How to defrost a hose underground. Defrosting plastic pipes

In winter, not only we ourselves freeze, but also our communications. And if it’s enough for a person to drink a cup of hot tea, wrap himself in a blanket and sit around, then with the pipes it will be more difficult. If the water or drains in them are frozen, then you will have to deal with utility services (and we all know that this is not always fast), or take the initiative into your own hands. Fortunately, people's ingenuity came up with a lot of really working and effective ways How to defrost water and sewer pipes without waiting for spring.

Why do pipes freeze?

No, this is not a rhetorical question. The reason often lies within ourselves. Yes, it is we, consciously or not, who violate the norms, and as a result, in the midst of a fierce winter, we get an unpleasant consequence in the form of an icy water supply or, even worse, a sewage system.

Pipes freeze for the following reasons:

• insufficient depth. Ideally, pipes should be located below the soil freezing level, and in some regions this level is at a depth of 1.8-2 m, or even deeper. Utilities and private developers sometimes do not adhere to this rule, either due to incorrect calculations or in attempts to save money;
• ineffective insulation. To prevent pipes from freezing in winter, those places of pipes that pass through or brick walls need double insulation, since these materials cool faster than the soil;
• It is better not to place pipes close to brick and concrete structures for the same reason. An exception is entry into the house;
• low water consumption. In private unheated houses You cannot leave water in the pipes; it is better to drain it before winter;
• pipe diameter too small. The smaller the diameter, the faster the liquid freezes. It is not recommended to lay water pipes with a diameter of less than 50 mm underground;
• even if the pipe laying depth is sufficient and they are well insulated, when extremely low temperatures, not typical for the region, freezing may occur. This is already an emergency situation.

If it so happens that the pipes are frozen and you will have to defrost them yourself, then first you will have to calculate the place where the water freezes. These can be outdoor areas or underground. Defrosting methods will vary.

No. 1. Defrosting the pipe using a hair dryer or blowtorch

If the outer part of the pipe, which is within reach, is frozen, then the problem is significantly simplified. It is enough just to expose the frozen area to external heating, and for this you can use:

If the pipe is metal, then you can also use the following heat sources:

The principle is the same in all cases. Heat is applied to the frozen area. If it’s a heating pad, then it’s applied; if it’s a cable, it’s used to wrap it around the pipe and plugged into the network; if it’s a burner or blowtorch, then the flame is directed into the pipe area, but with a hairdryer, everything is clear. An old blanket or thick cloth can be placed over the heating pad, heating cable, and thermal blanket to help retain heat.

It is important to open the water tap before starting work so that thawed water can flow out of the pipe calmly. or is turned off for this time.

No. 2. Defrosting using boiling water and a rag

The method is also suitable if the pipes are in the building and accessible. Of course, you can just water the pipes hot water, having previously placed containers to collect water, but it is much more effective to first wrap the pipes with rags, and only then arrange for them “ hot shower" The rag will absorb water, heat up and cause the pipes to be constantly exposed to heat. If there is only a small amount of rags, then it will need to be periodically moved along the pipe section. Don't forget to place a container to catch any water that won't be absorbed.

No. 3. Defrosting a pipe with a welding machine

If the frozen area is located outside the house, then it will take more time and effort to defrost. The co method is considered one of the most effective, but it has a limitation - it Suitable for metal pipes only.

First, you will have to at least approximately determine the location of the formation of the ice plug. Then, on both sides, the water pipe is cleared of thermal insulation and polished to a metallic shine. An electrical cable connected to the secondary winding is connected to these places welding transformer.

Now all that remains is to set the minimum current on the device (about 180 A) and plug it into the network. will begin to heat up along the entire length of the connected section. Thawing occurs relatively quickly, but the duration of the entire process depends on the length of the pipe. At the same time, the water tap should also be kept open. Experts warn that the method has by-effect– pipes after such treatment begin to rust faster.

It is very important to connect and disconnect cables to the pipe only when the welding machine is turned off. Otherwise, you can get an electric arc, which can damage both the pipe and your hands and eyes.

No. 4. Defrosting by supplying hot water through a hose

When the frozen area is in sight, it is enough to pour hot water right at him. Through simple deductions, we can come to the conclusion that if the blockage is located far from the house, then it is necessary to somehow deliver hot water to the place of icing. Simply pouring hot water into the pipe is not very effective - you will have to get a little confused. This method applicable to, when you can’t just take and run a current through them, like through metal.

The procedure is as follows:

• remove the shut-off valves;
• prepare a rigid hose or pipe with a diameter smaller than the water supply. For example, for a pipe with a diameter of 25-32 mm, a diameter of 16 mm is suitable. This is if the section is completely straight. If there are turns and bends, then you will have to take a hose that can bend, but is also quite rigid. You can’t take a regular one - it may not withstand exposure to hot water and will soften, so pushing it through will be more difficult. You can take an oxygen hose or a hose that is usually used to connect gas cylinders. True, it can only be stretched 10-15 m from the input - it is too rigid and heavy. An alternative is to use a flexible hose with wire attached;
• insert the prepared hose into the pipe or metal-plastic pipe until you hit the ice;
• a container can be attached to the outer end of the hose from which hot water will be supplied. If you attach a faucet to it, it will be much more convenient. However, you can also pour hot water through a funnel, but this is not very convenient;
• instead of simple hot oxen you can use salt solution– it freezes at a lower temperature, so the work will go faster;
• melt water will flow out through the gap between the pipe or hose. Prepare a container for collecting it in advance;
• as the ice plug melts, it will be possible to lower the metal-plastic pipe or hose deeper.

