Water Line Stopped Up??
#1
02-16-03, 01:51 PM
Water Line Stopped Up??
The cold water to a 2nd floor hand sink stopped running late this morning. The water is running ok everywhere else, including a toilet that shares that very same pipe. It tees off about 8 feet ahead of the sink, which is at the end of that run.
Although it was cold here before it stopped flowing, it has been colder & never stopped up before. Besides, from what I can tell; this run of pipe appears to be within an inside wall so it seems unlikely that it's freezing.
To narrow down where the stoppage occured, I disconnected the short flex line between the supply pipe & the sink. There was no flow at the local shutoff valve under the sink - not even a drip - so the faucets & its feed lines are ok.
Several hours later, my son said he flushed the toilet that shares the stopped water line. He said the cold water at the hand sink started to flow again following this flush.
He also said that he was starting to use this sink when it stopped flowing this morning. He noted that he had heard the downstairs toilet being flushed at the same time. So some how, it seems that flushing a downstairs toilet coincided with this stoppage.
This makes no sense what so ever to me, but maybe some one out there can explain how this can happen??? Can there be a thing like an air lock in a water pipe????
Your help will be very much appreciated.
Best regards, Dick
Although it was cold here before it stopped flowing, it has been colder & never stopped up before. Besides, from what I can tell; this run of pipe appears to be within an inside wall so it seems unlikely that it's freezing.
To narrow down where the stoppage occured, I disconnected the short flex line between the supply pipe & the sink. There was no flow at the local shutoff valve under the sink - not even a drip - so the faucets & its feed lines are ok.
Several hours later, my son said he flushed the toilet that shares the stopped water line. He said the cold water at the hand sink started to flow again following this flush.
He also said that he was starting to use this sink when it stopped flowing this morning. He noted that he had heard the downstairs toilet being flushed at the same time. So some how, it seems that flushing a downstairs toilet coincided with this stoppage.
This makes no sense what so ever to me, but maybe some one out there can explain how this can happen??? Can there be a thing like an air lock in a water pipe????
Your help will be very much appreciated.
Best regards, Dick
#3
02-16-03, 06:10 PM
Thanks for the reply Old Guy,
Other than a few feet on the incoming service line at the meter, there is no galvanized pipe whatsoever. All copper through out.
Other than a few feet on the incoming service line at the meter, there is no galvanized pipe whatsoever. All copper through out.
#4
02-16-03, 06:52 PM
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Most certainly will be a frozen pipe... Any number of reasons to explain why it hasn't frozen before... More wind, colder water, whatever... but water pipes dont just stop flowing overnight to that extent unless they are frozen... Keep a close eye on that area as the temp warms up to be sure that something hasn't burst on you...
#6
02-17-03, 02:45 PM
Ragnar, Checked into it some more & found that I had overlooked some thing. It will probably explain why there was a freeze up on an inside wall.
There is one bay where a rectangular duct from a range hood runs up within the wall & out through the roof. It passes right next to the water line that was stopped up. Obviously there's little opportunity to get insulation in there when it's occupied by that duct.
I'm now thinking that the flapper in the roof ventilator may be stuck open, thereby letting cold air to pass back down through that vent. When it's safe enough to go up on the roof, I'll check out that ventilator.
Thanks again for your input which got me to thinking further about how this could happen.
Dick
There is one bay where a rectangular duct from a range hood runs up within the wall & out through the roof. It passes right next to the water line that was stopped up. Obviously there's little opportunity to get insulation in there when it's occupied by that duct.
I'm now thinking that the flapper in the roof ventilator may be stuck open, thereby letting cold air to pass back down through that vent. When it's safe enough to go up on the roof, I'll check out that ventilator.
Thanks again for your input which got me to thinking further about how this could happen.
Dick
#7
02-17-03, 05:46 PM
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That is interesting as the last frozen line I fixed was right next to where a duct was run in the wall.... The area was not insulated well, and also where the duct penetrated the wall, there was a big air gap letting in cold air... Let us know how it comes out...
#9
02-18-03, 09:52 AM
Thanks for the reply Cobb Construction.
All valves, including the mixer & local shut off, are washerless. Besides, even when I disconnected the valves; there was still no flow.
From what I've learned, I'm certain that a freeze up was the cause. How to get rid of the conditions that allowed it to happen are the issue now.
All valves, including the mixer & local shut off, are washerless. Besides, even when I disconnected the valves; there was still no flow.
From what I've learned, I'm certain that a freeze up was the cause. How to get rid of the conditions that allowed it to happen are the issue now.
