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How to defrost a plastic pipe - several effective methods. How to heat water in a plastic water pipe underground How to defrost a plastic pipe underground

The lack of water in the water supply in a private home can be due to various reasons. One of them is the formation of an ice plug in the pipe. This kind of trouble happens if it’s very low temperature, and when laying the water supply, the rules were violated. You can try to fix the problem yourself, but it requires considerable effort. Let's consider the answer to the question: water in a pipe underground has frozen - what to do in this situation?

Before we figure out what to do if the water in the water pipes freezes, let's figure out why this might happen. Main reasons:

laying pipes at insufficient depth;
a small layer of insulation, it low quality or complete absence;
insignificant or zero water consumption in severe frosts;
abnormal weather conditions.

As a rule, pipes running outside freeze, either outside or underground. But in the absence of heating and significant subzero temperatures for a long time, a problem may arise in the room or at the point where the pipe enters the wall.

Finding a traffic jam

Before deciding how to thaw a frozen water supply, you should first find where the ice blockage has formed in the pipe. Most often they form at the joints of elements, but sometimes the structure freezes along its entire length. Search methods:

Visual inspection of external pipes. Due to the fact that water expands in volume when it freezes, ice plugs cause the plastic elements to expand. In addition, these areas feel cooler to the touch than others.
Internal check. If it is not possible to inspect the pipeline, it should be partially disassembled and inserted into the hole flexible cable. As soon as an obstacle arises in the way of its progress, a traffic jam is detected. To determine its location, you should measure the length of the inserted cable.

The solution to the problem of how to warm up a frozen water pipe depends on whether there is open access to the problem area, or whether it needs to be warmed up from inside the water supply system.

External heating of the pipe

If the water in the pipe is frozen, how can you warm it up from the outside? If there is open access to the area where the ice jam has formed, it is not difficult to solve the problem. Before heating, be sure to open the taps so that the melted liquid can come out freely. The main methods involve the use of:

hot water;
warm air;
elements of the “warm floor” system (heating cable).

Hot water

This method is suitable for any pipes: polypropylene, metal-plastic, metal, and others. But the water temperature should be increased gradually so that the structure does not crack.

Wrap the cloth around the frozen area. This is necessary to protect the pipe and distribute heat more evenly.
Place a container under the pipe to collect water.
Water the area hot water within a few minutes.
Periodically wring out the fabric and repeat until the water supply is restored.

Warm air

It is best to use as a source of warm air construction hair dryer. It should be aimed at the area with the ice plug and held for a while.

If the freezing area is small and the pipe is thin, then you can use a regular hair dryer, but it should not work for more than 15 minutes at a time. It is advisable to wrap the pipe with heat-insulating material and let it hot air under it. This “casing” will speed up warming up.

It is useless to use a fan heater or electric radiator, since they cannot create a concentrated air flow. You can safely defrost metal pipes with a construction hairdryer. Plastic structures If used carelessly, it can cause damage.

Heating cable

To heat a plastic pipe you will need electrical cable, which is used when installing “warm floors” or a special cable for heating pipes. Algorithm of actions:

Wrap a section of pipe with foil. Place the electrical cable on top.
After the cable, put a layer of insulation. Secure everything with tape.
Connect the cable to the network for 2-4 hours.

Note: Metal structures can be heated using a welding machine by attaching it to a frozen section of the pipe. Also allowed to use open sources fire - fire, blowtorch. Such methods are not suitable for propylene and other plastic pipes.

Internal heating of pipes

Let's consider what to do when the water in a pipe underground freezes. If the soil is shallow and not very hard, it is worth digging a trench and using the methods described above. If this is not possible, internal heating should be carried out. The main methods are based on the application:

steam generator;
homemade boiler;
hot water.

All methods require the possibility of penetration into the pipeline. If it is missing, you should disassemble or cut out part of the structure, first turning off the water supply.

