uggg new house problems

[NancyP]

We just moved here in September. Yesterday I had someone out to work on the heater and am having them back today cause now the thermostat doesn't appear to be working. The heater won't shut off when temp is reached. Now this morning we have no water. It appears the pipes are frozen. Anyone know what I should do besides call the plumber? I have done that already and they will try to get out today,grr. Now I am wondering what will be next.
Nancy

 

[Picky Chicky]

Is this literally a new house? If so, in our experience we were always able to go back to the builder for issues like these for the first year.

As for the pipes freezing, I've always heard that it helps to leave the water on just a tiny bit - maybe just a drip? As that supposedly helps to prevent pipes from freezing?

I hope someone on here is able to help!

 

[NancyP]

Sorry should have said it's new to us. The house is about 5 years old.

 

[Mattemma]

That is such a young home.

Can you get to the pipes to wrap them with pipe insulation? I had a frozen pipe burst in our condo garage one winter.What a mess that was.Now I try to wrap every exposed pipe I can get too.

Sorry you are having problems.We have lived 5 years in our 1953 home and things are always cropping up.I know that goes with home ownership,but a long break in between problems would be appreciated!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Yea most people dont rap there pipes in florida.... Not usualy an issue but this week it is.

 

[TerriLaChicks]

If your pipes are frozen you may want to shut your water off at the main so your pipes won't burst. We have the same problems here. We have disconnected all hoses outside, wrapped the faucets and put those styrofoam insulator caps over them.

We shut off the water out at our barn because it is only a shallow laid plastic pipe & will burst (had that happen in the past). So I get the fun of hauling buckets of water out to the chickens & ducks for the next few days. We are supposed to have record breaking cold by end of week (it was 22 here this morning.)

It helps to leave faucets dripping in older homes, I guess that depends on how well insulated your house is.

also, fill up a few buckets and your bathtub--so you have water to flush toilets, bathe with, etc.
If the severe cold causes a main to burst, the water pressure will drop to next to nothing.

I really really don't like winter weather.

 

[NancyP]

The water is working in the house again,

. Now I am just waiting for them to come out and see if there was any damage done. Then we will work things so this doesn't happen again.
Nancy

 

[DonnaBelle]

About those frozen pipes: When the water does thaw out, watch out for leaks. Frozen pipes can burst, and when they thaw, they leak.

The thermostat may be bad in your furnace. Usually furnaces don't give much problem.

I lived in Florida, Bonita Springs just South of Ft. Myers. It can get cold in Florida, we lost all the palm trees along Hickory Boulevard right next to the ocean one year, it got down to 19 degrees, it can happen.

Good luck.

DonnaBelle

 

[kagedgoddess]

in our old house we had no water every single time it got to freezing, next time, leave the pipes drip a little, fill up your coffee pot the night before and insulate around the pipes better. our landlord put a small space heater under the sink to keep them from freezing up. hopefully tho florida will thaw out and you wont have such a problem again.... although with a five yr old house, i would think it would be better insulated. maybe in the warmer weather get an energy audit. scanty insulation will hurt ya in the summer too!

 

[NancyP]

Thanks guys. We will definitely be checking the insulation. I think it was not given much thought because of being in the south. So far I see no signs of leaks or broken pipes.