The Bombogenisis ....
- Thread starter Dix
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Knots
Minister of Fire
cableman
Minister of Fire
What a bummer. This is why I say let the boiler (or furnace) run once and a while during a bad cold snap. Paying for oil is going to be less painful than paying the plumber.
Generally lines freeze because of poor detailing and insulation practices. My house on occasion will be exposed to high winds and -20 to -30 temps that add up to very low wind chills. I have never had a frozen pipe. Most pipes freeze in the sill boxes as that is potentially the highest infiltration area with the least insulation. I had fiberglass in this area for many years and was not real happy with it. I had some energy audit work done and the high priority was foaming the box sills down over the foundation sill plates the top of the wall. It made a big difference.
I also believe there needs to be a heat source in basement. Yes in understand if someone has a woodstove they want it on the main floor but realize in most homes much of the infiltration is coming from the basement box sills and that means those areas get cold. Theroguards or the equivalent timers on zone pumps can work to save marginal pipes but I expect most installations are really only dealing with a couple of problem areas of the piping that could be solved with appropriate insulation
The other source of freeze ups is just plan poor quality work. I have seen and heard of more than few issues where someone went the easy way instead of the right way. I think the temptation is even with stronger with PEX as it rarely splits when frozen.
I also believe there needs to be a heat source in basement. Yes in understand if someone has a woodstove they want it on the main floor but realize in most homes much of the infiltration is coming from the basement box sills and that means those areas get cold. Theroguards or the equivalent timers on zone pumps can work to save marginal pipes but I expect most installations are really only dealing with a couple of problem areas of the piping that could be solved with appropriate insulation
The other source of freeze ups is just plan poor quality work. I have seen and heard of more than few issues where someone went the easy way instead of the right way. I think the temptation is even with stronger with PEX as it rarely splits when frozen.
I was whooped last night, need to clarify...
Lower level of off set ranch. A section of my lower level, and accessory apartment are on the same zone. Tenant was running wood stove, and I wasn't thinking with my head on straight. T stat did not call for heat, and viola !! By the time I realized, it was to late. Luckily, I was home when they let loose, and are on a slab. I turned off the main, and started mopping.
Pex isn't going to work. We're going with propylene gycol for both zones, and be done with it. Add back flow preventer to stop a potential mix with potable water in the house.
For now, the 13 on the lower level is light use only, and I am heating with the OB for that zone.
Lower level of off set ranch. A section of my lower level, and accessory apartment are on the same zone. Tenant was running wood stove, and I wasn't thinking with my head on straight. T stat did not call for heat, and viola !! By the time I realized, it was to late. Luckily, I was home when they let loose, and are on a slab. I turned off the main, and started mopping.
Pex isn't going to work. We're going with propylene gycol for both zones, and be done with it. Add back flow preventer to stop a potential mix with potable water in the house.
For now, the 13 on the lower level is light use only, and I am heating with the OB for that zone.
Sounds like you could use a Thermguard Dix.
http://www.bearmountaindesign.com/
several hearth.com people have installed this. Some chat here about it.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/thermguard-in-boiler-room.63716/
http://www.bearmountaindesign.com/
several hearth.com people have installed this. Some chat here about it.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/thermguard-in-boiler-room.63716/
definitely for problem area's spray foam. works the best. two things at the same time it insulates and seals. i work side by side with a plumber this past cold snap we had here in new england was for a extended time he was fixing pex burst's not a split. the cinch rings were expanding with the pex and when they defrosted the ring no longer held and the pressure would blow off a fitting
semipro
Minister of Fire
Good to know. Were the leaks associated predominately with one type of PEX clamp (e.g crimped copper versus pinched stainless)?
One of reasons I went with the Uponor style Pex fittings that dont use crimp rings. All I do is use the pipe expander with the pipe and the PEX backup ring and slide it over the pipe. I havent experienced a freezing incident but expect the frozen joint might get ice in the joint but once melted would spring back.
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