When the work is completed, all that remains is to assemble the pipeline and install shut-off valves. To prevent re-freezing, ensure constant movement of water through the pipeline, at least with low pressure. The heating cable can be lowered into a straight pipe.

Hydro level method

A variation of this method is to use a construction hydraulic level of the required length. The method works if there are 2-3 bends in the pipe and the distance from the house to the frozen area is 20 m. A wire is tied to the end of the hydraulic level with electrical tape. Both need to be leveled a little in advance. There should be no wire sticking out from the end that will be immersed in the pipe. It is better to let it be 1 cm shorter than the hydraulic level.

The hydraulic level is pushed inside the pipe until it hits the ice. Hot water (or saline solution) can be served using an Esmarch mug, popularly known as an enema. When you hit the ice, you can start supplying water. To simplify, we give the pipe an enema. We collect the melt water in a basin or bucket, and as it thaws, we move the hydraulic level.

The good thing about this method is that the hydraulic level tube is quite thin, so water pipe It runs well and takes turns easily. average speed– 1 meter of ice per hour.

No. 5. Defrosting with a wire

The method is suitable for defrosting plastic pipes only water pipes located at a distance from the house. To work you should purchase:

• two-core wire, the length and thickness depends on the pipe, but people with experience advise taking a thicker and stiffer wire;
• socket plug;
• a compressor and a hose will be needed if the pipeline is long enough, or if the ice plug is located far from the point of entry into the house. You can buy fuel hose, it is inexpensive, and use a pump as a compressor, or use a car compressor.

Main, prepare the wire correctly. First, we remove the general insulation in an area of ​​8-10 cm and expose one of the wires. We carefully bend it in the opposite direction and make several turns (3-5 is enough) around the part that remains under the general insulation (it’s clear from the pictures below). The coils should be tight. The insulation is also removed from the second wire and wound below the turns of the first wire. The distance should be about 2-3 mm - the turns of the first and second wires should not touch. If you use pliers when creating turns, then first wrap the wire with something thick so as not to damage the insulation.

When the first end is ready, all that remains is to connect the plug from the second end. Here is our working tool, sometimes popularly called a “burbulyator”, ready. You shouldn’t try this method if you don’t understand much about electrics.

Action this method based on simple physical phenomenon. When current passes through water, the latter heats up. Just what you need when you need to defrost pipes! It is important that the wire itself remains cold, only the water is heated, i.e. the likelihood of damaging the plastic pipe is minimized.

Use this method defrosting frozen pipes is only possible if all parts (including shut-off valves) are made of plastic. If there are steel fittings, a short circuit may occur.

You can check if our defrost is working using a jar of water. It is enough to lower one end of the wire there, plug the other into the socket, and you will see bubbles begin to appear in the water, all this will be accompanied by a hum. You shouldn't put your fingers in the water - you might get an electric shock.

Now all that remains is to lower the wire into the pipe until it hits the ice, but without unnecessary force. We plug it into the socket, carefully press the end of the wire against the ice and wait a couple of minutes, after which you can try to lower the wire a little more; it will seem to fall into the ice on its own. If the frozen area is large enough, then it is better to gradually pump out the melted water. You can do without this, but then it will take more time, because you will also have to heat up a sufficient amount of water. There is another threat - the ice that has already melted may begin to freeze while you melt its deeper layers. In general, it is better to use a pump or compressor.

No. 6. How to defrost a sewer pipe?

Let us note right away they freeze much less often than water pipes, and this is a solid reason for joy. The fact is that warm wastewater continuously moves through them, but if it suddenly happens that the sewer system is frozen, try one of the following methods:

If independent attempts to defrost water supply and sewerage pipes are unsuccessful, then you can only rely on specialists who use special steam generators. These devices resemble washing machines for a car, only steam is produced at the output, and its temperature and pressure can be adjusted depending on the material of the pipes and the length of the frozen section. This method is very fast and effective.

How to prevent pipes from freezing?

The answer to this question comes from the very first section of the article describing the reasons. In short, we should try to minimize possible risks, i.e.:

The only thing that cannot be predicted is record low temperatures in the region. If usually in winter the temperature does not drop below -15 0 C, and -25 0 C is considered almost a disaster, then it is quite logical to lay pipes to a depth of 80 cm (example - Stavropol). It’s hard to believe, but you still can’t completely discount the situation when the temperature drops to -35 0 C or even lower. And if previously we could only rely on nature, now we have at our disposal a heating cable that will prevent the pipes from freezing under any conditions, so for the purpose of being on the safe side, we can additionally use it.

Why do pipes freeze? The reasons can be very different: pipes are laid at insufficient depth, insulated ineffectively, too small volumes of water are transported through them, pipes are operated at extremely low temperatures. It must be taken into account that if defrosting pipes, laid in accessible places, does not cause any particular difficulties (for example, they can be warmed up using a regular household hair dryer), then how to defrost the external underground installation? It’s “lucky” if the pipe is frozen at the entry point - in this case, you can simply heat the walls. What if the freezing point is a few meters from the structure? Is there a solution to the problem or should I wait for it to warm up? There is a solution to the problem!

If the pipes are metal, then the defrosting process is quite simple. To do this, take an ordinary welding machine and connect it to different ends pipes. This simple electrical method eliminates the problem within two to four hours. The longer the frozen section of the pipe, the longer the defrosting will take.

