Digging water line up!!!

[Woodhauler]

Been frozen or crushed for 4 days! Tryed to un thaw it, stops 28 feet out! Time to drill and blast!

[beenthere]

Tried hooking the welder up to it?  (if it isn't plastic pipe)

[drobertson]

Brutal! what a pain the rear that is,

[Woodhauler]

Tried hooking the welder up to it?  (if it isn't plastic pipe)

Black plastic!Its crushed close to the house.

[Hilltop366]

I ran my water line (and pump power) in a 4" PVC drain pipe from the drilled well (with pit-less adapter) up through the floor, this helps in two ways. It protects the pipe from being crushed and can be changed by only digging up at the well. I suppose if it freezes I could blow warm air down the 4" pipe. I figure it is well worth the cost of the PVC pipe.

Best of luck getting your water back on.

[21incher]

That stinks with the deep frost line this year. Good luck.

[loggah]

Ive thawed out plastic line by running a smaller plastic line back thru it and forcing hot water thru the smaller line, takes a bit of patience but lots easier then digging frost. Don

[r.man]

Woodhauler, do you know it is crushed? If it is frozen it can be thawed from inside, I have done it often. It is easiest if you have a full 40 gal + hot water heater on site. Make sure it is up to temp, turn it off electrically, hook a hose to the drain tap and a compressor line to a hot water tap to use the compressed air to force the hot water out the hose. I use a piece of 1/2 inch pex pipe with a hose adapter crimped on one end and a cheap plastic ball valve to control the flow. Shove the pex in the water line until it stops, turn on the hot water about 1/4 stream and wait while pushing slightly on the pex. If there is ice the pex with move slightly after a few seconds if the water is hot. You need to keep a pail at the end of the well pipe since whatever water you put in is going to come back out. I like to gauge the temp of the returning water after a minute or two. I don't want it too hot since the supply is limited but if the flow is too small the returning water will be very cold and the melting will be very slow. I can generally melt 10 to 20 ft of ice with less than 40 gallons in about 30 minutes. I could talk you through it if you want.

[thecfarm]

I have sold small plastic pipe to 3 people so far. One wanted 90 feet. The 90 foot guy was a logger. They was driving over the line and it froze. They got it thawed out and told the owner to leave the water running. He forgot one night.  :(

[47sawdust]

Our local rental store rents wallpaper steamers as well as hard plastic pipe about ½'' diameter.I've thawed pipes many times with steam.I'd certainly try that or the hot water method before blasting and digging.

[r.man]

I have used the wallpaper steamer once, it worked well. It is an excellent choice if there is no water on hand or in the case where I used it if water on the floor is a big concern.  The disadvantage of the steamer is that the rent is a one use fee and for me I have to drive 1/2 hr each way to pick up and drop off. This time of year there is also the chance that it is not available. I probably would have used it 3 times but twice it was already out. I should just make one. The one from the rent all is just a horizontal insulated tank with a 1500 watt 120 v threaded hot water heater element in it low down with a hose connection high up and a weighted water fill cap that acts as a pressure relief.

[47sawdust]

Woodhauler-
Any luck with your water line? I'm hoping for the best,water line freeze ups are right at the bottom of my list.

[69bronco]

I used to have a plastic line that would freeze up- was down 4'. Built a bonfire over the freeze spot, lots of hardwood. When it burned to coals I covered it with some old tin. Had water the next morning!

[Woodhauler]

Woodhauler-
Any luck with your water line? I'm hoping for the best,water line freeze ups are right at the bottom of my list.

All better! It bwas froze 5-6 ft down with frost! Heaved a rock up into the line! 600 bucks digging it out!

[47sawdust]

The deep frost is really a problem this year.The city of Montpelier,Vt.is urging residents on their municipal system to leave their water running to reduce freeze up problems.
Glad to hear you got your water back,*DanG rocks!

[luvmexfood]

I ran my water line (and pump power) in a 4" PVC drain pipe from the drilled well (with pit-less adapter) up through the floor, this helps in two ways. It protects the pipe from being crushed and can be changed by only digging up at the well. I suppose if it freezes I could blow warm air down the 4" pipe. I figure it is well worth the cost of the PVC pipe.

Best of luck getting your water back on.

Little off subject but 30 years ago the black plastic pipe was not as good as you can get today. Subject to burst even in summer. We completly dug out my exFIL's by hand, maybe 100', from his basement to the meter. Can't remember exact dimensions but we installed him a smaller black plastic inside a larger one. Any problems all he had to do was go the meter and turn off, unclamp and then unclamp in basement. Pull old pipe out thru the larger pipe, push in a new one clamp on each end and good to go. Made fixing his waterline a breeze.