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I'm concerned about my pipes freezing?
I'm very concerned about the pipes in the house I rent freezing. There is a water pipe that runs in the attic. There is literally no insulation in the attic at all. Tonight where I live it will be very cold like 18 degrees plus wind chill. The next 2 nights about the same or colder. The house has stood for 50 years so I know its been cold before. Plus the main water supply runs into the house from the outside (city water). Wouldn't that freeze first? Is there anything I can do now except pray and cross my fingers? Its 68 degrees in the house and I have a space heater running too. I have the cabinets open and closets open to help the pipes on the main floor. My concern is the house is 1 level no basement and will flood it the pipe freezes. Thanks.
6 Answers
- tootall1121Lv 77 years ago
Follow the other's advice on the outside pipes. However, I don't think you need to worry about the one in the attic. I would ask the landlord to insulate the attic, to save money on heat, but since heat rises, and there's no insulation to stop it, the attic will probably be plenty warm. Warmer than you, probably. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong, mostly guessing without seeing it. I too wonder why there is any water pipe in the attic. Might be a retrofit, and since there's no basement, that was the easiest way to get the water where they wanted it to go. No way to know without seeing it. If you do insulate, do like the other poster suggested, keep the pipe on the warm side of the insulation.
- Karen LLv 77 years ago
If you're renting, ask the landlord if there is anything you should do to prevent freezing. If he or she has owned it for a while, he or she may know if there's been any freezing before, or that it just isn't a problem. I wouldn't worry too much about whatever 's in the attic. Heat rises, especially if the attic has no insulation to stop it rising from the main floor. Leave a faucet dripping, a faucet as far away from the inlet as possible. That should take care of the supply line.
- bevley bLv 47 years ago
sure, if you rent, the person you rent from is responsible for all repairs and upkeep, not you. same as renting an apartment.
1- put all your faucets on a very slow drip to keep water flowing.
2- get some heat tape for plumbing at lowes, walmart, and wrap the outside
pipe with it and they have special insulated wrap to go over the heat tape.
3- in the attic, you can try this. buy a roll of r13 house insulation and cover it first with the pipe insulation, all home centers will know what you want.
then if you want, buy a roll of r13 house insulation and lay over all that.
4- leave you cabinet doors open under all sinks so all get ambient heat.
but in the end, your landlord is responsible for all repairs, unless you signed a contract saying differently.
- ranger_diyLv 67 years ago
First, I would try to reroute the pipe somewhere besides the attic. If you can't reroute it, have it replaced with PEX (plastic) piping. PEX is freeze resistant. Then insulate the pipe with pipe insulation. Then cover it with a foot or more of insulation. You can buy an insulation product that is called "Shake and Rake". It is a loose fiberglass insulation.
- 7 years ago
The best thing to do in your situation is just let all the faucets drip very slowly. The constant movement of water will help prevent the pipes from freezing.