How to defrost water in a plastic pipe. How to defrost a plastic pipe - several effective methods. Defrosting of iron pipes

One of the unpleasant consequences of prolonged severe frosts is the freezing of water in the heating pipeline, hot and cold water supply or the domestic sewer system, so the owners of private houses need to know how to defrost the pipe underground, preventing it from being damaged by the formed ice crystals. Indeed, in addition to the formation of an ice plug, which completely covers the internal lumen of the pipe, the crystallization of water is accompanied by an increase in the volume of frozen ice in a limited space, which can lead to a rupture of the outer walls of the pipeline.

To prevent freezing of water, external pipes must be carefully insulated., but if for some reason this nevertheless happened, they must be correctly thawed using the technologies described below.

Defrosting water and sewer pipes

In order to substantively consider this issue, this article will describe several ways to combat this dangerous phenomenon, using common household tools and affordable household chemicals.

In addition, the reader will be provided with detailed instructions and useful recommendations for the installation of water pipes, the implementation of which will avoid the occurrence of unpleasant consequences.

What to do so that the pipes do not freeze

Most often, the main reason for the freezing of water in pipes is a violation of the technology for laying an external or underground pipeline and non-compliance with the rules for using water supply in the winter. In order not to have to face the solution of such a problem in the future, it is enough to follow the simple rules for the installation and operation of the supply or drain pipeline in the cold season.

1. The bottom of the trench for laying the pipeline should be located below the maximum depth of soil freezing for this region, in accordance with the requirements of SNiP II-G.3-62 “Water supply. Design standards".
2. It is not allowed to lay pipes in the ground near structures made of monolithic reinforced concrete., since its thermal conductivity is significantly higher than the thermal conductivity of the soil. About that, I advise you to read in the previous article on our website.
3. When the pipeline passes through the foundation, walls and other building structures, it is necessary to provide thermal insulation from monolithic concrete using a thick layer of mineral wool.

1. For laying underground or external water supply lines, pipes with a diameter of at least 50 mm should be used, since reducing the diameter of the pipe contributes to faster freezing.
2. If possible, pipes made of polymeric materials should be used for these purposes, since they have moderate elasticity and do not collapse when an ice plug forms, but only slightly increase in volume.
3. For guaranteed frost protection, one or two lines of heating cable should be laid parallel to the pipe, which, regardless of the frost, will constantly maintain a positive temperature.
4. In unheated residential buildings of seasonal residence, before the onset of the cold season, it is necessary to completely drain the water from all water supply networks, including water supply, heating and sewerage.

In any case, when installing an external or underground water supply system, it should be remembered that the price of thorough thermal insulation will be much lower than the cost of repair work to replace a damaged section of the pipeline in the winter.

Note!

Advice! To completely remove water from all engineering communications, their pipes should be located at an inclination of 1-2 ° to the horizon, towards the lowest point of the plumbing, sewer or heating system.

Pipe defrosting technology

Option 1: defrosting steel plumbing

In practice, two methods are used to thaw frozen pipes. They differ from each other in the way of thermal exposure - internal and external heating:

• For metal pipelines, both the first and second methods can be used., however, outdoor heating is usually more efficient, since it allows you to heat the surface immediately over a large area.
• An external heat source can be electrical heating devices or an open flame source, such as a heating cable, heat gun, blowtorch, or gas burner. In the process of heating steel pipes using these tools, the following rules must be observed:

1. First of all, you need to determine the location of the formation of an ice plug and provide free access to the pipe, after which open the nearest water faucet for the free flow of thawed water.
2. Connect a heat source or light a gas burner flame and gradually begin to warm up the frozen area, slowly moving the tool from the faucet to the inlet riser.

1. As the temperature rises, water will begin to appear from the tap, which indicates the gradual thawing of the ice plug.
2. It is safer and no less effective to use a household heating pad or a heating electric cable, which must be evenly wound around a frozen section of the pipe, and then plugged into the electrical network. To speed up the process, I suggest wrapping the heating cable with a thick cloth or an old blanket.
3. To warm a long section of a metal pipe that is located on the street or in a wall, you can use a welding machine. To do this, you need to connect the leads of the low-voltage winding of the transformer using thick cables to different ends of the frozen section.

Note!

Advice! When using an open flame, be sure to follow the fire safety rules. This method is not allowed to be used for heating pipes that are wrapped with roofing material or covered with a layer of bituminous waterproofing.

