So what's the rule about the dripping faucet thing?

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TuxDave

TuxDave

Lifer
Oct 8, 2002
10,571
3
71
and I have to say, it's FREAKING COLD! My first free weekend since working and I planned to go visit Portland. Lo and behold there's freezing rain outside and I'm now stuck at home. I originally planned to park my car and take the Max into Portland but I didn't like the idea of coming back to a car enclosed in ice.

So what do we do about the dripping faucet thing that I've been hearing. It's about 30F right now and I have my bathtub, bathroom sink and kitchen sink dripping away. Is it all necessary at this point or am I being paranoid?
 
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BigJ

Lifer
Nov 18, 2001
21,330
1
81
if I was you I'd do the drip too. Just wait till night rolls around when it gets really cold.
 
TuxDave

TuxDave

Lifer
Oct 8, 2002
10,571
3
71
Originally posted by: FoBoT
no, it isn't that cold
don't worry about it
Click to expand...

Yeah... but it's cold enough to keep me from leaving the house. I guess I'll let it drip before I goto sleep.
 
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rgwalt

Diamond Member
Apr 22, 2000
7,393
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You only really need to leave one of the faucets dripping. This is to provide a small amount of turbulence in the water pipes entering your home to prevent them from freezing and bursting. So, leave your kitchen or bathroom faucet dripping or flowing very slightly with cold water. Do not use hot water...

If you are worried about your furnace going out and your pipes freezing indoors, get a small electric heater. Many of them have a "frost watch" setting.

Ryan
 
TuxDave

TuxDave

Lifer
Oct 8, 2002
10,571
3
71
Originally posted by: rgwalt
You only really need to leave one of the faucets dripping. This is to provide a small amount of turbulence in the water pipes entering your home to prevent them from freezing and bursting. So, leave your kitchen or bathroom faucet dripping or flowing very slightly with cold water. Do not use hot water...

If you are worried about your furnace going out and your pipes freezing indoors, get a small electric heater. Many of them have a "frost watch" setting.

Ryan
Click to expand...

Man... I lived my first 21 years in NJ and it snowed and did all sorts of crap, and I didn't have to do any of this. The most I did was to pump out the water from our sprinkler system so the underground piping didn't explode. In the end, we just stopped using the sprinklers all together because it was such a pain to keep pumping it out when winter rolled around.
 
FoBoT

FoBoT

No Lifer
Apr 30, 2001
63,084
15
81
fobot.com
Originally posted by: TuxDave
Originally posted by: FoBoT
no, it isn't that cold
don't worry about it
Click to expand...

Yeah... but it's cold enough to keep me from leaving the house. I guess I'll let it drip before I goto sleep.
Click to expand...

you won't leave the house when it is 30F ?!?!??
so are you from CA or FL ?

the high today here is like 9F and i have already been to town once and am getting ready to head out again
 
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SuperPickle

Golden Member
Nov 1, 2001
1,256
0
0
Originally posted by: FoBoT
no, it isn't that cold
don't worry about it
Click to expand...
30ºF? FFBBBPPTTTT. FoBoT is right. Here in MN, the temp shot down to -20ºF last night and we didn't leave the faucets dripping, although at that temp, it may have been a decent idea to do so.

Your dripless pipes will be fine.
 
TuxDave

TuxDave

Lifer
Oct 8, 2002
10,571
3
71
Originally posted by: FoBoT
Originally posted by: TuxDave
Originally posted by: FoBoT
no, it isn't that cold
don't worry about it
Click to expand...

Yeah... but it's cold enough to keep me from leaving the house. I guess I'll let it drip before I goto sleep.
Click to expand...

you won't leave the house when it is 30F ?!?!??
so are you from CA or FL ?

the high today here is like 9F and i have already been to town once and am getting ready to head out again
Click to expand...