But what to do if you're frozen plastic pipe? Currently, networks mainly use those made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which can withstand pressures of up to 10 atm. They are not subject to corrosion processes and are not destroyed when frozen. Due to its properties, polyethylene is not a conductor of electric current, so defrosting using a welding machine is impossible. Removing an ice plug using a steel rod is also fraught with danger and can damage the pipe. Thus, there is only one way out - to use hot water for defrosting.

The three proposed methods for defrosting polyethylene pipes are the “know-how” of folk craftsmen. However, despite their somewhat eccentricity, they work. Their only drawback is that they are only suitable for small diameter pipelines.

Method 1

It should be taken into account that the ice plug in the pipe will not allow hot water to get inside if it is poured in just like that. This means we need to find a way to supply hot water to the frozen area. To do this, you can use a hose or pipe with a smaller diameter. For example, if you need to defrost a water pipe with a diameter of 25 or 30 mm, and the frozen section is straight, then the most effective would be to use a metal-plastic pipe with a diameter of 16 mm. First, we straighten the metal-plastic pipe (m/p pipes are usually rolled into coils), and then we push it into the frozen pipe until it reaches the ice. After this, we supply the hottest water possible through it to the place of freezing. Thawed cold water will pour out through the gap between the water supply and metal-plastic pipes. By the way, if your water supply is limited, then you can use thawed water: heat it up and send it again to the place of freezing. In this case, the ice plug will melt, and you can push the metal-plastic pipe further.

But what to do if the frozen section of the water pipe has bends and turns? In this case, it will not be possible to use a rigid metal-plastic pipe. Is there a solution? In such a situation, you can use a rigid hose. Note that a regular watering hose is not suitable for this; it will soften from hot water and it will be impossible to push it through. Oxygen hoses and connection hoses proved to be effective in this situation. gas cylinders. Such hoses are quite rigid, but, nevertheless, they can be pushed no more than 10-15 meters from the input. In addition, they are quite heavy and you need to push them through the pipe with significant effort.

Method 2

How to defrost a water pipe if this happened tens of meters from the house and the pipeline has bends and turns? There is an effective and economical way. To do this, you will need a set of hardened steel wire (2-4 mm), a construction hydraulic level and an Esmarch mug (banal enema). The cost of such a set is low, and many people have all its components on their farm.

First, you need to align the hydraulic level tube and the wire, and then screw the end of the wire to the hydraulic level with electrical tape. To provide greater hardness, a loop can be made at the end of the wire. The wire itself should not stick out, and the end of the hydraulic level tube should protrude 1 centimeter in front of the wire. After this, the other end of the hydraulic level must be connected to Esmarch’s mug and the wire and tube must be pushed into the pipeline until it stops at the ice plug. Due to the fact that the hydraulic level tube has a very small diameter and very light weight, it easily moves along the pipeline, overcoming all turns. Next, add hot water, giving the frozen water pipe an “enema.” To collect thawed water, you need to place a container under the water pipe, because as much hot water is poured in, as much cold water is poured out. As the ice melts, we continue to push the wire with the hydraulic level tube. This method of defrosting pipes is quite lengthy; in about an hour you can defrost up to 1 m of pipeline, i.e. During a working day, 5-7 m of pipe can be de-iced. In this case, you should not rush; before pushing the tube/hose, you need to fill in at least 10 liters of hot water; it works at minimal cost.

Scheme of the process of defrosting a pipe using wire, a hydraulic level and an Esmarch mug

Method 3

Let's consider a situation where we have a frozen polyethylene water pipe of small diameter (20 mm) with a length of 50 m and a laying depth of up to 80 cm. Note that this is an insufficient depth of laying the water pipe, which is why it froze. A distinctive feature is that the water supply runs under the roadway. In such a situation, utility workers usually advise waiting for a thaw, but, nevertheless, there is a way to do without them.

We will need the following “equipment”: a copper two-core wire (we select the length and thickness of the section according to the length and diameter frozen water pipe), plug for socket, compressor and hose for blowing out defrosted water. So, for example, for a pipe with a diameter of 20 mm, you can take a 2.5-3 mm wire and a car fuel hose with a diameter of 8 mm, a regular car compressor (in extreme cases, you can use a pump).

We warn you that when using this method, you must be especially careful, since the work is performed using high voltage.

Now you need to prepare all this for the defrosting process. WITH small area wires need to remove the outer insulation, divide it into two wires and expose one of them (remove internal insulation), carefully bend the remaining wire in the insulation in the opposite direction along the wire. In this case, care must be taken to ensure that the insulation is not damaged.

Then, almost next to the bend of the wire, you need to make 3-5 turns of bare wire (as close to each other as possible) and cut off its remaining end.

After this, step back 2-3 mm from the turns made, expose the second wire and wrap it around the wire in the same way. The turns of the first and second wires should not touch, otherwise a short circuit will occur in the future.

We connect a plug to the other end of the wire and the “unit” for defrosting the pipe is ready. This device is popularly known as a “bulbulator”: if you place it in water and connect it to an electrical outlet, then when a current passes through the water, a reaction occurs, releasing large quantity warmth. In our case, such a device is ideal, because only the water heats up, and the wires remain cold, i.e. a plastic pipe will not melt even by accident.