Option 2: defrosting plastic pipes

Metal-plastic water pipes, as a rule, are used to perform intra-apartment or intra-house wiring of the water supply system, so they can freeze if they are filled with water for a long time in an unheated room with a negative temperature.

1. In most cases, to eliminate the ice plug, it is enough to turn on the heating system in the house and warm the air in the room to above zero temperature.
2. If a plug has formed in the heating system, you can put an electric heater or a medical lamp with a deflector next to the radiator or battery.
3. An open metal-plastic pipe in the house can be warmed up with your own hands, if you wrap it with several layers of thick fabric and pour hot water over it, after substituting a bucket or bowl under it.
4. For metal-plastic pipes, the use of a heating pad or an electric heating cable is also effective, but the use of open fire in this case is strictly not permissible.

Note!

Advice! Beforehow to defrost heating pipes, you need to check the water level in the expansion tank, and make sure that no air enters the autonomous heating system during operation.

Option 3: defrosting plastic plumbing

Plastic water pipes made of polypropylene or polyethylene pipes are most often used to supply water to a house from a well with an autonomous water supply system or to connect to a centralized water supply system. It is also often used to perform internal wiring for hot and cold water supply in many apartments and residential buildings.

Most often, freezing of water networks occurs at the entrance to a residential building or at the exit from the water metering unit., and this area is usually located underground. In this case, the methods described above will not work, so you need to use the internal heating method. To do this, you need Esmarch's medical mug and a thin long hose.

1. Before you unfreeze polypropylene pipes underground, you need to roughly determine the place where the ice plug forms and disassemble part of the water supply to provide free access to the supply pipe.

1. To the free end of the flexible rubber hose, attach the end of the elastic steel wire so that it protrudes 10 mm in front of the end of the hose.
2. Insert the hose with a fixed wire inside the supply pipe and gradually push it inward, adjusting its progress with the help of a wire.
3. Having reached the place of the alleged ice plug, connect the free end of the hose to the outlet of Esmarch's mug, and pour hot water into it.
4. After that, you need to raise it as high as possible and open the drain valve, directing the heated water to the place of ice formation.
5. As it warms up, thawed water will flow out of the end of the inlet pipe, so you need to substitute a bowl or bucket under it.

Note!

Advice! In order to prevent flooding of the house as a result of a sudden supply of water after the removal of the ice plug, you must first, slightly close the inlet valve, which is located between the metering unit and the main pipeline.

Option 4: removing the ice plug in the sewer

Freezing of the sewerage system is rare, because, as a rule, it receives exhausted heated water from the drain holes of plumbing fixtures that are located in a house or apartment. If this nevertheless happened, then several methods will be presented that describe in detail how to defrost a sewer pipe in a private house when an ice plug forms.

1. With a small depth of the underground drain collector, above the place where it is located, you need to build a fire and keep it burning until the entire layer of the earth warms up.
2. Pour a large amount of concentrated salt solution down the drain. Such a solution has a very low melting point, so it will not freeze, and the salt included in its composition will slowly dissolve the ice plug.
3. Through the drain hole of the toilet bowl or the window of the inspection hatch, lead the electric heating cable into the sewerage system until it stops against the ice obstacle, and connect it to the mains.
4. Open the inspection hatch of the septic tank, and through the outlet of the drain pipe, bring a flexible garden hose into it. Having reached the place of the alleged ice plug, supply hot water from the water supply system to the hose until the ice is completely thawed.

Conclusion

After reading this article, it is easy to conclude that there are a large number of simple and effective ways that allow you to independently eliminate the effects of water freezing in any pipeline of a private house.

Additional information on this issue can be obtained if you watch the video in this article, or read similar materials on our website. All your questions and suggestions can be left in the comment form.

Are you familiar with the situation when, at a negative temperature outside, the water supply from the tap stops? Such a problem occurs in your home with the onset of a cold season, and you do not know how to quickly fix it? To fight, it is required to choose an effective method for resuming the working capacity of the water supply network. Do you agree?

We will tell you how to thaw a frozen pipeline and how to prevent a problem situation in the future. Let's talk about effective ways to quickly restore water supply on a cold winter day for sanitary purposes and cooking.

Our article provides a selection of the best ways to help deal with this trouble on your own. Methods for pipelines made of various materials are considered. So that you can better understand the nuances of warming, we have selected visual photos and thematic videos detailing recommendations for saving water pipes from ice captivity.