Steam generator

To defrost the pipe, you will need a steam generator - a device that produces hot water vapor under pressure. Stages:

Fill the reservoir with water.
Connect a heat-resistant hose with a small diameter to the steam generator.
Insert the hose all the way (to the ice plug) into the water pipe. At the same time, there should be free space in it for melt water to drain.
Turn on the steam generator. Wait until the ice begins to defrost. This usually takes 5-15 minutes. It is necessary to monitor the amount of water in the steam generator tank.

When solving the problem of how to heat water in a plastic pipe underground, if there is no steam generator, you can use an autoclave. The heat-resistant hose should be connected to the fitting of the device.

Homemade boiler

You can warm up a plastic water supply using a homemade electric boiler. This method is not suitable for metal structures. It involves working with high voltage, so you need to be careful.

Algorithm of actions:

Take a copper wire with two insulated cores (cross section - 2.5-3 mm).
Separate the wires and move them apart.
Remove the winding from one wire. Bend the second core in the opposite direction along the wire.
Wrap the “bare” part tightly 3-5 times around the fold. Trim off the rest.
Depart from the turns 2-3 mm. Expose the end of the bent wire. Wrap it around the insulated wire 3-5 times. Trim off the excess part. The turns of the first and second wire should not touch.
Attach a plug to the other end of the wire.
Insert the “boiler” into the water supply until it stops.
Plug the plug into the socket. When exposed to heat, the ice should begin to melt.
As the plug decreases, the “boiler” should be moved deeper.

Tip: When using a steam generator or “boiler”, you should ensure the outflow of melt water. It is necessary to periodically turn off the device and use a thin hose and compressor to pump it out of the pipe.

Hot water

The essence of this method comes down to exposing the ice in the pipe to hot water. To “deliver” it to the plug you can use:

Esmarch's water level and mug;
pump.

The first option is suitable if the question arises of how to warm up a frozen pipe underground, when the plug is far from the house, and the system has turns and bends. Required:

construction hydraulic level;
Esmarch's mug (device for enemas);
hardened steel wire.

Connect the hydraulic level tube and the wire along the length, making a loop at its end for greater rigidity. The edge of the tube should protrude 1 cm beyond the end of the wire.
Attach the second end of the hydraulic level to Esmarch's mug.
Push the device all the way into the water supply.
Place a bucket under the pipe hole.
Pour hot water into a mug. It should flow through the hydraulic level tube to the ice and heat it. In this case, thawed water will pour out of the pipe hole.

This heating method requires a lot of time and effort. To thaw 5-10 cm of ice, up to 5 liters of hot water are needed. The entire process can take 5-7 hours depending on the length of the cork.

If there is a pump, then it should be installed in a container in which water is constantly heated, and a heat-resistant hose, insert it into the water supply and supply hot water under pressure. The diameter of the hose must be such that there is a gap for melt water to exit the pipe. It can be reused for heating.

Note: In the warm season, it is worth inspecting the water supply system that has been defrosted. Deformed elements may need to be replaced. It is also worth taking measures to prevent pipes from freezing.

Prevention

Freezing of the water supply is a problem that owners of private houses periodically face during cold winters. You can remove the ice jam yourself. The easiest way is to restore the patency of a pipe that has external access. If the structure is in the ground, then certain devices will be required. In difficult cases, it is better to seek the help of specialists who have a powerful apparatus for breaking ice - a hydrodynamic machine.

The situation when negative temperature Are you familiar with the water supply from the tap outside? This problem occurs in your home with the onset of cold weather, but you don’t know how to quickly fix it? To combat this, it is necessary to select an effective method for restoring the functionality 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 from occurring in the future. We will tell you about effective ways to quickly restore the water supply on a cold winter day for sanitary and hygienic purposes and cooking.

Our article provides a selection of the best ways to help you cope with this problem on your own. Methods for pipelines from various materials. So that you can better understand the nuances of warming up, we have selected visual photos and thematic videos detailing recommendations for rescuing a water supply system from ice captivity.