The assembled device must be checked. To do this, you need to place it in a jar of water and connect it to power. If air bubbles leave the contacts and a slight hum is felt, the unit is working. We remind you once again that if you come into contact with water while the device is working, you can get an electric shock.

Let's begin the process of defrosting the water supply. The wire must be carefully pushed into the pipe so that it does not bend. Therefore, it is preferable to use a wire with a larger cross-section. When the wire hits the ice plug, you need to turn on the “bulbulator” and wait one or two minutes. Now you can try to push the wire further: the ice has begun to melt. When about a meter of pipe has been thawed, it is advisable to blow out the thawed water using a compressor; this is necessary to reduce the volume of heated water and to prevent the water supply from freezing again in the already thawed area.

If you have special equipment, then it is advisable to weld a tap onto the pipe. When water flows through the pipe, the wire is pulled out of it and the tap is closed, i.e. flooding of the place where the defrosting procedure is carried out (for example, a basement) will not occur.

To prevent plastic pipes from freezing, remember:

• pipes should be laid at a depth below the freezing level of the soil in a particular region. In the northern and eastern regions Ukraine - Lugansk, Kharkov, Poltava, Sumy, Kiev, Chernigov - the depth of soil freezing does not exceed 100 cm, in the southern - (Nikolaev, Odessa, Kherson) - 60 cm, in the rest - 80 cm . It is advisable to lay water and sewer pipes at a depth of at least 120-140 cm.
• you should not lay water supply and sewerage near reinforced concrete structures(supports, beams, foundations, grillages), since the thermal conductivity of concrete is much higher than the thermal conductivity of the soil, i.e. the likelihood of soil freezing from reinforced concrete structures increases. In this case, it is necessary to insulate the pipes (for example, place extruded polystyrene foam slabs between the pipeline and reinforced concrete structures)
• if finances allow, a heating cable can be laid next to the pipeline. Currently, the production of self-regulating heating cables that turn on only when necessary has already been mastered.
• It is advisable to insulate the places where the pipeline passes through the walls of buildings and structures with glass wool, mineral wool and polyurethane foam to prevent direct contact of the pipe walls with the walls of buildings
• when installing a water supply system summer cottage It is advisable to use pipes with a diameter of at least 50 mm; pipes of smaller diameter are more susceptible to freezing
• When choosing between different polymer water pipes, you should know that polyethylene pipes tolerate multiple freezing and thawing processes well, while polypropylene pipes may burst after two or three defrosts
• if water supply or sewerage is in winter time If they are used irregularly, it is better to completely drain the water from the system.

If all these conditions are met when laying the water supply, you will not have to think about how to defrost the pipes.

It is carried out with violations, which in winter leads to freezing of pipes and the inability to use water.

Disturbances in water supply are caused by:

• location of the pipeline outside the house above the ground or above the freezing level in the ground;
• lack of insulation of the water supply;
• errors in the installation of the water supply system.

Note! Before you defrost a water pipe, you need to take into account what material it is made of and where exactly the frozen area is located: indoors or outdoors. Depending on this, the methods for defrosting the pipe and, accordingly, the tools used will vary.

Plastic water pipe

When defrosting water pipes made from plastic pipes, you need to proceed with extreme caution. Methods for thawing pipes may vary depending on the location of the frozen area.

Note! Defrosting the ice plug should begin from the tap side.

A section of the water supply located directly in the building can be defrosted as follows:

Note! Warming up should first be started using cold water, to avoid cracking of the plastic pipe.

When defrosting the water supply system at home, it is necessary to prevent damage to the system due to steam arising in the pipe during the defrosting process. To do this, you need to open the tap and watch when water flows from it.

Defrosting of plastic pipes outside the house depends on where they are laid - above the ground or in the ground. In the latter case, you must provide full access to them. Thawing can be carried out in the same ways as indoors - using hot water and electrical appliances.

To defrost the pipes from the outside, you can use a special heating cable. To do this, you need to wrap it in foil, wind a heating cable on top and cover it with insulation - this will take quite a long time.

If the frozen area is located inconveniently, it is recommended to depressurize the water supply and thaw it by introducing hot water inside. For this you may need an Esmarch mug. Simultaneously with the supply of hot water to the pipe, it is necessary to use a steel rod to insert it into the water supply and break through the ice plug.

Metal pipes

There are several more ways to defrost a metal water pipe. Indoors, you can use the same methods as for plastic pipes:

1. Thawing using rags and hot water;
2. Thawing using a hair dryer;
3. Defrosting using electrical appliances.

Outside, you can use not only all of the above methods, including a heating cable, but also special devices - a propane burner or a defrosting device.

When using a propane torch, precautions must be taken to prevent fire. For example, when treating a frozen section of a water pipe on one side, it is necessary to reverse side put a metal plate.

For metal pipes, it is suitable to use a device that supplies a current that can break through and remove the ice plug.

Note! Each of the methods for defrosting a water pipe is quite labor-intensive, so even during installation you need to take care of timely insulation of the water supply both indoors and outdoors.

Video

For instructions on defrosting a water pipe using hot water, see below:

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How to defrost a water pipe - 11 simple and effective ways to deal with ice

With the onset of winter and the onset of severe, prolonged frosts, the risk of such an unpleasant phenomenon as freezing of water in water heating pipelines, cold and hot water supply, or in the home sewage system increases significantly.

This problem is especially relevant for residents of private houses, since their communications are less protected from frost, but despite this, not every owner of a country house knows how to defrost a pipe underground, inside walls or other hidden cavities, without having to her approach and direct access.