With a sharp onset of frost, supplemented by strong winds, cases of freezing with the formation of ice plugs inside them are not uncommon.

Frozen water as a result of improper laying or operation of the pipeline will, at best, make it impossible to use the system, and at worst, force the breakthrough to be repaired.

The problem of pipe freezing is more relevant for owners of summer cottages and private sector houses, whose water supply inlets pass along the street

There can be several reasons for freezing water in the plumbing.

The most basic among them:

• extremely low temperatures outside;
• laying pipes to a shallower depth than the level of soil freezing;
• insufficient insulation of the pipeline;
• low or even zero water consumption.

At night or for a longer period when the owners do not use the water supply, the water in the pipes remains still. At sub-zero temperatures, it freezes quickly.

Not only pipelines can freeze, but also taps that are not shut off in a timely manner, which supply water, both to an unheated basement and to the yard

The pipe, located in the frozen ground, after passing warm streams, begins to cool down, and after a short period it acquires a low temperature. Small portions of water, as they advance, begin to freeze and crystallize, at some point completely clogging the entire section of the pipe.

How to find a problem area?

The most difficult moment in this matter is to determine the place of freezing in an open area. Experienced craftsmen advise, when examining and probing the accessible part of the route, to focus on temperature sensations.

It is not difficult to determine the location of the ice plug in a plastic pipeline when probing: within the blocked area, when trying to slightly bend the pipe, a characteristic crunch is heard

Water pipes usually freeze in areas where the pipes come close to the ground. Vulnerable to frost are also technical wells, unheated basements.

It is noticed that concrete freezes faster than soil layers. Therefore, if the basement was unreliably insulated or ajar during severe frosts, it is quite natural that the pipeline lying in it froze.

If the freezing area cannot be determined, it is better to immediately abandon the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bbreaking through the ice jam by mechanical means

If it is not possible to “calculate” a specific area, use the available methods at once on several of the most probable freezing places.

Effective solutions to the problem

The water supply can be defrosted by external thermal exposure, or by defrosting from the inside. Each specific case depends on the length of the frozen area and the material from which they are made, and therefore requires the use of different means.

Despite the fact that ice with the same mass is more voluminous than water, within its state of aggregation, obeying the laws of physics, it expands before melting.

To reduce the risk of pipe rupture during the period of thawing ice plugs, it is necessary to reduce the pressure on the walls of the structure by prudently opening the taps

Before starting work, it is imperative to open a water tap or “discharge valve” after the valve at the inlet in order to determine the effectiveness of the actions performed by the water flowing from it.

Method #1 - Using Hot Water

If the system is frozen in an open area at, or inside an unheated basement, the easiest way to warm up a section of the water supply is to treat it outside with boiling water. Hot water has saved water pipes from freezing at all times.

To do this, the pipe is wrapped in several layers with rags and cuts of old rags that absorb moisture well. A wet rag will prolong the contact time of the pipe walls with water.

The area wrapped with a rag is poured with hot water in several approaches until the cloth gets wet and the ice under it begins to melt

When warming up a frozen section of the pipeline, it is important not to damage it. Areas of the structure that do not require heating must be covered with heat-insulating material. This will prevent the accumulation of pieces of ice moving along the pipeline along with water.

This method is used only in enclosed spaces and with an open method of laying pipelines. And this technology is suitable only for steel pipelines. The system located underground will have to be heated with boiling water for at least 12 hours.

Method # 2 - heating with a building hair dryer

You can also achieve the desired effect with the help of hot air created by a powerful building hair dryer. The method is used to heat frozen sections of the pipeline in places where it is quite easy to get to them, for example, when the system is laid inside the building.

In order to melt the water along the pipeline shell, the surface of the structure is blown from all sides with a stream of hot air directed by the nozzle.

In order to create conditions for the movement of ice accumulation through the pipe, it is necessary to evenly distribute the flow of hot air, without forgetting to open all the valves first.

Keep in mind that a building hair dryer produces a temperature range that can reach from 100 to 650 ° C. Therefore, it cannot be used for pipes made of polymeric materials.

To enhance the effect, while reducing heat losses, the construction of an impromptu protective casing around the heated area helps. It will reflect heat, evenly distributing it over the entire surface of the insulated area.

To do this, a small pavilion is temporarily built, the walls of which are made of the same film or metal shields.