With a sharp onset of frost, complemented by strong winds, cases of freezing with the formation of ice plugs inside them often occur.

Water frozen as a result of improper installation or operation of the pipeline will, at best, make it impossible to use the system, and at worst, it will force the break to be repaired.

The problem of freezing pipes is more relevant for owners of dachas and private sector houses whose water supply inlets run along the street

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

The most important among them:

extremely low temperatures outside;
laying pipes to a shallower depth than the soil freezing level;
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 motionless. At sub-zero temperatures it freezes quickly.

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

The pipe, located in frozen soil, begins to cool after passing warm flows, and after a short period it acquires a low temperature. As it approaches, small portions of water 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 location of freezing in an open area. Experienced craftsmen It is advised to focus on temperature sensations when inspecting and palpating the accessible part of the route.

It is not difficult to determine the location of an ice plug in a plastic pipeline by palpation: within the blocked area, when you try to slightly bend the pipe, a characteristic crunch is heard

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

It has been noticed that concrete freezes faster than soil layers. Therefore, if the basement was unreliably insulated or was slightly opened during periods of severe frost, it is quite natural that the pipeline running in it froze.

If the freezing area cannot be determined, it is better to immediately abandon the idea of breaking through the ice jam using mechanical methods.

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

Effective solutions to the problem

The water supply can be defrosted using external heat, or by defrosting from the inside. Every 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 pipes bursting during the thawing of 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 the water tap or “dump” after the inlet valve in order to determine the effectiveness of the actions performed by the water flowing out of it.

Method #1 - using hot water

If the system has 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 the outside with boiling water. Hot water saved water pipes from freezing at all times.

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

The area wrapped in a rag is poured with hot water in several approaches until the fabric gets wet and the ice underneath 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 through the pipeline along with water.

This method is used only in indoors and at open method pipeline laying. And this technology is only suitable 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 hair dryer

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

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

To create conditions for ice accumulation to move through the pipe, you need to evenly distribute the flow of hot air, not forgetting to first open all the valves.

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

The construction of an improvised protective casing around the heated area helps to enhance the effect, while reducing heat losses. It will reflect heat, distributing it evenly 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.

Image gallery

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 locality and provides the necessary outlets for supplying water to private, apartment buildings and industrial facilities.

Rice. 1. water supply system

Plastic water pipe system

Water pipelines are divided into 2 types:

external;
internal.

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

External water pipes are often exposed to external factors. These include winds, sub-zero temperatures, and natural disasters. Sub-zero temperatures cause pipes to freeze. This prevents fluid from flowing through them and makes it difficult to consume.

Types of polymers

Plastic water pipes are made from polymer material, which is characterized by properties that depend on the type of polymer:

Polyethylene pipes. They are used for external drainage; water flows into them for drinking and household needs of the population.
Polyvinyl chloride pipes. They are characterized by a long service life, use with relatively easy installation and dismantling. After expiration date they must be recycled.
Profiled pipes. Available in combinations of polyethylene and propylene. The advantage of such products is their resistance to high temperatures.
Spiral twisted. They are made on the basis of a profile with hollow walls of polyethylene. A special feature of the application is its purpose for non-pressure flow.

Fig.2 polymer pipes

Advantages of using polymer structures:

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

Plastic water pipe freezing problem

The basis of all products is polymers, which may be unstable to temperatures. A frequent problem faced by utility workers or owners of private residential buildings is freezing of the external water supply.

To prevent such a problem from arising, owners of private houses are advised to anticipate such risks in advance and prevent them. To do this you need:

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

Polymer pipes are subject to damage due to the specifics of the material:

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

Causes of freezing

The main reason that leads to pipeline freezing in winter is improper installation of products. This means that the pipes are not running at sufficient depth. If you lay them above the specified mark, the soil will freeze.

