extended period. More than a couple of days.

The above ground though is toast in the single digits unless protected.

good call, they better prepare Sarg.
 
Likewise, if you leave water dripping, your sewer line exposed anywhere will freeze up, think mobile home. Heat tape or insulated skirting. Tough w/o power.
 
I have a few exposed pipes at my office and we’re on septic.

I turned the water off and drained the system. When I installed the piping I sloped it all to a low hose faucets to drain.
 
I just repaired a few freeze leaks. Uv attacked pex to hose bibbs is failing.....
Suns out warming things up, time to make some $$$$
 
shlasko53 said:
leave the water slowly running so it can't freeze up
Click to expand...
I did that but 1/2 copper in the attic busted. Any suggestions for temp fix until the plumber can come and soldier it? Don’t like to be without electricity and water at the same time. I shutoff the water to the house
 
Sharkbite might not be work if the pipe swelled up.......might have to find a section that didn’t freeze.

Just a heads up.
 
sarg said:
I imagine all the folks with water heaters in their attic have real worries.
A concept I cannot understand.
Click to expand...
Well, teh working theory was it never gets cold enough to freeze things in the attic, becasue hte poorly insulated house keeps it warm. this assumes that the Public Utilities Commission has allowed enough maintenance money in the approved rates to allow the utilities to maintain the systems correctly.

When they don’t, things freeze at the generating plants, and the whole grid goes down.
 
And I've read that the attics get so bloody hot in the south it's economical. But today if you can't afford the plastic Marathon heater ... ( or if you don't have the 50" of head room to accommodate one ) it seems a bad idea for the majority who do not do any maintenance. I've been told they install during construction and literally build the houses around them.
So after a decade of no attentiion to sediment or the anode rod it is a 400 - 600 pound time bomb over your head.
 
sarg said:
I imagine all the folks with water heaters in their attic have real worries.
A concept I cannot understand.
Click to expand...
I replace them in attics on a regular basis.

it’s often done here so the water heater can be centrally located, eliminating the need for two water heaters or recirculation systems.
 
sarg said:
And I've read that the attics get so bloody hot in the south it's economical. But today if you can't afford the plastic Marathon heater ... ( or if you don't have the 50" of head room to accommodate one ) it seems a bad idea for the majority who do not do any maintenance. I've been told they install during construction and literally build the houses around them.
So after a decade of no attentiion to sediment or the anode rod it is a 400 - 600 pound time bomb over your head.
Click to expand...
Marathon heaters leak too, I see them in the junk pile at the supply house.

I often have custom galvanized pans built with 2”” drains piped to the outside.

The weights not an issue, we locate the heater over walls.
 
FishScreener said:
Well, teh working theory was it never gets cold enough to freeze things in the attic, becasue hte poorly insulated house keeps it warm. this assumes that the Public Utilities Commission has allowed enough maintenance money in the approved rates to allow the utilities to maintain the systems correctly.

When they don’t, things freeze at the generating plants, and the whole grid goes down.
Click to expand...

We insulate pipes in the attic. We also try to run the pipe close to the drywall ceiling then put the house attic insulation on top.

If it gets really cold you can open the attic doors or place heaters in the attic......or drain the system down if you have no heat.

Back up generators are wise.....

Its decades between events......typically.
 
Be advised......many times the stores are sold out of pipe and fittings after a major freeze event in places it’s not typica

Call ahead....

It’s hard to make repairs without the supplies.
 
My friend in Pflugerville sent an email stating he has "some" power ( whatever that means ) but no water. The city supply is apparently frozen. I told him the heater in his attic could be a source of water ....... with gravity on his side. Assuming the relief valve is on top and that it allows the water to drain down to a bathtub. Probably have to get it from the drain port if he has no system pressure.
 
Last edited:
sarg said:
My friend in Pflugerville sent an email stating he has "some" power ( whatever that means ) but no water. The city supply is apparently frozen. I told him the heater in his attic could be a source of water ....... with gravity on his side. Assuming the relief valve is on top and that it allows the water to drain down to a bathtub. Probably have to get it from the drain port if he has no system pressure.
Click to expand...
That’s a bad situation if they don’t have heat. I’m total electric so I keep plenty of propane.....it stores forever.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top