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A water supply system is a system for supplying water to consumers to provide drinking water and water for technical purposes. An extensive network runs throughout the settlement and provides the necessary outlets for supplying water to private, multi-apartment buildings and industrial facilities.

Rice. 1. water supply system

plastic plumbing system

Plumbing is divided into 2 types:

• outdoor;
• internal.

Internal systems run inside residential and industrial buildings. External pass outside: underground and above it.

External water pipes are often exposed to external factors. They are winds, sub-zero temperatures, natural disasters. Sub-zero temperatures cause pipes to freeze. This prevents liquid from passing through them and complicates the possibility of consumption.

Types of polymers

Plastic plumbing is made of a polymer material, which is characterized by properties that depend on the type of polymer:

• Polyethylene pipes. They are used for outdoor water disposal, water flows in them for drinking and household needs of the population.
• PVC pipes. Differ in long service life, use with rather easy installation and dismantle. After the expiration date, they must be recycled.
• Profiled pipes. Produced from combinations of polyethylene and propylene. The advantage of such products is resistance to high temperatures.
• Spiral. They are made on the basis of a profile with hollow polyethylene walls. A feature of the application is the appointment for a free flow.

Advantages of using polymer structures:

• high rates of tightness of connections between sections;
• resistance to corrosion processes;
• ease of installation of water pipes;
• low cost;
• long period of use;
• stable indicators in relation to the effects of chemical reagents;
• no formation of salt deposits.

The problem of freezing plastic plumbing

The basis of all products is polymers, which can be unstable to temperature indicators. A common problem faced by public utilities or owners of private residential buildings is the freezing of external water supply.

In order to prevent the occurrence of such a problem, owners of private houses are advised to anticipate such risks in advance and prevent them. For this you need:

• take into account climatic conditions, type, condition of the soil;
• take into account the specifics of the local highway;
• take measures to protect the water supply from low temperatures.

Polymer pipes are damaged due to the specifics of the material:

• discrepancy between the quality of products, installation of products intended for internal use underground;
• use occurs without taking into account the technical characteristics of the material;
• the use of low-quality elements for connection and fastening;
• rigid fasteners that do not meet the requirements;
• the location of the water supply in places where the route passes, the load on the soil is increased and has technical features.

Reasons for freezing

The main reason that leads to the freezing of the pipeline in winter is improper laying of products. This means that the pipes run at insufficient depth. If you lay them above the specified mark, then the soil will freeze through.

The design of the gasket must be made in accordance with the climatic conditions of a particular region. Examination and analysis of hydraulic work helps to know the possible depth of laying.

There are special cases when laying at the depth indicated by experts is not possible. In this case, heating systems for such gaskets should be provided.

The cause of freezing is the lack of pressure in the pipeline. Low speeds lead to ice buildup.

The diameter of polymer pipes becomes a factor influencing the formation of build-up. Too large diameter contributes to freezing due to lack of water flow, too small diameter leads to interruptions in water supply and also causes freezing.

Checking the integrity of the plastic water pipe

To find the place of freezing and defrost it, it is necessary to determine the places where the frozen plastic water pipes are located:

1. Pipes are inspected. According to its physical properties, water has the ability to expand when it freezes, so the pipe becomes wider in the place where freezing has occurred. The water plug pushes the plastic apart, it increases in size.
2. This method involves the partial dismantling of the pipeline. The section to which there is access is cut, the flexible cable is passed inward and turned to the place where it rests on the ice plug. In this way, you can defrost a plastic water pipe that is underground.
3. The ability to bend pipes along their entire length is not always feasible. If this can be done, then where a frozen pipe is found, crackling occurs.

Methods for defrosting polymer pipes that conduct water

There are several available methods to defrost a water pipe underground on your own. This will require additional equipment that can be used at low temperatures.

1. Heating of polymer pipes with a building hair dryer. The disadvantage of this approach is that plastic does not conduct heat. This means that the use of such a tool will not bring quick results.
2. Exposure to hot heat. The pipe is wrapped with rags and poured with boiling water. This method helps to warm the water and get rid of the ice build-up in the plastic pipe. To do this, water is allowed through pipes. The pressure is chosen as low as possible.
3. Hot water start. This is an internal way to defrost pipes. For him, find the nearest connection point, place a flexible hose in the hole and let hot water through it.
4. The use of a steam generator A special sleeve of the steam generator is introduced into the junction. Steam is supplied from the moment when the sleeve rests against the cork. The feed is carried out slowly, gradually increasing the speed.
5. The use of electricity. For this method, twisting of thick two-core wires is suitable. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the wires are not connected in order to avoid a short circuit. The wires are carried to the place of the traffic jam, turn on the electricity. Warming up is slow.
6. Cleaning with a hydrodynamic machine. The method provides for the treatment of the place where the product has iced over with pressure. As it breaks down, the plug shifts and shrinks. A hose with a nozzle advances it further. This technique is effective, but requires an investment of money.