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

There are special cases when laying at the depth specified by specialists is impossible. In this case, heating systems for such gaskets should be provided.

Rice. 3 freezing water tap

The cause of freezing is insufficient pressure in the pipeline. Low speeds lead to ice build-up.

The diameter of polymer pipes becomes a factor influencing the formation of built-up edge. Too much large diameter promotes freezing due to lack of water flow; too small a 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, you need to determine the places where the frozen plastic water pipes are located:

The pipes are inspected. Due to its physical properties, water has the ability to expand when it freezes, so the pipe becomes wider in the place where freezing occurs. The water plug pushes the plastic apart and it increases in size.
This method involves partial dismantling of the pipeline. The area to which there is access is cut, a flexible cable is passed inside and rotated to the point where it rests on the ice plug. In this way you can defrost your tap water. plastic pipe, which is underground.
The ability to bend pipes along their entire length is not always feasible. If this can be done, cracking will occur where the frozen pipe is found.

Rice. 4 water supply damage

Methods for defrosting polymer pipes carrying water

You can defrost an underground water pipe yourself using several available methods. To do this, you will need additional equipment that can be used at low temperatures.

Heating of polymer pipes with a construction hairdryer. The disadvantage of this approach is that plastic does not conduct heat. This means that using such a tool will not bring quick results.
Exposure to hot heat. The pipe is wrapped in rags and poured with boiling water. This method helps warm the water and get rid of ice build-up in the plastic pipe. To do this, water is sent through pipes. The pressure is chosen as low as possible.
Start hot water. This internal method defrosting pipes. Find the nearest connection point for it, place a flexible hose in the hole and run hot water through it.
Use of a steam generator. A special steam generator sleeve is inserted into the connection point. Steam is supplied from the moment the hose rests on the plug. The feed is carried out slowly, gradually increasing the speed.
Use of electricity. Twists of thick two-core wires are suitable for this method. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the wires are not connected to avoid short circuits. The wires are routed to the location of the traffic jam and the electricity is turned on. Warming up is slow.
Cleaning with hydrodynamic machine. The method involves applying pressure to the area where the product is frozen. As the plug deteriorates, it shifts and becomes smaller. The hose with the nozzle moves it further. This technique is effective, but requires investment of money.

Fig.5 hydrodynamic machine

After the work is completed, the next stage begins: inspection and damage assessment. They open the tap in the house, drain about a liter of water, and close the tap. This method allows you to warm up the heating.

Under the connection areas or at the excavation site that has been cleared of soil, wait 20-25 minutes for water to appear. If water appears, this indicates damage to the pipe where the ice plug was removed.

In this case it is necessary:

carry out excavations;
find the location of the damage;
replace the site.

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

Damaged areas are repaired in winter period taking into account that the main work will be carried out under more favorable weather conditions. Places where the pipe froze and a leak occurred are cut out and replaced with new ones with reinforcement special connections or fittings. Welding is often used if conditions allow. After connecting the sections, water is released and the tightness of the connection is checked. If the products have been cleaned of residual water, sand, and foreign objects, and the connections are secured in accordance with the standards, then the water supply system will begin to function properly.

Preventing freezing of water in the water supply

To prevent the water in the water supply system from freezing, it is necessary to take measures in advance or carry out repairs existing system in the warm season.

If there is no regular use of the water supply in a private house, then the water is drained and the taps are turned off. The 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 freezing levels in a specific region, installation is carried out in accordance with these measurements;
do not lay water pipes near reinforced concrete structures, which have a higher degree of thermal conductivity, thereby absorbing heat;
heat-insulating materials are used for installation in cases where the owners are confident 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, pieces of foam plastic are used, mineral wool, expanded clay, vermoculite, rags;
the places where the system enters distribution wells or living quarters are considered the most defenseless, so they are insulated using special cases, the filling of which involves the use of construction-type foam and mineral wool;
water pipes are wrapped with special cables, which are connected to the heating system at low temperatures and 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 water pipe metal constructions have a longer service life. This is explained physical properties metal pipes water pipelines. They are also prone to freezing for several reasons:

use for installation of various 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 characteristics physical qualities, which increases the risk of ice formation in a weakened area.