NJ for 21 years, CA for 2 years. CA spoiled me. *sniff* What am I gonna do with all the t-shirts and sandals that I bought when I was in CA? You mean... I gotta start wearing GLOVES and SCARVES again? Dammit....
 
M

MX2

Lifer
Apr 11, 2004
18,651
1
0
I have heard its best to leave the sink or faucet thats furthest from the pipe coming into the house dripping.
 
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OffTopic1

Golden Member
Feb 12, 2004
1,764
0
0
Is it an old house with a history of broken pipe due to freezing?

It shouldn't be a problem even if you turn of the heat in your house while a way, because the house & ground should hold enought heat to keep the pipes from freezing at -1C.

Here in Victoria Canada we experience -14 (6F) in the late 80s, and most houses are fine. I'm assuming that portland experience similar temperature during that cold spell.
 
TuxDave

TuxDave

Lifer
Oct 8, 2002
10,571
3
71
Originally posted by: OffTopic
Is it an old house with a history of broken pipe due to freezing?

It shouldn't be a problem even if you turn of the heat in your house while a way, because the house & ground should hold enought heat to keep the pipes from freezing at -1C.

Here in Victoria Canada we experience -14 (6F) in the late 80s, and most houses are fine. I'm assuming that portland experience similar temperature during that cold spell.
Click to expand...

It's actually pretty new. I moved into Hillsboro and all the apartments look about a year or two old.
 
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OffTopic1

Golden Member
Feb 12, 2004
1,764
0
0
Originally posted by: MX2times
I have heard its best to leave the sink or faucet thats furthest from the pipe coming into the house dripping.
Click to expand...
Only if the temperature is extreamly cold (freezing down to the pipe under ground to at least 18 inches deep). And, if you have expose pipe.

PS. I have 2.5 foot of expose PVC plastic pipe next to my un-heated shed & it hasn't bust. It is currently -1C in the day time here & -7C (19F) at night.
 
P

Pepsi90919

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
25,162
1
81
Originally posted by: TuxDave
Originally posted by: FoBoT
no, it isn't that cold
don't worry about it
Click to expand...

Yeah... but it's cold enough to keep me from leaving the house. I guess I'll let it drip before I goto sleep.
Click to expand...

i'd feel pretty 0wn3d if the water in my tap was more of a man than i was.
 
TuxDave

TuxDave

Lifer
Oct 8, 2002
10,571
3
71
Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
Originally posted by: TuxDave
Originally posted by: FoBoT
no, it isn't that cold
don't worry about it
Click to expand...

Yeah... but it's cold enough to keep me from leaving the house. I guess I'll let it drip before I goto sleep.
Click to expand...

i'd feel pretty 0wn3d if the water in my tap was more of a man than i was.
Click to expand...

:|

Snow... is ok. Blizzard.... is ok. Freezing rain = ice that I can't see on the road = I'm staying at home.

:p
 
B

Bryophyte

Lifer
Apr 25, 2001
13,430
13
81
Um, guys, it's not the temperature outside that's keeping us home around here (Portland Metro area), it's the freezing rain that's building up a thick sheet of ice over everything. It's a nightmare out there. Even the sanding trucks are getting stuck. Most roads have a traction device requirement right now that's being enforced. http://www.tripcheck.com/RoadCond/rwzone16.htm

TuxDave, don't worry about your pipes freezing when it's that close to the freezing point. You should do it when it's below 20 or 25 though.
 
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OffTopic1

Golden Member
Feb 12, 2004
1,764
0
0
Originally posted by: dawks
Our daily HIGHs have averaged around -15°F (-27°C) (lows of -35°F or -35°C) here for the last three weeks, and I've never heard of leaving taps dripping..

http://www.weather.com/outlook...raveler/local/CAXX0442
Click to expand...
Don't you guys have building code that piping has to be at least 6 feet deep?

Here in Victoria the code is 18 inches, same as California, therefore I assume that Oregon has similar requirement.
 
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