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Thawing of water and sewer pipes. How to defrost a plastic pipe: we cancel trips to an ice hole in severe frost How to defrost a metal-plastic pipe with water

In winter, not only we ourselves freeze, but also communications. And if it’s enough for a person to drink a cup of hot tea, wrap himself in a blanket and sit around, then it will be more difficult with pipes. If the water or drains in them are frozen, then you will have to deal with utilities (and we all know that this is not always fast), or take the initiative into your own hands. Fortunately, people's ingenuity came up with a lot of really working and effective ways how to defrost a water and sewer pipe without waiting for spring.

Why do pipes freeze?

No, this is not a rhetorical question. The reason often lies within ourselves. Yes, it is we, consciously or not, who violate the norms, and as a result, in the midst of a fierce winter, we get an unpleasant consequence in the form of an icy water supply or, even worse, sewerage.

Pipes freeze for the following reasons:

  • insufficient depth. Ideally, pipes should be below the level of soil freezing, and in some regions this level is at a depth of 1.8-2 m, or even deeper. Utilities and private developers sometimes do not adhere to this rule, either due to incorrect calculations, or in an attempt to save money;
  • inefficient insulation. So that the pipes do not freeze in winter, and those places of the pipes that pass through or brick walls, need double insulation, as these materials cool faster than the ground;
  • it is better not to place pipes close to brick and concrete structures for the same reason. Exception - entering the house;
  • low water consumption. In private unheated houses, water should not be left in pipes; it is better to drain it before winter;
  • pipe diameter too small. The smaller the diameter, the faster the liquid freezes. It is not recommended to lay water pipes with a diameter of less than 50 mm underground;
  • even if the pipe laying depth is sufficient, and they are well insulated, with extreme low temperatures that are not typical for the region, freezing may occur. This is already an emergency.

If it so happened that the pipes are frozen, and you have to defrost them on your own, then first you have to calculate the place where the water freezes. It can be outdoor or underground. Defrost methods will vary.

No. 1. Defrosting the pipe with a hair dryer or blowtorch

If the outer part of the pipe, which is in the reach zone, is frozen, then the task is greatly simplified. It is enough just to expose the frozen area to external heating, and for this you can use:


If the pipe is metal, then the following heat sources can also be used:


The principle is the same in all cases. Heat is applied to the frozen area. If it is a heating pad, then it is applied, if the cable is wrapped around the pipe and plugged into the network, if it is a burner or a blowtorch, the flame is directed to the pipe zone, but with a hairdryer, everything is clear. An old blanket or thick cloth can be wrapped over a heating pad, heating cable, and thermal blanket to keep warm.

It is important to open the water tap before starting work so that the thawed water can safely flow out of the pipe. or shut down for the time being.

No. 2. Defrosting with boiling water and rags

The method is also suitable if the pipes are in the building and accessible. Of course, you can just water the pipes hot water, after substituting containers for collecting water, but it is much more efficient to first wrap the pipes with rags, and only then arrange a “hot shower” for them. The rags will absorb water, heat up and contribute to the constant exposure of the pipes to heat. If there are few rags, then it will periodically need to be moved along the pipe section. Do not forget to substitute a container to collect water that will not be absorbed.

No. 3. Defrosting the pipe with a welding machine

If the frozen area is located outside the house, then it will take more time and effort to thaw. The co method is considered one of the most effective, but it has a limitation - it only suitable for metal pipes.

To begin with, you will have to at least approximately determine the place where the ice plug forms. Then, on both sides, the water pipe is cleaned of thermal insulation and cleaned to a metallic sheen. An electrical cable connected to the secondary winding of the welding transformer is connected to these places.

Now it remains to set the minimum current on the device (about 180 A) and turn it on to the network. will begin to heat up along the entire length of the connected section. Defrosting occurs relatively quickly, but the duration of the entire process depends on the length of the pipe. At the same time, the water tap should also be kept open. Experts warn that the method has by-effect- pipes after such treatment begin to rust faster.

It is very important to connect and disconnect cables to the pipe only when welding machine switched off. Otherwise, you can get electric arc, which can damage both the pipe and your hands and eyes.

No. 4. Defrosting with hot water through a hose

When the frozen area is in sight, it is enough to pour hot water directly on it. By simple reasoning, we can conclude that if the congestion is located far from home, then it is necessary to somehow deliver hot water to the place of icing. Just pouring hot water into the pipe is not very effective - you have to get a little confused. This way applicable to when you can’t just take and run a current through them, like through metal.

