So last weekend we mentioned working on the pipe that froze over the Christmas weekend.
When crawling under the house, I thought "let me turn the lights on that I hung up for the freeze so there's some light under there". That's when I noticed that this one was burned out. This is also the light that was shining on the area of the pipe that froze. Of course, we'll never know which came first. Did the light burn out and that let the pipe freeze? Or did the pipe freeze and leaking water caused the bulb to burn out?
I'd like to believe that maybe the lights worked, since all the other pipes were fine, and so when the bulb burned out, this pipe froze. But whatever it was that caused it, here is the result:
It wasn't as I had hoped it might be, a small crack that I could patch up. No, it completely split and broke into pieces. Here is one side of it...
...and here is where it was attached on the other end. It you click to enlarge and look at the pipe section near the cinder block, you can see another split. It was like this all the way down the line. When I removed the foam pipe insulation to check it, it just fell apart into multiple pieces.
As I said, we were hoping for a simple crack that could be repaired or at least patched up but alas, I'll need to get more supplies for this project. If we decide to do it.
It's not really urgent, we can now turn off the water to the house but the faucet on the front is still active because it is between the house and the shut off so I can still use it to water the plants on the front and the fruit trees in back. With the house being replaced this year, we might not really make this a high priority.
The water faucet for watering is before the shut off valve (for this very reason) so that the water to the house can be shut off and we can still access water outside for plants. "R" from 2nd Family did it this way for us on purpose. We still have the hose that runs under the house to the back so we have porch watering and fruit tree area watering.
More proof that replacing the house is a Good Plan!
ReplyDeleteWell there IS that, ha. :-)
DeleteI so agree with Anonymous comment.
ReplyDeleteWith that old of a house who knows what else you would had gotten into. I would say that all of the electrical wiring would have had to be done to get it up to code and electricians are not cheap, could had run into termite / rotted wood problems, etc. You have made a good decision on getting a new house.
You had plumbing issue and we had electrical issue. Had to have an electrician out the other day to replace a light switch out.
In a mobile home, they go the cheapest as possible when it comes to putting in electrical boxes cause the switches they put in are not wired to a blue box which goes inside the wall. The electric wires are just attached to the switch itself.
Mobile Home Manufactures can get away with that sort of thing to where a stick house has to meet code enforcement.
It's always something isn't it? We'll have to remember that. And you are right, we worried most about them finding some hidden termite/rotten wood issues because that always seems to be the one thing that comes up that is unexpected, ha.
Deletehttps://www.bobvila.com/articles/rodents-chew-pex-pipe/
ReplyDeleteI would have encouraged use of Pex to solve that problem, but Bob Vila has a suggestion and caveat. Still, Pex will never split.
We've been reading about PEX. Will have to read about the rodents though, interesting. Thank you.
DeleteI'm guessing if you get any kind of new stick built or manufactured home, it will have PEX plumbing ... it seems to be the new wrinkle. I thought copper was the best you could have installed till I learned more and more about PEX ... I still lean towards copper but if I had to have anything done (which I bet we will ... this is 1978 mobile home with lots of remodeling over the years) I'm guessing the plumber will talk me into PEX ... and I'm guessing sooner rather than later.
ReplyDeleteWe're definitely going to ask about that whichever route we go. We do know some people here in the older homes, pier and beam, who have had their pipes replaced with PEX. Not too much about copper but we'll check into that too.
DeleteThat was a big break. It’s hard to protect pipes with a house on blocks.
ReplyDeleteEspecially with it open underneath like it is. Whatever we get next, if it is pier and beam or raised, it will be enclosed.
DeleteIt needed to be wrapped in insulating foam...can get at hardware stores or your plumber's retail store. (plumber's wife here)
ReplyDeleteNot good...
hugs
Donna
Hello!! Oh it was, in fact you can see some of the foam and tape laying on the ground where I pulled it off to check the pipe. There was a post a week or so before where I spent a few hours under the house wrapping and putting foam on all the pipes. This one was the only one that froze, we think maybe one of the bulbs was out and allowed it to get super cold. It was the only pipe of all that froze. Funny thing, the foam was the only thing holding it together. When I pulled it off to check on it, that's when it fell apart. Hey, we have to laugh when we can. :-)
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