Frozen water line

[Eagle Eye]

Hi guys thought someone here might be able to help.

Trying to do some laundry yesterday and my washer had an error telling me that there was no water flowing in. I noticed that the cold water was not flowing (the hot is) so I assumed that the line is frozen (the lines are on an outside wall). I tried to use a space heater to warm up the area behind my washer but after 5 hours it was still not flowing. This is kind of a **** off as my house is only a year and a half old and I am already beyond the builders 1-year warranty program.

Any recomendations on how to get this thing flowing?

[toonmaster]

heat-trace it

it wraps around the line and plugs right into an outlet

[return to the red]

go to canadian tire and get some "heat tape" You wrap it around the pipe and plug it in...works well

some other ideas

http://www.mygreathome.com/fix-it_gu...ozen_pipes.htm

[Eagle Eye]

Well I would assume that they would have properly insulated it, but it is hidden behind a wall so I can't tell.

This 'heat tape' will it work if I cant get to or see the part that is frozen?

[return to the red]

Originally Posted by Eagle Eye

Well I would assume that they would have properly insulated it, but it is hidden behind a wall so I can't tell.

This 'heat tape' will it work if I cant get to or see the part that is frozen?

I'm not entirely sure

[toonmaster]

depends how frozen it is, if you are looking at a minimal section that is froze up it should take care of it, but if you are looking at a long length that is froze then the heat tape is useless unless you get it wrapped around the frozen section

[underGRADFlame]

Originally Posted by Eagle Eye

Well I would assume that they would have properly insulated it, but it is hidden behind a wall so I can't tell.

This 'heat tape' will it work if I cant get to or see the part that is frozen?

One thing I've learnd from watching Holmes on Homes, never assume the home builder did anything right. It would be well worth your time to open up the wall and check. Nothing worse then a busted pipe.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by Eagle Eye

Well I would assume that they would have properly insulated it, but it is hidden behind a wall so I can't tell.

I would assume that your wall is not properly insulated. A new home like that shouldn't have pipes freezing. That should be something to look into as well.

[Eagle Eye]

so do you guys think that I should call new home warranty?

The length behind the wall is probably only a foot or two. I could open up the wall but I really dont want too

[return to the red]

Originally Posted by Eagle Eye

so do you guys think that I should call new home warranty?

The length behind the wall is probably only a foot or two. I could open up the wall buy I really dont want too

The trouble is if the line is frozen there is a good chance that it is broken. I know it's a pain in the ass but you might as well open it up and insulate it properly and fix it right now otherwise the problem is going to just keep coming back

[Mccree]

Originally Posted by Eagle Eye

so do you guys think that I should call new home warranty?

The length behind the wall is probably only a foot or two. I could open up the wall buy I really dont want too

I think if it is the work that was improperly done you can still get coverage under the Home Warranty. However if everything was done to code etc.. then I you are hooped. I would call them and see what they saw BEFORE you open up the wall. You don't want them to say the YOU pulled out the installation.

[Madman]

Originally Posted by Mccree

I think if it is the work that was improperly done you can still get coverage under the Home Warranty. However if everything was done to code etc.. then I you are hooped. I would call them and see what they saw BEFORE you open up the wall. You don't want them to say the YOU pulled out the installation.

Exactly, call before you dig....or something like that.

[Bobblehead]

Although you may want to call sooner rather than later. If the freeze has split your pipe then as soon as it thaws you are in for a flood.

[ericschand]

This happened to me. It was a pipe on the outside wall, and it was
touching the outside wall. They came and pulled it back a couple of
inches off the wall (doing the appropriate removal, weld, etc)

Give your homebuilder a call, and hopefully they can come by.

ers

[V]

You just gotta love winter, eh?

I'm surprised that this would happen in a new house. Isn't it in the building code that the water line has to be a certain distance from the exterior wall? I thought it was around 6". If it's away from the wall, and the wall is insulated this should never happen.