The procedure is as follows:

  • remove the stop valve;
  • prepare a rigid hose or pipe with a diameter smaller than the plumbing. For example, for a pipe with a diameter of 25-32 mm, a diameter of 16 mm is suitable. This is if the site is completely straight. If there are twists and turns, then you will have to take a hose that can bend, but at the same time is quite rigid. You can’t take an ordinary one - it may not withstand exposure to hot water and soften, so it will be more difficult to push it through. You can take an oxygen hose or a hose that is usually connected gas cylinders. True, it can be stretched only 10-15 m from the input - it is too rigid and heavy. Alternatively, a flexible hose with attached wire can be used;
  • put the prepared hose or metal into the pipe plastic pipe until you hit the ice;
  • a container can be attached to the outer end of the hose, from which the supply will be carried out hot water. If you attach a faucet to it, it will be much more convenient. However, hot water can also be poured through a funnel, but this is not very convenient;
  • instead of a simple hot ox, you can use salt solution- it freezes at a lower temperature, so that the work will go faster;
  • melt water will flow out through the gap between the pipe or hose. Prepare a container for its collection in advance;
  • as the ice plug melts, it will be possible to lower deeper metal-plastic pipe or hose.

When the work is completed, it remains to assemble the pipeline and install shutoff valves. To prevent re-freezing, ensure that the water is constantly moving through the pipeline, at least with a slight pressure. A heating cable can be lowered into a straight pipe.

Hydraulic level method

A variation of this method is the use of a building hydraulic level of the required length. The method is good if there are 2-3 elbows in the pipe and the distance from the house to the frozen area is 20 m. To the end of the hydraulic level, a wire is wound with electrical tape. And then, and then in advance it is necessary to align a little. From the end that will be immersed in the pipe, the wire should not stick out. It is better to let it be shorter than the hydraulic level by 1 cm.

The hydraulic level is pushed inside the pipe until it hits the ice. Hot water (or saline) can be served with Esmarch's mug, popularly an enema. When you hit the ice, you can start the water supply. To simplify, we do an enema to the pipe. melt water we collect in a basin or bucket, as we thaw, we advance the hydro level.

The method is good because the hydraulic level tube is thin enough, so it goes well into the water pipe, and it easily overcomes turns. average speed– 1 meter of ice per hour.

No. 5. Defrost with wire

Way to go for defrosting only plastic pipes plumbing located at a distance from the house. To work, you must purchase:

  • two-core wire, the length and thickness depends on the pipe, but people with experience advise taking a thicker and harder wire;
  • plug for socket;
  • a compressor and a hose will be needed if the pipeline is long enough, or if the ice plug is located far from the entry point into the house. You can buy a fuel hose, it is inexpensive, and use a pump as a compressor, or use a car compressor.

The main thing, properly prepare the wire. First, we remove the general insulation in a section of 8-10 cm and expose one of the wires. Gently bend it in the opposite direction and make several turns (3-5 are enough) around the part that remained under the general insulation (it is clear from the pictures below). The threads must be tight. The insulation is also removed from the second wire and wound below the turns of the first wire. The distance should be about 2-3 mm - the turns of the first and second wires should not touch. If you use pliers during the creation of the turns, then first wrap the wire with something tight so as not to damage the insulation.

When the first end is ready, it remains to connect the plug from the second end. Here is our working tool, popularly sometimes referred to as a "burbulator", is ready. You should not take this method if you have little understanding in electrics.

The action of this method is based on a simple physical phenomenon. When current passes through water, the latter heats up. What you need when you need to defrost pipes! It is important that the wire itself remains cold, only the water is heated, i.e. the likelihood of damage to the plastic pipe is minimized.

This method of defrosting frozen pipes can only be used if all parts (including shut-off valves) are made of plastic. In the presence of steel fittings, a short circuit may occur.

You can check if our defroster is working with a can of water. It is enough to lower one end of the wire there, plug the other into an outlet, and you will see how bubbles begin to appear in the water, all this will be accompanied by a buzz. Do not dip your fingers into the water - it can give you an electric shock.

Now it remains to lower the wire into the pipe until it hits the ice, but without too much force. We plug it into the outlet, gently press the end of the wire to the ice and wait a couple of minutes, after which you can try to lower the wire a little more, it will seem to fall into the ice itself. If the icy area is large enough, then it is better to gradually pump out the melted water. You can do without it, but then it will take more time, because you will also have to warm up a sufficient amount of water. There is another threat - the ice that has already melted may begin to freeze while you melt its deeper layers. In general, it is better to use a pump or a compressor.