After the work is completed, the next stage begins: inspection and damage assessment. A faucet is opened in the house, about a liter of water is drained, the faucet is buried. This method allows you to warm up the heating.

Under the connection sites or at the excavation site, which have been freed from the soil, water is expected to appear for 20-25 minutes. If water appears, then this indicates damage to the pipe where it was possible to remove the ice plug.

In this case it is necessary:

• carry out excavations;
• find the place of damage;
• carry out site replacement.

If there is no water after half an hour, then this means that the site does not need to be replaced. It is necessary to insulate the pipes, then cover with soil.

Damaged areas are being repaired in the winter, taking into account that the main work will be carried out under more favorable weather conditions. The places where the pipe froze and a leak occurred are cut out, replaced with new ones reinforced with special joints or fittings. Welding is often used if conditions permit. After connecting the sections, water is let in and the tightness of the connection is checked. If the products have been cleaned from the remnants of water, sand, foreign objects, and the connections are fixed in accordance with the standards, then the water supply will begin to work properly.

Prevention of freezing water in the water supply

To prevent the water in the plumbing system from freezing, it is necessary to take measures in advance or to repair the existing system in the warm season.

If there is no regular use of running water in a private house, then the water is drained, the taps are turned off. Start-up is carried out gradually, increasing the volume of water used.

Builders and utility specialists recommend taking into account some points when designing, installing and using water supply systems:

• designers identify the levels of freezing in a particular region, laying is carried out in accordance with these measurements;
• they do not lay pipes for water near reinforced concrete structures, which have a higher degree of thermal conductivity, thereby taking heat onto themselves;
• for installation, heat-insulating materials are used in cases where the owners are sure that freezing is quite possible, this may depend on the climatic conditions of the region or on the impossibility of laying to a depth of more than 2 m;
• for thermal insulation use pieces of foam, mineral wool, expanded clay, vermoculite, rags;
• places where the system enters distribution wells or residential premises are considered the most defenseless, therefore they are insulated with the help of special cases, the filling of which involves the use of building-type foam, mineral wool;
• water pipes are wrapped with special cables that are connected to the heating system at low temperatures, strong frosty winds;
• where water pipes are most susceptible to freezing, it is recommended to use products with thick walls, with a cross section of at least 5 mm.

Unlike plastic plumbing, metal structures have a longer service life. This is due to the physical properties of metal pipes of water pipes. They are also prone to freezing for several reasons:

• use for installation of different products with excellent production times;
• the appearance of corrosion inside the pipe;
• use of incorrect fasteners, poor quality parts;
• the appearance of rust, condensation;
• salt-type deposits inside due to the peculiarities of physical qualities, which increases the risk of ice formation in a weakened place.

After the end of the season, the following events are held:

• remove all heating elements to prevent overheating of the system during the hot season;
• inspect the system for damage;
• reconstruction is carried out to prevent freezing in the future.

Competent design and timely repair work will avoid problems with freezing water in the water supply and lack of water supply.

If a plug has formed inside or outside the water supply, measures must be taken to warm the plastic pipe and provide ways to protect the water supply system in the ground.

The situation when modern plastic water pipes freeze happens quite often. Naturally, such a problem should be eliminated as soon as possible, because otherwise the freezing area will gradually expand. In addition, in any case, there is a risk of "rupture" of the highway.

So defrosting plastic pipes is a very important and urgent task. And, in the end, apart from purely technical nuances, sitting without water is also inconvenient, you see.

In this article, we will look at all the most popular and effective ways to solve such a problem. Moreover, we will even figure out how to defrost a metal-plastic pipe underground, and not just the one that is on the surface.

Let's start by reviewing the most important point.

Why does this problem occur at all?

In fact, everything here is quite simple to understand. The causes of freezing are discussed in the table below.

As you can see, the reasons are quite logical and understandable. And if so, then before reviewing how to defrost a plastic water pipe, it is worth talking about preventive measures.