Rice. 6 freezing of a metal water pipe

After the end of the season, the following events are carried out:

remove all heating elements to prevent overheating of the system during the hot season;
inspect the system for damage;
reconstruction is being 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, it is necessary to take measures to warm the plastic pipe and provide ways to protect the water supply system in the ground.

Many people like winter for its beauty, fluffy snow and a wide range of entertainment, but there are also those who suffer from this amazing time of year, for example, those with frozen water pipes. Is this a tragedy or a minor problem? Everything depends on you. If you couldn’t keep track of the correct installation of the network, then you will have to learn how to save it from the cold. So, how to defrost a HDPE pipe in the ground and return water to the house?

Causes of pipeline freezing

It has been wisely noted: it is better to prevent a problem than to solve it later. Therefore, if you are just conducting communications, and do not want to deprive your house of water with the onset of winter, frantically looking for tips on how to defrost a pipe in the ground, it is better to install utility network wisely, taking into account the climate and relying on the advice of professionals.

So why do pipes in the ground freeze?

errors in the design and/or installation of the network;
shallow laying depth (the norm is below ground freezing, about 2 meters);
ignoring climate data (you may not expect that winter temperatures in your area are so low);
insufficient water flow (the pipeline does not like downtime; if it is used occasionally, the system can be ruined);
lack of insulation or its poor quality.

Meanwhile, plastic pipes withstand frost better than their metal “brothers”

Determining the location of freezing

When faced with a problem, you will naturally look for information on how to defrost water in a pipe underground, but this is not enough - you still need to determine exactly where the structure is frozen in order to act precisely.

The underground location of communications does not allow for a visual inspection, so you will have to be content with the tactile method. What does it mean? The technology is simple: stop the water, remove any detachable connection (the main thing is that it is located after the tap with which you shut off the pipeline). Insert a plumbing cable into the hole (of course, you should choose the maximum length). As you insert it, measure the distance. When the cable hits the ice, you will know at what distance from the starting point the ice jam occurred. In principle, you don’t have to measure it, but simply attach the fragment of the cable that has passed into the structure to the ground, and thus calculate where the problem is.

Snow is a natural insulation that protects water pipes from freezing

Pipe heating technologies

So, how to defrost a plastic pipe underground? Homeowners, accustomed to metal communications, often pick up welding machine. Alas, in the case of HDPE networks, it is not your help: plastic does not conduct current.

Breaking ice with steel wire is also an ineffective method. The best ally in such a situation is hot water. But there are a few more secrets on how to defrost a pipe underground. First things first.

The most effective technologies for heating plastic communications are internal; external heating of a frozen area is ineffective.

Hardware ice crushing

The easiest, but also the most expensive way is to crush the ice using a powerful jet of water, which is supplied from a special device called a hydrodynamic machine. This unit is special, capable of accelerating water to such a speed that it can cut not only ice, but also harder materials. It’s a good “device,” but expensive, and it shouldn’t be given into the hands of non-professionals. Meanwhile, if you are an expert in the field of heating pipes, why not?!

What does the process look like in practice? Take a hydrodynamic machine. A flexible hose is connected to the pressure pipe of the unit, which is inserted into the frozen pipe. The device turns on, and in a matter of seconds it breaks the plug. That's it, water supply has been restored.

If you don’t have such a machine, or you don’t know how to use it, you can always find a master who is ready to do a block of work for you, for a fee, of course.