For those who are not in the know, I must remind you that the resulting ice plug leads to a complete blockage of the internal lumen of the pipe, and thereby prevents the passage and free circulation of liquid. However, the main danger of this phenomenon is that when ice forms, during the crystallization process, the water slightly increases in volume, which, in conditions of limited space, often leads to ruptures and cracks in the outer walls of pipelines.

How to prevent pipes from freezing

A preventive solution to this problem is to initially prevent the formation of ice plugs along the entire length of water pipelines. To do this, during the laying and installation of utilities, I advise you not to ignore the requirements Building Standards and Rules, and follow basic advice and recommendations set out in regulatory and technical documents and suggested by experienced builders.

1. The minimum depth for laying a water or sewer pipeline must be located below the greatest depth of soil freezing for your region, in accordance with the requirements of SNiP II-G.3-62 “Water supply. Design standards";

1. When laying external or underground communications, you need to use water pipes with a diameter of 48 mm and above, because thinner pipes are susceptible to rapid freezing throughout their entire thickness;
2. If possible, I recommend using pipes and fittings made of polymer materials(polyethylene, polypropylene), since they are more elastic, which allows them to stretch slightly in case of deformation, and in addition, these materials have lower thermal conductivity;
3. I also do not recommend laying the pipeline in the ground, close to building structures made of brick and monolithic, since their thermal conductivity is significantly higher than the thermal conductivity of dry soil;

1. To protect external and underground pipelines from cold, it is necessary to use heat-insulating sleeves or segmental linings made of polypropylene foam, polyurethane foam or pressed mineral wool, and in those places where the pipe passes through concrete foundation or brick wall, you need to put it on double layer heat-insulating material;
2. In unheated private houses for seasonal residence, water cannot be left inside pipelines and other communications for the winter, therefore, with the onset of the first cold weather, it must be completely drained.

If the specified measures were not enough, or they were taken untimely, and the water in the pipes still froze, in order to minimize the likelihood of unpleasant consequences in the form of burst pipes, shut-off valves or fittings, the reader will then be offered simple instructions, in which I offer several simple ways eliminating ice jams in water pipes.

To ensure guaranteed protection against freezing, in regions with cold climates, I advise using an electric heating cable, which must be laid along the entire length along the pipe and shut-off valves, under the thermal insulation lining.

How to defrost an open pipeline

If the frozen section of the water pipeline is located on open place, in the direct reach area, solving the problem of thawing an ice plug is significantly simplified, since external heating of the pipe can be used for this.

As a heat source for external heating of metal-plastic, polyethylene or polypropylene pipes, it is allowed to use only electric heating devices, for example, a construction or household hair dryer, an electric heating pad or a heating cable. To heat bare metal pipes without external heat and waterproofing, in addition to the presented devices, you can also use open flame from gas burner, blowtorch or homemade improvised torch.

1. First of all, you need to determine the location of the icy section of the water supply, and open the tap of the nearest plumbing part halfway to ensure the free drainage of thawed water;

1. Before defrosting heating pipes, you need to turn off the heating boiler, make sure there is no water pressure in the system, start circulation pump and slightly open the coolant drain valve from the heating circuit;
2. Connect to network heating device, or light the flame of a gas burner, and from a safe distance begin to warm up the frozen section of the pipe, gradually moving the tool from the drain valve towards the supply riser;

1. When using an electric heating pad or heating cable, you need to wrap it evenly around the frozen section of the pipe and plug it into the network. To enhance the effect, I recommend wrapping a thick cloth or an old blanket over it;
2. After some time, as the temperature increases, a thin stream of water will appear from the slightly open tap, which indicates the gradual thawing of the ice, and after the pressure increases sharply, you can turn off the heating devices.

If the icy area is located in an apartment, you can use hot water to warm it up by pouring a kettle onto a pipe or radiator, after wrapping it with a thick cloth and placing a wide bowl or basin under it. Also in the house, instead of a hairdryer, you can use a medical lamp with a deflector, or a household electric heater.

How to remove an ice blockage in a drain

In private homes permanent residence, freezing of sewer pipes is a fairly rare phenomenon, since with continuous use of the sewer system, a positive temperature is naturally maintained in the drain system due to the wastewater’s own heat.

However, if for some reason this did happen, then I will talk about how to defrost a sewer pipe in a private house using simple and affordable, but at the same time effective methods.

1. In cases where the drain collector lies at a shallow depth, if conditions permit personal plot, you need to light a fire over the supposed place where the ground freezes and keep the fire going until this area of ​​the ground is completely warmed up;
2. If the ice plug is located near the sink or toilet drain, I recommend pouring a saturated hot solution down the drain table salt(1 kg of salt per 10 liters of water). The resulting brine has enough low temperature melting (below -22°C), so ice upon contact with it reacts and begins to actively melt;

1. If the plug is located far away, you can take plumbing cable, and attach a flexible rubber hose to it with electrical tape in several places. After this, insert the free end of the cable with the hose into the sewer pipe until it hits the ice jam, and then use a wide funnel to pour hot salt water into the hose;
2. If the septic tank is significantly removed from the house, an ice plug may form at the end of the drain collector. In this case, you need to open the inspection hatch of the septic tank's receiving chamber, insert a flexible rubber hose into the sewer pipe all the way, and supply water from the hot water supply system until the ice completely melts.