How to prevent freezing

For outdoor plumbing, measures can be as follows:

1. Insulation of plastic with mineral wool. Such work is done very simply - plastic turns into mineral wool. From above, the insulation is wrapped with a rope or wire.

Tip: if communications take place in places with high humidity, then the mineral wool on top must also be wrapped with a film, foil, or even better - with a hydrobarrier.
Then the heater will last a really long time.

1. "Packing" the line in a special box. In fact, communications are simply sheathed on the outside with panels of wood, plastic or drywall (depending on where the communications go). And the entire space between the plane of the box and the water supply is filled with mounting foam or foam plastic crumbs.

Such are the technologies.

Note!
You can not "foam" those points where important connections are located.
Such areas include, for example, taps, brass adapters, threaded fittings, etc.
If they are sealed with foam, it turns out that in the event of an emergency, access to such important elements will be blocked.

As for communications that are laid in the ground, then the recommendations are very simple. It is necessary to mount everything below the depth of the freezing point of the soil. In this case, one should adhere to a very simple rule - if it is not possible to lay the system at the desired depth, then it should be insulated very high quality.

However, do-it-yourself insulation is still not a 100% guarantee that the water will not freeze. The ideal option in this case is to organize at least some kind of communications heating system.

And now let's look at how to defrost plastic water pipes, that is, we'll figure out how to fix the situation when ice has already formed.

Ways of heating the line

It is worth noting one important point - as illustrative examples, we will analyze the most affordable solutions that do not require the purchase of expensive equipment.

In addition, these methods differ in that they have repeatedly proven their effectiveness in practice. Let's start reviewing the simplest option.

With the help of boiling water

The instructions for heating an outdoor system with hot water are quite simple.

In principle, in this way, communications can be warmed up quite quickly - in just a couple of hours. Here the main thing is to warm not even the entire diameter of the ice, but only a small part of it. Because even if a small “loophole” appears for the passage of water along the highway, then the rest of the ice will gradually melt by itself.

As for systems that are located underground, in principle it is possible to influence them in this way, but only the heating time will be much longer. Yes, and you still need to get to the plane of such communications. Therefore, this method is not the best solution for defrosting underground lines.

And if we talk about how to defrost a plastic water pipe underground, then it's best to do it a little differently. The bottom line is that you need to deliver boiling water directly to the ice plug - that is, as if inside the pipe itself. If simply pouring hot water into the line does not work, then you can try to do this with an ordinary flexible hose.

This is done like this:

1. One end of the rubber hose is inserted into the line and the hose is pushed to the point where it meets the ice plug.
2. The second end of the product is put on a hot water tap. At the same time, it is important that the pressure force in the tap is sufficient to deliver water to the desired point.

1. The supply of boiling water is turned on and the heating process begins. As for the exposure time, it all depends on how many meters the ice has spread.

Please note that you will need to prepare some kind of container to collect water!
The fact is that boiling water will rest against the cork and, under the influence of pressure, the water will return “back” - that is, it will begin to flow out of the cracks between the hose and the pipe.

Let's consider another defrosting method, which is suitable for both underground and above-ground water pipes.

Steam

This option in a good way requires a special device - a steam generator. However, the price of the device is too high to purchase it for a one-time operation, so it is easier and more expedient to rent a steam generator.

The principle of operation here is quite simple - the device generates steam, which can be launched under pressure to any desired place.

The flow is usually directed with a hose.

1. Insert the sleeve into the pipe.
2. We turn on the device and begin to pump hot air in the direction of the ice plug.

Here the efficiency and speed of defrosting is at a very high level, because the temperature of the steam is higher than the degree of hot water. In a good way, even in very difficult cases, warming up can occur within literally an hour.

You can also defrost ice with the help of "artisanal" steam injection.

It's done like this:

1. The autoclave heats up water.
2. Take the hose. One of its ends is connected to the autoclave, and the other is launched into the pipe.

It turns out that hot air will, as it were, exit the autoclave through a hose and, accordingly, “rest” against an ice plug.

In principle, any analogue of an autoclave, even an ordinary double boiler, is suitable for small pipelines. The main thing is that the pressure of the steam is strong enough to get to the point where the ice begins.

But this method is only suitable when there is no risk of deformation of the line itself. So whether it is worth using such machines for plastic communications is a big question.

Well, now let's figure out how to defrost a plastic sewer pipe with more "folk" methods.