This is what a miracle unit looks like - a steam generator that can restore the water supply to your home

Warming up with a steam generator

This is also a fairly effective method - a meter-long ice plug can melt in a minute. However, keep in mind: in addition to the apparatus, you will need buckets, rags and working hands. The fact is that while the hose is removed, the “cured” pipe will turn into a fountain. That is why it is important to do everything correctly and promptly.

Worth paying attention! If you do not have the opportunity to purchase a factory model of a steam generator, then you can get a so-called “pressure cooker” or an autoclave. They, too, can defeat the ice, naturally, with proper management of the “devices.”

How to use a steam generator? It's quite simple, remember:

pour several liters of water into the container;
connect the heat-resistant hose to the safety valve;
insert the hose into the system until the ice forms;
turn on the unit and wait for defrosting.

The wisest way to protect communications from frost is to lay the pipes deep enough and insulate the network

Method with a boiler

Why not turn ice into boiling water? Imagine, it's not difficult at all. The method is not only time-tested, but also budget-friendly.

For such heating you will need a wire (copper, two-core, with a cross-section of 0.5 mm). The length must correspond to the same pipe parameter. You also need the same amount of steel wire, but with a smaller diameter - 3 mm. You will also need tools, but simple ones - available in every home.

So, copper wires should be cleaned - about 60 mm (the second - 1 cm away from the cut), so that it is enough for several turns. Turns should be made on each wire separately - so that they do not touch, otherwise a fatal short circuit cannot be avoided. Now the wires need to be attached to the steel “brother” using insulating tape. Make sure that the structure does not shorten. Also tie the ends to steel wire so that they do not interfere with pushing the homemade “boiler” into the frozen pipe.

Place the finished structure into the system and connect to the network. After a certain period of time, the pipe will warm up and simply “spit out” the ice plug. When this happens, the boiler must be turned off and the pipe closed. After cleaning and restoring the connection, the pipeline will work like clockwork.

Imagine, an ordinary Esmarch mug can save pipes from freezing: here is the technology for heating the network

Using a pear

This option, although cheap, is quite labor-intensive. If you like challenges and like to experiment and test new technologies, then let's get started.

For the technique you need to stock up on the following materials:

Esmarch's mug or the so-called “pear” (from any pharmacy);
steel wire (length - depending on the situation in accordance with the length of the pipe, diameter - several millimeters);
water level;
insulating tape.

Worth paying attention! Can't find the right length of water level? Make a “device” yourself by purchasing two levels and extending the tube using improvised means, for example, a regular fountain pen.

So, the tube from the level should be attached to the wire using electrical tape. If you doubt the reliability of the tape, you can use a heat-shrink tube of suitable size. Then everything is simple: you fill the “pear” with hot water and use it to pour it into the system. The water flow rate may vary depending on how severely the pipe is frozen, as well as the diameter of the system itself. However, you should try to pour boiling water quickly, then the result will not take long to arrive. Yes, the process is labor-intensive, but it is less expensive (both in terms of strength and finances) than digging ditches and replacing the pipeline if it becomes completely unusable due to frost.

But the problem may lie in the distribution valve

Non-standard situations

If the cause of freezing pipes is improper design or installation of the system, then the situation may have to be resolved by other methods.

Let's look at the most common mistake - shallow laying of communications. If there is no snow and the frost is severe, you are guaranteed ice in the pipes. This situation (shallow laying of the network and lack of an insulating layer) is observed mainly in old estates, the owners of which are accustomed to winters that are snowier than now. Trouble, as a rule, happens to the section of the network from the distribution well to the residential building. Under such circumstances, work on heating communications should begin with a well - a unit that distributes water to several neighboring houses. Sometimes the problem lies in the lid - don’t be surprised, because the product is made of cast iron, so it does not protect the taps and pipes located in the well from frost. The frozen contents of the water distribution unit will have to be warmed up. Professionals recommend doing this using a blowtorch, of course, carefully - so as not to damage rubber gaskets, otherwise the well will turn into a fountain. If you don’t have a blowtorch on your household, a hair dryer will do. Don't own either one or the other? Warm the unit with boiling water and then insulate it (with a vapor barrier and mineral wool).