If there is a piece of electric heating cable of sufficient length left in the house, it should, as far as possible, be led into the drain hole of the sink or toilet and connected to electrical network(the drainage system must be filled with water).

Thawing hidden plastic pipes

Currently, pipes made of polymer materials (polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, metal-plastic) are widely used to supply cold water to the house from a well or a centralized water supply, as well as to perform intra-house wiring. Freezing of intra-apartment communications is rare, however, if a water pipe is laid underground, laid inside a wall, or passes through an uninsulated underground space, it may freeze during prolonged severe frosts.

The methods described above will not work in this case, so next I will tell you how to defrost polypropylene pipes in the event that they are not in plain sight and there is no direct access to them.

1. First of all, you need to purchase a coil of two-core electrical cable of sufficient length, with solid copper conductors. At one time I used for these purposes a power installation cable NYM 2x1.5 mm², costing 20-35 rubles/m.p., but you can take its domestic analogue VVG 2x1.5 mm², the price of which is 16-25 rubles per linear meter;

1. One of the free ends of the cable must be cut as shown in the figure below. On a section 80-100 mm long, you need to completely remove the top insulation, then completely strip one copper core. Strip the second core halfway, bend it back, and make several turns of the exposed wire around;
2. Also turn the completely stripped core back, and, trying not to damage the insulation, wind it in several turns onto the very end of the cable;

1. Place the prepared end of the cable into a plastic pipe and push it forward until it hits the ice plug. After this, connect the free end of the cable to the electrical network;
2. When an electric current passes between the two copper windings at the end of the cable through the water in the pipe, it will begin to heat up and gradually melt the ice;
3. The shut-off valve at the entrance to the house must be kept half open, and a bucket or bowl should be placed under the free end of the pipe, because after a while thawed water will begin to flow out of it.

Once again, I would like to remind you that this method can only be used on plastic pipelines with plastic shut-off valves, since even if a steel pipe or metal fitting is installed in some section, this can lead to a short circuit.

Defrosting a hidden metal pipeline

Despite widespread use in modern construction polymer materials, metal pipes are currently no less popular. Since the technology described in the previous section cannot be used to defrost metal pipes, I invite the reader to become familiar with two more similar methods that can be used to thaw metal utility lines hidden underground or in a wall.

1. The first of these methods resembles the previous one, however, instead of an electric cable, in this case a thin flexible hose is used, into which hot water or saline solution is supplied directly to the place where the ice plug forms;

1. To ensure that the hose does not break, get stuck or bend as it moves inside the pipe, it must be wound with electrical tape to a thin but rigid steel wire in several places, approximately every 600-800 mm, and so that the wire does not catch on bends and turns , it needs to be bent with a small hook inside the hose;
2. After one end of the hose reaches the ice plug, you need to attach any suitable container to the other end, preferably with a tap, into which you need to gradually pour brine or clean hot water;
3. As a container for water, I recommend using Esmarch’s medical mug, or, more simply, a regular enema. All other steps must be performed similarly to the previous method using an electrical cable;

The second method, in my opinion, is much simpler, since it does not require partial disassembly of the pipeline and dismantling of shut-off valves with your own hands, moreover, it can be performed without further human intervention, however, it is quite energy-intensive, and a welding machine is also required for operation.

1. The first step is to roughly determine the section of the pipe where the ice jam has formed, then remove a small part of the thermal insulation from both sides of this section and clean the metal of the pipe until it shines;

1. Connect electrical cables connected to the secondary winding of the welding transformer to the cleaned areas; it is important to ensure a high-quality electrical connection;
2. Install on welding machine minimum value working current, and connect it to the electrical network. When passing low voltage With high strength current by metal pipes, they will begin to heat up along the entire length of the connected section, which will lead to a gradual thawing of the ice;
3. Heating can take up to several hours, and during this time it is important that the water tap of the nearest plumbing fixture in the house is open.

When working with welding machine, it should be borne in mind that connecting and disconnecting the electrical cables of the secondary winding to the pipe is allowed only when the power to the transformer is turned off, otherwise, at the moment the circuit breaks, an electric arc is formed, which can cause burns to the hands and eyes, and even lead to burnout of the walls of the steel pipe.

Conclusion

To summarize, from my own experience I can say that each of the methods described here, in one case or another, is quite effective, however, in any case, you need to understand that the process of defrosting pipes can take quite a lot of time and effort. Therefore, I believe that it is always better to prevent any problem in advance than to suddenly be left without water supply, heating or sewerage for an indefinite period of time in winter.

In more detail, all the methods described for defrosting pipes can be viewed in the attached video in this article, and if after watching the reader has questions, I will always be happy to answer them in the comments below.

July 22, 2016

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July 22, 2016
Specialization: Capital construction works(laying a foundation, erecting walls, constructing a roof, etc.). Internal construction work (laying internal communications, rough and fine finishing). Hobbies: mobile communications, high technology, computer equipment, programming.

I have told many people many times about the technologies for manufacturing engineering systems in private homes. And all the time I drew attention to the fact that pipelines must be laid below the freezing point or carefully insulated. However, from time to time people contact me with questions about how to defrost a plastic water pipe.

I remember a time when a neighbor in the country called me in mid-January and tearfully asked me to fix the water supply. As it turned out, he planned to spend his anniversary outside the city, and upon arriving at the site after a long stay in warm countries, he was faced with the fact that water was not flowing from the taps. And all the complex electronics that provide water to the cottage don’t work either.