With hair dryer and fan heater

In fact, this technology involves the effect of warm air on the plastic plane. That is, we take a hair dryer or a fan heater, turn on these devices and begin to pump a hot stream towards the problem point in communications. As you yourself understand, the method is only suitable for those that pass in open areas.

Conclusion

As you already understood, defrosting a line made of plastic pipes is a very real thing. Of course, the situations are different, and therefore there can be no universal way of warming up, but still the methods that we talked about above can “work”. We hope that this is exactly what will happen.

By the way, if you want to see more visual instructions, then watch the video in this article.

An uninsulated pipeline - a sewerage system, a heating system or drinking water - with a high degree of probability can freeze together with its contents in winter, that is, in professional terms - unfreeze. Such a situation - defrosting of heating pipes or other routes - often happens if local climatic realities were not taken into account when laying the route, or the conditions for laying pipes were simply grossly violated.

Causes of pipeline freezing

So, without thermal insulation of any communication pipes, they can defrost in severe frosts. This applies to both underground and surface communications with liquid. There is only one conclusion - it is necessary to insulate the tracks in time. But what to do if the route is already frozen and the pipeline needs to be thawed? Life experience gives quite a few do-it-yourself pipe thawing methods, both cheap and expensive, but always effective.

1. Firstly, there may be little liquid in some pipes, which creates conditions for its faster freezing, for example, in incomplete sewers;
2. Secondly, pipes can be incorrectly calculated in diameter, and this is a direct path to freezing water;
3. Thirdly, critically low regional temperatures may not be taken into account, and even correctly, but insufficiently insulated pipes in severe frosts can freeze.

Reliable defrosting of pipelines occurs on accessible or open sections of the route - for this it is often enough to use a powerful stream of hot air, for example, from a building hair dryer. But the thawing of underground utilities is a much more complicated issue, and sometimes very original technologies have been developed here, for example, the Esmarch mug, which will be discussed below.

The main methods for defrosting heating or plumbing pipes consist in using common improvised tools and materials: a blowtorch, hot water flow, blowing with a building or household hair dryer, etc. Some points need to be clarified here:

1. It is easier to defrost steel pipes if you use a welding machine: the cables are connected to the ends of the pipe, this segment is heated under the influence of current for 2-4 hours;
2. High-pressure polyethylene pipes are now installed everywhere, and welding is not an option for them. It is also forbidden to clean them from internal ice with a crowbar or a rod so as not to damage the walls.

Based on these limitations, we will consider traditional technologies for defrosting heating mains and other pipelines.

External pipe heating

Since we understand the methods of defrosting open heating pipes, sewer systems or water pipes, we consider external defrosting of underground routes, which is immediately complicated by the fact that the pipes will need to be excavated. The technology depends on the diameter of the pipe and the length of the frozen section - you can dig it out manually, or you may have to rent an excavator.

After digging a trench and opening the pipe, determine what the pipeline was insulated with - the technology for defrosting it will depend on this: for example, polyethylene pipes cannot be heated with an open flame or current supply. The temperature of the jet of hot air from a hair dryer or fan heater should not be more than 100-110 0 С, so that the water in the pipe does not boil and break it.

Steel or cast iron pipes can be heated with a blowtorch or gas burner, a fire or other sources of open fire.

Internal heating plastic pipe

Defrosting sewer pipes, unlike heating or plumbing, has some features. The large diameter of PVC pipes allows you to warm them from the inside, and this is a plus. But pipes can be clogged not only with frozen water, but also with debris, and this is a minus. Therefore, the defrosted sewer must not only be warmed up, but also cleaned.

To defrost the inside of a plastic sewer, a simple home-made device is assembled: a cable is connected to a U-shaped heating element with a bend diameter slightly smaller than the pipe diameter and attached to a metal-plastic pipe Ø ½ '' of the required length. Most often, the distance to the place of the frozen area is known, so it will not be difficult to calculate the length of the cable and the length of the MP guide tube even visually. After that, connect the device to the network and push it into the sewer, as shown in the figure:

It is necessary to start advancing the heater from the side of the wastewater receiver so that the melt water can drain unhindered. In the same way, it is possible to warm and large-diameter water pipes.

Defrosting of iron pipes

It will be most effective to defrost from steel or cast iron pipes using special industrial equipment. The principle of operation of this device is as follows: terminals are connected along the edges of the defrosted pipe, through which voltage is supplied, the pipe heats up under the influence of current, and the water thaws.