Have a cozy winter

And don’t forget to show your neighbors how to defrost HDPE pipes in the ground, because they, too, have probably helped you out with advice more than once.

Video presentation of the steam generator operation

The situation when modern plastic water pipes freeze happens quite often. Naturally, one should try to eliminate such a problem as soon as possible, because otherwise the freezing area will begin to gradually expand. In addition, in any case there is a risk of a “rupture” of the main line.

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

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

Let's start by reviewing the most important point.

Why does this problem even arise?

In fact, everything here is quite simple to understand. We consider the causes of freezing 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’s worth talking about preventive measures.

How to prevent freezing

For external water supply measures may be as follows:

Insulation of plastic using mineral wool. Done similar work very simple - the plastic is wrapped in mineral wool. The insulation is wrapped with rope or wire on top.

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

“Packaging” the highway in a special box. In fact, communications are simply sheathed on the outside with panels made of wood, plastic or plasterboard (depending on where the communications are located). And the entire space between the plane of the box and the water supply is filled polyurethane foam or foam chips.

Such are the technologies.

Note!
You cannot “foam” those points where important connections are located.
Such areas include, for example, taps, brass adapters, threaded fittings, etc.
If you seal them with foam, it turns out that in case emergency situation access to such important elements will be blocked.

As for communications that are laid in the ground, the recommendations are very simple. Everything must be installed below the freezing point of the soil. In this case, you should adhere to a very simple rule - if it is not possible to lay the system at the required depth, then it should be very well insulated.

However, insulating with your own hands is still not a 100% guarantee that the water will not freeze. Perfect option in this case, it is to organize at least some kind of heating system for communications.

Now let's look at how to defrost plastic water pipes, that is, let's figure out how to correct the situation when ice formation has already occurred.

Methods for heating the main line

One thing worth noting important point- as illustrative examples we'll sort it out available solutions, which do not require the purchase of expensive equipment.

In addition, these methods are distinguished by the fact that they have repeatedly proven their effectiveness in practice. Let's get started with the review itself. simple option.

Using boiling water

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

In principle, using this method, you can warm up communications quite quickly - literally in a couple of hours. The main thing here 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 water to pass through the main line, then all 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, but the heating time will be much longer. And we still need to get to the plane of such communications. Therefore, this method is not the most The best decision 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 point is that you need to deliver boiling water directly to the ice plug - that is, as if inside the pipe itself. If you can’t simply pour hot water into the main line, you can try doing this using an ordinary flexible hose.

It goes something like this:

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.
The second end of the product is put on the hot water supply tap. It is important that the pressure in the tap is sufficient to deliver water to the desired point.

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

Please note that you will need to prepare some kind of container to collect water!
The fact is that the boiling water will press against the plug 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 supply systems.

Using steam

This option properly requires the presence special device– steam generator. However, the price of the device is too high to purchase it for a one-time job, 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 at any time. Right place.

The flow is usually directed using a hose.

We insert the sleeve into the pipe.
We turn on the device and begin to blow hot air towards the ice plug.

Here the efficiency and speed of defrosting are 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 using “makeshift” steam injection.

It's done something like this:

Water is heated in the autoclave.
Take the hose. One end of it is connected to the autoclave, and the other is launched into the pipe.

It turns out that the hot air will seem to come out of the autoclave through the hose and, accordingly, will “rest” against the 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 steam pressure is strong enough to get to the point where the ice begins.

But this method is only suitable if there is no risk of deformation of the highway 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 plastic sewer pipe more “folk” methods.

Using a hair dryer and fan heater

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

Conclusion

As you already understand, defrosting a pipeline made of plastic pipes is a very real thing. Of course, situations are different, and therefore there cannot be a universal method 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, watch the video in this article.