As it turned out, the culprit was an ice plug that clogged a metal-plastic pipe laid underground. And since he could only sign business papers with his own hands, he had to call me for help.

Of course, we dealt with the problem, and I turned out to be the most honored guest at his holiday. I decided to tell you about how to defrost plastic water and sewerage pipes. Perhaps the instructions below will provide you with invaluable help. Especially when a reliable plumber friend is not nearby.

Causes of pipeline freezing

In my practice, I have very rarely met people who make or order modern engineering networks (water supply, sewerage) from steel pipes. Plastic is more common.

And I think this is correct, because the price of polymer pipes is decreasing all the time, and operational properties such solutions have always been at their best:

• plastic pipelines have an attractive appearance;
• pipes are not subject to corrosion throughout their entire service life;
• installing a utility network is as simple as possible without the use of electric welding (maximum - a soldering iron);
• pipes do not conduct electricity and do not accumulate static electricity.

The only thing that cannot be avoided under any circumstances is the danger of the liquid in them freezing. However, I know for sure that people encounter this problem only in cases where they entrusted the installation to an illiterate engineer.

Only such a person can lay a water supply system at insufficient depth in the ground or fail to insulate the engineering system. As a result, you arrive at your dacha to celebrate your birthday, and nothing flows from the tap. Sadness.

To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to dig a sufficiently deep trench for the water supply and sewerage pipes. The average depth of soil freezing in the Moscow region is 1.4 meters. However, this indicator depends on many other factors, so to determine exact value It’s better to contact specialists or use special cards with tables.

By the way, many people ask why central water pipes in cities don’t freeze. I will answer without reserve. There, the flow of water does not stop around the clock, so the liquid is in motion and does not turn into ice.

And at the dacha pump equipment It turns on only from time to time. Therefore, it is imperative to take measures to insulate water transport pipes.

Pay special attention to insulation and deepening drainage systems where water flows at low speed. Otherwise, a traffic jam will form and you will have to decide how to defrost the plastic sewer pipe. This activity is difficult and far from pleasant.

If for some reason it is not possible to dig a ditch of a suitable depth, it is necessary to wrap the pipes in thermal insulation materials or come up with systems for heating them. Or use both options.

If you know that your pipes are poorly insulated, and at night they promise very severe frost, leave the water on overnight to ensure flow in the pipe.
In this case, the likelihood of ice appearing is significantly reduced.

But it often happens that people return to issues of pipe insulation only when they are already faced with freezing water. There’s nothing left to do here; we’ll have to melt the ice. I’ll tell you about this now.

Defrosting water transport communications made of plastic

underground

First, let's look at how to defrost a plastic water pipe underground. This, in my opinion, is the most labor-intensive and time-consuming process. Especially in winter, when not only the water in the pipes froze, but also the ground itself where they were laid.

The simplest scheme is as follows:

1. It is necessary to light a fire over the place where the plastic pipe passes. You can use wood or coal, and also light car tire. The latter will burn for a long time, but will emit black, smoky smoke. Take this into account.

The advantage of this method is that not only the water in the pipe must heat up, but also the earth itself must thaw. And we need this in order to move on to the next point of our work.

1. I then suggest digging up the pipe to check if it is damaged. This will be easy to do, since the fire will soften the ground and it will be easier to swing the shovel.
   Usually, high-quality plastic pipes are not broken by ice, so there is no need to repair anything. The main thing is not to break the pipe during excavation.
2. After making sure that the communications are intact, I recommend insulating the pipeline thermal insulation materials or pave . If this is not done, then I personally will not give a guarantee that after filling the trench with earth, the water in the pipe will not freeze again.

If you ever encounter water freezing, I recommend redoing the engineering system in the summer. After all, your friend will not always come to the rescue in time and dig up this pipe. It will be necessary to either deepen the trenches or insulate the water transport system along its entire length.

By the way, someone once told me that they insulated pipes with empty plastic bottles. The scheme is like this:

• you dig a pit and check the pipe;
• take more plastic bottles, you wrap the plugs so that there is air inside;
• you line the pipe with them;
• you cover everything with earth.

The point here is that the air inside has a low thermal conductivity coefficient and will prevent the water in the pipes from freezing.

What can I say? In my opinion, you will spend more time collecting bottles than working. Better go to the store and buy basalt shells. It will be clean, neat, efficient and not very expensive.

And to everyone folk recipes I'm in Lately I come running less and less. Unless he himself is confident in their effectiveness.

Another way to remove ice blockage is to use hot water. I see several disadvantages here:

• I'll have to take it apart somewhere plumbing system to pour water into it;
• the pipe will remain uninsulated and the liquid may freeze again at any time;
• the method will not work if the ice is located at a great distance from the place where you are going to pour boiling water.

Nevertheless, sometimes I resorted to this method. To make it more effective, I will give some of my own tips that were formed during the work:

1. If your dacha is connected to central water supply, do not turn off the taps. Additional pressure from the central water supply can help break the plug.
2. If water comes from pumping station(i.e. well or well), the equipment must be turned off. Otherwise, you will ruin expensive electronics as the water will drain from the pipes.
3. You can tell that the blockage has been removed by the fact that the water poured into the pipe will all flow out.

Another proven method that I have sometimes used to defrost pipes. It must be implemented carefully, as you may get hit electric shock. Nevertheless, I will describe the technology, in case you have no other way to fix the problem.

