frozen pipes or well pump?
#1
12-25-00, 08:54 AM
This morning I turned on the faucet and no
water came out. tried other faucets and
toilet, again no water. I assumed my well
pump is froze as we have had 10 to 25 below
temps for a good month now. I took the cover off
my well hole and climbed down and put a space
heater in there and turned it on. I covered
the hole and waited about an hour but still no
water. I checked the fuses, they're ok.
I still have the heater on but now I am
wondering if maybe the pipes from the well
to the house might be froze!!
What can I do in that case? The pipes in the house
are fine, temp is about 70 inside.
Any advice is greatly appreciated and Merry Christmas.
water came out. tried other faucets and
toilet, again no water. I assumed my well
pump is froze as we have had 10 to 25 below
temps for a good month now. I took the cover off
my well hole and climbed down and put a space
heater in there and turned it on. I covered
the hole and waited about an hour but still no
water. I checked the fuses, they're ok.
I still have the heater on but now I am
wondering if maybe the pipes from the well
to the house might be froze!!
What can I do in that case? The pipes in the house
are fine, temp is about 70 inside.
Any advice is greatly appreciated and Merry Christmas.
#2
12-25-00, 11:19 AM
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The outside pipes from your pump to your house SHOULD have been installed well below the frost line in your locale, so that they will not freeze. However, anything can happen in extreme weather.
If your pump had frozen up, you would normally see the cast iron housing cracked. It still may be frozen up just enough inside to keep the impeller from pumping, or the pump may not be frozen up at all (my guess).
Do you have any way at the pump to open a valve (hose bib) to relieve pressure, so that it will kick on?
That would be the first step...see if the pump is o.k.
(With cold weather like that, I would keep a heat lamp with my pump or leave water dripping.)
In any case, I would think that your problem is probably under your house in an unheated basement or crawlspace. If your pump is o.k., move the space heater to the unheated area.
Get a drop cord and a hair dryer and start heating lines. Start at main line nearest pump and work your way to fixtures. Take your time. Open all faucets in the house, so that you will know when you're doing any good.
Do NOT use extreme heat, such as a propane torch, that will cause steam buildup.
Good Luck!
If your pump had frozen up, you would normally see the cast iron housing cracked. It still may be frozen up just enough inside to keep the impeller from pumping, or the pump may not be frozen up at all (my guess).
Do you have any way at the pump to open a valve (hose bib) to relieve pressure, so that it will kick on?
That would be the first step...see if the pump is o.k.
(With cold weather like that, I would keep a heat lamp with my pump or leave water dripping.)
In any case, I would think that your problem is probably under your house in an unheated basement or crawlspace. If your pump is o.k., move the space heater to the unheated area.
Get a drop cord and a hair dryer and start heating lines. Start at main line nearest pump and work your way to fixtures. Take your time. Open all faucets in the house, so that you will know when you're doing any good.
Do NOT use extreme heat, such as a propane torch, that will cause steam buildup.
Good Luck!
#3
12-25-00, 12:35 PM
After several trips down a ladder to the
well tanks i figured out the pump is inside
one of the tanks. I was told the switch to
the pump may be frozen so I put a space heater
near that. I periodically opened faucets and
sometimes feel gurgling in the lines and once
had a few drops of water come out.
I did notice where the pipes go into the
ground from the pump had frost on them and
assume this could be the source of the freeze
up. So I repositioned the heat towards those pipes.\
The only pipes in the basement are in a space
too small to crawl in. There are two pvc pipes and one
metal pipe. I assume the metal is the incoming line
and the others are lines to faucets.
So from the crawl small space to the pump there
is no access to the pipes to appply heat with
a hair dryer. I will go and open a faucet at the
pump and see if it triggers the pump. i did this earlier
to see if water would come out and it did but I shut it
off right away. So I will leave it on for a few seconds.
Thanks for the quick response.
well tanks i figured out the pump is inside
one of the tanks. I was told the switch to
the pump may be frozen so I put a space heater
near that. I periodically opened faucets and
sometimes feel gurgling in the lines and once
had a few drops of water come out.
I did notice where the pipes go into the
ground from the pump had frost on them and
assume this could be the source of the freeze
up. So I repositioned the heat towards those pipes.\
The only pipes in the basement are in a space
too small to crawl in. There are two pvc pipes and one
metal pipe. I assume the metal is the incoming line
and the others are lines to faucets.
So from the crawl small space to the pump there
is no access to the pipes to appply heat with
a hair dryer. I will go and open a faucet at the
pump and see if it triggers the pump. i did this earlier
to see if water would come out and it did but I shut it
off right away. So I will leave it on for a few seconds.
Thanks for the quick response.
#4
12-25-00, 02:01 PM
Banned. Rule And/Or Policy Violation
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Northeastern NC On The Albemarle Sound
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The space heater may be the only way to thaw your lines under the house.
Start with those frosted lines at the pump, and heat up of the lines under the house.
Sooner or later, should thaw the frozen line(s).
Once you get it all going, leave faucets dripping, and keep the pump heated (that's where you'll have the most $ damage with a freeze).
Good Luck!
Start with those frosted lines at the pump, and heat up of the lines under the house.
Sooner or later, should thaw the frozen line(s).
Once you get it all going, leave faucets dripping, and keep the pump heated (that's where you'll have the most $ damage with a freeze).
Good Luck!
#5
12-25-00, 02:26 PM
I opened the faucet attached to the tank the
pump is in and the pump kicks on and stays on until I
close the faucet. So I assume this means there
is a blockage from the pump to the house.
I opened up a second faucet that is in line
just before the pipe goes underground in the well
hole and it too had free running water an kicked the pump on.
I checked in the basement and the space the pipes
enter the wall are only about a sqaure foot
and the pipes are surrounded by foam insulation.
Should I pull out that insulation and put a heat
source into the space?
That would be my only option to thawing out the lines
short of tearing up the flooring in the kitchen.
I was also wrong about one of the pipes being metal
in the house. they are all plastic. So somewhere along
the line metal meets pvc. Hopefully under the house.
This is sounding worse as I go along!!!!
pump is in and the pump kicks on and stays on until I
close the faucet. So I assume this means there
is a blockage from the pump to the house.
I opened up a second faucet that is in line
just before the pipe goes underground in the well
hole and it too had free running water an kicked the pump on.
I checked in the basement and the space the pipes
enter the wall are only about a sqaure foot
and the pipes are surrounded by foam insulation.
Should I pull out that insulation and put a heat
source into the space?
That would be my only option to thawing out the lines
short of tearing up the flooring in the kitchen.
I was also wrong about one of the pipes being metal
in the house. they are all plastic. So somewhere along
the line metal meets pvc. Hopefully under the house.
This is sounding worse as I go along!!!!
#6
12-25-00, 04:02 PM
Banned. Rule And/Or Policy Violation
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Northeastern NC On The Albemarle Sound
Posts: 10,701
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1 Post
Yes. Remove the insulation and try there.
Glad that your pump is o.k.
You might need to find a way to pump heat under your kitchen floor, if your pipes stay frozen up, even it means taking a heating duct apart under your house and letting it blow under there until everything thaws.
Different ways to skin a cat.
Good Luck!
Glad that your pump is o.k.
You might need to find a way to pump heat under your kitchen floor, if your pipes stay frozen up, even it means taking a heating duct apart under your house and letting it blow under there until everything thaws.
Different ways to skin a cat.
Good Luck!