For example, the following data can be given: a steel pipe with a length of 25 m and Ø< 6 см оттает за 40-60 минут. Если диаметр трубы больше, то клеммы подсоединяют на более коротких участках, при этом нужно следить, чтобы в трубе находилась вода под некоторым давлением – это касается разморозки отопительной и водопроводной систем.

Non-traditional technologies

The use of hot water implies one feature of the behavior of ice: an ice plug will not let hot water into the pipe if you simply pour it from above. Therefore, hot water is supplied inside the frozen area using a smaller diameter hose or pipe. For example, when defrosting a straight section of a water pipe Ø 25-30 mm, it will be effective to use a piece of metal-plastic tube Ø 16 mm.

The inner tube must be straight so that it can be pushed into the water supply to the depth of freezing. As soon as the tube hits the ice, hot water can be poured into it. The flow of melt water will pour out through the gap between the pipes, while increasing the gap. The ice will melt from all sides of the cork, making room for further advancement of the metal-plastic tube further. If the frozen area has bends and turns, then a flexible but rigid hose is used instead of a tube.

The garden hose for irrigation is not suitable for defrosting - it will become soft from the high temperature of the water, and it will not be possible to push it further. An oxygen or gas hose is best suited for this purpose, which are connected to cylinders with gas or oxygen. Practice shows that even softened hoses can be pushed up to a distance of 15 meters. It will be a certain difficulty that the hose remains solid.

But so far we have considered mild cases - defrosting in straight and short sections. But what to do if the pipe froze a few tens of meters from the dwelling, and at the same time the route is still difficult - with turns and bends horizontally or vertically?

Such difficult problems are solved by using the Esmarch mug complete with a building hydraulic level and a coil of hard steel wire. You can buy all these components without problems, their cost is low, and the effect of the application is one hundred percent.

The wire and tube of the water level are aligned and connected with their ends on one side of the device. For greater rigidity and patency inside the pipe, the wire is bent at the end, making a small loop. The hydraulic level tube should be 1-2 cm ahead of the wire loop. The other end of the water level tube is connected to Esmarch's mug, and the tube with wire is pushed all the way into the pipeline.

Further, it is necessary to pour water into the water level tube - a kind of hot "enema". Do not forget, if you are thawing a pipe indoors, place some kind of container under it to collect melted water. It is easy to determine the volume of the container - how much hot water you pour into the device, the same amount will pour out of the cold liquid pipe.

As the ice melts, the tube is pushed further - until the ice plug completely disappears. This technology takes a lot of time (1 linear meter per hour), but is very effective and inexpensive.

How to prevent pipes from freezing

In order not to apply all of the above methods, you need to do prevention to prevent freezing of pipes with water:

1. Pipe laying should be carried out at a depth exceeding the level of soil freezing in the region. Sewerage and water supply systems are recommended to be installed at a depth of ≥ 1200-1400 mm;
2. It is not recommended to lay iron pipes for sewerage, heating or water delivery in direct proximity to concrete surfaces - ceilings, walls, grillages and foundations, since the thermal conductivity of reinforced concrete is several times higher than that of the soil, and the risk of soil freezing from reinforced concrete objects increases in many times. If this cannot be avoided, then the pipes must be insulated, and it is advisable to do this with solid heat-insulating materials - extruded polystyrene foam, bulk substances;
3. Additional protection against freezing of pipes will be the laying of a heating self-regulating cable next to the pipes;

1. It is recommended to insulate the places where pipes are laid through walls or ceilings with soft heat insulators - mounting foam, mineral wool (basalt, fiberglass, stone), ecowool or other loose materials so that there is no contact between pipes and walls;
2. When arranging a pipeline on your land, it is recommended to take pipes Ø≥ 50 mm, since small pipes freeze faster;
3. When choosing synthetic pipes, remember that PPU (foam) pipes can crack after several cycles of freezing and thawing, and PPE (polyethylene) pipes will last as long as you need;
4. If sewerage, heating and plumbing are not used in winter, then the water from the pipes must be drained.

Since in winter the owners of private housing constructions and apartments are sometimes faced with the need to defrost water pipes, you need to remember that the faster you react and take the necessary steps to thaw the pipeline for any purpose, the smaller section of the route will fail. For defrosting pipelines, all methods are good - both traditional and invented out of vital necessity - your comfortable further living in the house depends on this.