freezing pipes question (wood floors, furnace, Lowes, heaters)

[justclosed]

we are in the midst of renovating our 1935 colonial in the northeast where weather has dropped to freezing . the house is vacant except for contractors being in during the day.

we do have the water running a little bit during the day and we had the heat on too until they "disconnected " the radiators since they are replacing the wood floors

any tips on preventing frozen pipes and potential plumbing disasters?

I am not as worried about the water pipes since I could always leave a little bit of water running but what about the heating pipes?

sorry for such noob questions and TIA!

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by justclosed

...we had the heat on too until they "disconnected" the radiators since they are replacing the wood floors
...any tips on preventing frozen pipes and potential plumbing disasters?

It mostly depends on how long it will be before the floors are done and the radiators can be put back into service... or if you decide to not provide heat for the contractors comfort.

Either way, the contractors can use the same portable heaters that they use on every other job
that they work on in winter. If you elect to not heat the house for them or for other work related purposes...
then you should "winterize" the house (drain the water pipes) until spring.

hth

[justclosed]

Originally Posted by MrRational

It mostly depends on how long it will be before the floors are done and the radiators can be put back into service... or if you decide to not provide heat for the contractors comfort.

Either way, the contractors can use the same portable heaters that they use on every other job
that they work on in winter. If you elect to not heat the house for them or for other work related purposes...
then you should "winterize" the house (drain the water pipes) until spring.

hth

we did have the heat on for the contractors until they disconnected the radiators - I think it will be at least a week 1/2 before they can be put back and the heat on again ...we are just worried something will happen between now and then

[ShaneSA]

Ask the contractor. Ask if he has heaters and if so leave them on at hight when it is below freezing. Also ask if he drained the pipes or does he need to drain them. You only really need to worry of it gets below freezing for 12 hours or more.

[windtimber]

Hotwater or steam? If it's hotwater the pipes are already drained if they've taken out the radiators. Likewise with steam. However, is the boiler drained? With steam it's possible the boiler and returns are full to water level in the boiler. With hotwater they may only have drained it down to the lowest radiator removed. Either way, if it's freezing...drain the boiler!

[Coldjensens]

OUrs have antifreeze in them. Just in case. Why not jsut put it in now, they you will be safe in the future if something happens to your heat. It is easy to drain yuor water supply pipes, but your radiated heat pipes - not so easy. Plus getting the air out is a PIA.

You can drian them.

You can keep the water moving. However if the pipes are small, you need pretty good flow rates to keep them from freezing. Rememebr even a river will freeze evntually.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by windtimber

Hotwater or steam? If it's hotwater the pipes are already drained if they've taken out the radiators. Likewise with steam. However, is the boiler drained? With steam it's possible the boiler and returns are full to water level in the boiler. With hotwater they may only have drained it down to the lowest radiator removed. Either way, if it's freezing...drain the boiler!

We do nto drain ours when we have to change out a radiator. We just close the valve to that radiator so there is no pressure, cut the pipe off and cap it.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

OUrs have antifreeze in them. Just in case. Why not jsut put it in now, they you will be safe in the future if something happens to your heat. It is easy to drain yuor water supply pipes, but your radiated heat pipes - not so easy. Plus getting the air out is a PIA.

You can drian them.

You can keep the water moving. However if the pipes are small, you need pretty good flow rates to keep them from freezing. Rememebr even a river will freeze evntually.

Never thought about antifreeze. I always figured I'd drain the pipes once the house temperature gets towards freezing. I'm having a tempermental boiler problem right now. Figure I should plan ahead if we have to evacuate.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Never thought about antifreeze. I always figured I'd drain the pipes once the house temperature gets towards freezing. I'm having a tempermental boiler problem right now. Figure I should plan ahead if we have to evacuate.

Not a Lochnivar Knight by chance is it?

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Not a Lochnivar Knight by chance is it?

I just went to look. It's a Buderus. I started a thread about what it's doing it last night.

I noticed the service log on it. It was installed in 1999. Between 1999 and 2004, we had 2 service calls for minor issues. No problems since 2004. I shouldn't complain but the antique monster it replaced was less of a hassle. I replaced it simply because I was afraid of the standing gas pilot. I could smell a gas leak in the basement ever since I moved into the house in the early 90s. Hubby never smelled it.

And guess what? I was right! The leak wasn't at the boiler, just along a pipe on the ceiling. They found it for me when they were at the house quoting me a replacement for the monster. I picked that company because it was the only company that came to give me a quote that found the gas leak that had been driving me crazy for almost a decade!

Yeah, our house is so old and drafty that we had a gas leak for 10 years (maybe more before I moved in) and nothing ever happened. That's why I'm not too worried about CO2.