I have a rowhouse that I'm working on. The plumbing has been disconnected, but the water service is still on. The water service pipe is 3/4 inch copper and about 1 foot long and extended from the wall. The pipe is about 4 feet below grade when it enters the basement. The walls above grade are insulated, the basement and the ceiling are not. It was in the teens last night and will be again tonight. No heat in the house. Do I go out and spend $ 40 on heat tape and drive an hour to get there?....or trust that the dirt 4 feet down will keep that pipe above freezing until Tuesday. Anybody have any experience with this sort of thing?

 

Where is the main cut off? It isn't at the end of that 3/4" pipe. There should be one at the street for municipal water. If you find it, turn it off there, and evacuate the water from the copper pipe.
You can invest in the gold plated heat tape, but the rubber coated ones for $10-15 work just as well . Can't help with the decision whether or not to drive there to do this, but I wouldn't trust any exposed pipe charged with water when the temps that will surround that pipe will be below freezing.

 

The main is in the street and you need a special wrench. Thank you for your thoughts.