The scheme is like this:

1. I'll take it electrical wire, I separate one core from the other and remove part of the insulation. Then I roll one wire into a spiral. I do the same with the second core, but the twist needs to be placed a little behind, about two centimeters.
   It is very important here to ensure that these twists do not move during the work and do not touch each other. This may cause a short circuit and electric shock. So be very careful to secure the ends of the wire.
2. I insert the tool prepared in this way into the pipe until it hits the ice plug.
3. After this, the wire must be connected to electrical outlet. Heating of the liquid inside the pipe will occur due to the potential difference across the twists. The walls of the pipe will not melt; the water temperature will not rise to this level in any case.
4. As it thaws, you need to move your device deeper until the patency of the engineering system is completely restored.

Remember that thawed water must be drained at all times, otherwise it may freeze again.

To defrost pipes, there are also special devices. We are talking about steam generators, autoclaves and hydrodynamic devices. It is not necessary to buy them; it is enough to rent the necessary unit from a specialized construction supermarket.

The work proceeds as follows:

1. Steam generator. It is necessary to place the device hose inside the pipe and release steam under pressure. Considering that the temperature of the environment is much higher than the boiling point of the liquid, the defrosting process will occur very quickly, and the plastic will not be damaged.
2. Autoclave. Steam is also used here, but the operating principle is somewhat different. First, water is heated in a container until steam is formed from it. Then a hose is inserted into the water pipe (up to the ice plug), the second end of which is connected to the autoclave.
   As the ice thaws, the hose must be moved along the pipe until the water flows in the direction you want.
3. Hydrodynamic machine. It destroys ice not by temperature, but by a jet of liquid pumped under high pressure. As a result, the traffic jam can be removed very quickly and efficiently.

And if someone advises you to just bend the wire and break through the ice, you don’t need to do it. So, with a high degree of probability, you will damage the plastic shell of the pipeline itself, but not the ice plug.

Overhead

As you understand, defrosting plastic pipes laid openly (for example, in a basement, pantry or other unheated room), is much easier to do. Here you will not need the help of a specialist at all. Especially if you follow my advice.

The easiest heating method is a hair dryer or other similar heat source. By directing the air flow to the engineering system, you gradually heat the walls of the pipes, which give off their thermal energy water. And the ice melts.

By the way, the hairdryer can be replaced with a regular heater, which is placed near the pipe.

You've probably seen how metal pipelines heat up blowtorches. So, this heating method is absolutely not suitable for plastic. The polymer has a very low melting point (about 140 degrees), so a flame from a gas or gasoline burner will melt not only the ice, but also the pipe along with it.

Naturally, an obligatory stage of any defrosting is the insulation of pipes or the installation of heating elements that maintain the required temperature of the liquid. I offer several options to choose from:

1. Take mineral mats and wrap them around the pipes. It is imperative to protect all this from above with waterproofing material to avoid moisture and some kind of protective cocoon. A roofing material that will cope with both tasks is suitable.

1. Buy and attach special shells made of polystyrene foam, basalt fiber, foamed polyethylene and so on to the pipes. The simplest option. They are installed quickly and easily, without the use of special tools.

1. Wrap the pipe with heating electric cable. This method is suitable for both heating ice and preventing its further formation. You just need to make sure that the cable is constantly connected to the electrical network.

It’s best to wrap the pipes with cable and then with insulation. The combination of these methods will provide you with drinking water at any time of the year, regardless of the outside temperature.

Defrosting a sewer pipe

Separately, I will tell you about a method for removing a plug from a drain pipe of an external sewer system of a private house. This is the problem that most residents of private country houses face.

So, to fix the problem you will need:

• rigid steel wire;
• hydraulic level (dense polymer flexible tube);
• Esmarch's irrigator;
• a bucket for collecting dirty liquid;
• hot water.

I fixed a similar problem like this:

1. He removed a piece of sewer pipe, opening access to the pipe connecting the internal and external sewer systems Houses.
2. I aligned the steel wire and attached a hydraulic level to it with electrical tape, through which hot water will flow into the pipe.
3. Then he put this entire device into a sewer pipe, and attached Esmarch’s mug to the opposite end of the pipe.
4. After that, using an improvised pump, he began to pump hot water inside, gradually moving the device inside the pipe.
5. Excess water and thawed sewage poured out through the neck. I collected them in a pre-set bucket.
6. As soon as the water stops flowing out, it means the plug has thawed and you can assemble the engineering system.

As in the case of plumbing, to avoid freezing of the drain, you need to lay pipes on required depth or insulate them with thermal insulation materials. It’s better to spend time and money on this in the summer than digging through waste in the winter, on the eve of your birthday.

Regardless of the chosen defrosting method and the method of laying pipes, I will give a few more tips that must be followed when thawing pipes:

• if you know exactly where the ice plug is located, you do not need to heat this particular section of pipes from the middle;
• to ensure the outflow of melted water, it is necessary to open the water tap;
• I recommend starting the defrosting procedure from the consumer (supply tap) to the source of water intake (vertical riser).

Conclusion

There are a lot of ways to defrost pipes, and everyone who has encountered a similar problem knows their own way to defrost ice. I would be glad if you would share it with our readers by describing it in the comments to this article.

And I suggest everyone to watch the video in this article, where you can find many other tips regarding the operation of the engineering systems of a residential building.

July 22, 2016

If you want to express gratitude, add a clarification or objection, or ask the author something - add a comment or say thank you!