How to avoid frozen water heating pipes when using a woodstove?

[Baron62]

I was wondering if I could get some advice on this topic. My house has oil heated forced hot water heating. Last year I mainly heated with the woodstove and found that on very cold nights I could hear this loud banging. It was very loud and sounded like someone hitting the house with a big hammer once every 10 -15 minutes in the same location. I believe this was the water pipes possibly near or at freezing. Can someone explain the cause of the banging? The pipes never did break so I believe I got lucky. I want to avoid this situation next year so I'm thinking about options. I did find that the basement was cold with no furnace running.

In the spring I also found the pipes for the banging zone in the basement near the sill needed more insulation so I took care of them. It may help. Generally the house is well insulated. Do some houses with forced hot water have no issues when the boiler doesn't run at all?

I have read that placing boiler or RV antifreeze in the heating loops is one option. I was also thinking about the idea of running the zone circulator on a timer relay may be an option. Has anybody tried this method? Any other Ideas? Maybe I should heat the basement a little bit?

Thanks in advance

 

[Thomask9590]

I have also been looking for a solution to freezing pipes in the winter while using a wood stove. I did find a website that sold closed loop boiler antifreeze. I was waiting to purchase any until i found out more on the topic.

 

[Hogwildz]

Theres also pipe wrap that has a low voltage heating wire made for keeping piped from freezing.

 

[begreen]

Caulk the sill plate and insulate the basement walls (and rim joist) at least to below the frost level. It's also a good idea to run the system at least once a night during a very cold period. They also make remote freeze alarms and thermometers so you can keep track of temps down below.

 

[axiom10]

I replumbed all of the pipes under my house so that they run in the floor joists. The pipe coming up from my well is insulated down to the frost line and wrapped in thermostat-controlled heat tape. By having everything in the joists I was able to insulate the floor joists with the pipes inside, keeping all of the heat in.

 

[savageactor7]

We've been doing what Hogwildz has suggested. Occasionally a pipe will freeze but I fire up one of those plug in kero heaters with the blower. I don't think it's happened in the last 5 years or so.

 

[Thomask9590]

I would still feel much better knowing I had some anti freeze in the pipes.

 

[Thomask9590]

Here's what I got. Not sure how much you would need or how to get it into the system? If anyone knows please help.


http://www.camco.net/Menu.cfm?SupCategoryId=10400&SubCategoryId=261&ProductId=2262

 

[mayhem]

If you put the antifreeze in just make sure you check with the manufacturer on its long term usage. The glycol in my system turns acidic over years and years and you have to add some stabilizer or it will corrode your pipes and valves over time. You may or may not need to install a pump and put it on a timer to move the stuff around so you don't get any buildup anywhere along the individual pipe runs.

I would recommend wrapping your pipes in those insulating sleeves to help them retain their heat. You may also just want to open the basement door at night or during extreme cold weather and run the stove hotter than usual to compensate for the extra airspace...it won't take much to keep them from freezing, couple degrees is all you need.

 

[humpin iron]

I advise that you go to the t-stat 3 times a day and push it to 90 for about 5 mins, just to circ the water in the pipes. Also before you put anti freeze into your system you should find out if the system is compatible, some gaskets are eaten by antifreeze

 

[backpack09]

I have an auto thermostat in my kitchen, if the kitchen drops below 50* the heat comes on for the dog. You could do the same in your basement just set it for 40*

 

[webbie]

Good advice here - always keep in mind that most basements which are in the ground would never freeze - they are, in effect, root cellars and in CT would probably be about 45 degree. What makes the pipe freeze is usually the fact that some are very close to a window, or near a sill plate or joist "band" which leaks air.

Crawlspaces can be much worse since they do not have the advantage of the ground temps from way down.....also, many have air vents and the pipes tend to freeze near those vents.

 

[backpack09]

OT:
Web,
Why are there such huge gaps at the end of everyone signature?

 

[Thomask9590]

That's my problem, I have a walk out basement on a 100+ year old house and it was converted to forced hot water at some point. I have pipes running all over the place. Some in crawl spaces some run riht through the primary sill plate / floor joist. Hard to insulate all of them.

 

[lma58]

I've been thinking about investing in one of these.

http://www.bearmountaindesign.com/