No. 6. How to defrost a sewer pipe?

Let us immediately note freeze much less often than tap water, and this is a solid reason to rejoice. The fact is that warm drains are constantly moving along them, but if it suddenly happened that the sewage system froze, try one of the following methods:


If independent attempts to defrost water and sewer pipes were unsuccessful, then one can only hope for specialists who use special steam generators. These devices resemble washing machines for cars, only steam is produced at the outlet, and its temperature and pressure can be adjusted depending on the material of the pipes and the length of the frozen area. This method is very fast and efficient.

How to prevent pipes from freezing?

The answer to this question comes from the very first section of the article describing the reasons. In short, we must try to minimize possible risks, i.e.:


The only thing you can't predict is record low temperatures in the region. If usually in winter the temperature does not drop below -15 0 C, and -25 0 C is considered almost a disaster, then it is quite logical to lay pipes to a depth of 80 cm (for example, Stavropol). It's hard to believe, but still it is impossible to completely discard the situation when the temperature drops to -35 0 C or even lower. And if earlier it was only necessary to rely on nature, now we have a heating cable at our disposal, which will not allow the pipes to freeze under any conditions, so for reinsurance purposes, you can additionally use it.

Failure of the water supply or heating system in winter is a sad and terrible situation. Terrible, because residents can freeze themselves and be left without water. And sad, because the restoration of the pipeline will require hard work, which, moreover, will be done on the street. But not everything is as hopeless as it might seem.
Sure, warm up. sewer pipes easier than plumbing. After all, boiling water, which is poured into the sewer, will be excreted naturally. But the water, which is used to heat the water supply, enters the pit or well, from where it has to be pumped out.

It is necessary to defrost the water supply system as soon as possible, then the water supply will be restored. In addition, if the defrosting is delayed, the pipes can burst, but this is a real disaster.

water pipe rescue

Before starting restoration work, the water supply should be disconnected from the common line by turning off the valve. In order to start defrosting, you need to prepare some tools:

  • buckets,
  • teapot,
  • hose,
  • basin (preferably a few),
  • rags,
  • heating devices (gas or electric stove, boiler),
  • gas cutter,
  • blowtorch,
  • foil,
  • insulation,
  • heating cable.

If all this is available, you can get down to business.

First, we determine in which section the congestion has formed. Then you have to dig it out (since the pipe is obviously located underground) and remove the insulation from it.

Pipe burst from freezing

Pipe heating methods

There are several ways to warm up a water pipe.

  • Often hot water is used for this. The frozen section of the pipe is wrapped with rags, other rags are placed under it (they will absorb the flowing water), and then boiling water is poured onto the pipe from the kettle. Periodically it is necessary to reheat the water. It is poured until the problematic section of the pipe warms up. This method is usually used if the frozen area is in the house.

Sometimes hot water can be brought into the pipe itself, for this a flexible hose is used. If the pipe is very long, then it is convenient to start defrosting from the water supply side.

  • A water pipe, which is underground on the street, can be warmed up with an open fire. To do this, you must have a blowtorch, a welding heating pad, or at least a torch (a lit stick or branch). A metal sheet should be placed under the pipe, which will divert the flame from those structures that can ignite. Then they begin to drive fire through the pipe, starting from the side where the water is supplied. So you can warm up many pipes, but not plastic - it can melt itself.
  • If the house has a hair dryer (household or technical), then you can use it to save the pipe. In this case, a "sleeve" of film or other dense material is created over the frozen area. A hair dryer is pumped into this space hot air. After a while, the pipe should warm up. This method is also suitable for plastic pipes.

However, a heating cable is considered an ideal tool for heating plastic pipes.

How to use it?

First, the plastic pipe should be wrapped tightly with aluminum foil - plain or adhesive (see). Then attach the heating cable by wrapping it around the pipe in a spiral. So that the cable itself is not damaged, the spiral pitch must be at least 8 cm. The cable is attached to the pipe with adhesive tape, then the cable sensor is fixed, which triggers automatic shutdown, - it should be tightly pressed against the pipe. On top of the entire resulting structure, you need to lay a heater ( mineral wool or any other). You can connect the cable to the network.

  • It happens that the water freezes in the well. In this case, you can lay the heating cable there as well. Usually this is done underground, the cable must pass under the pipe.
  • If the pipe is frozen in the water, then to warm it up it is enough to heat the wall. This can also be done with a regular hair dryer. This tool is very simple and in some cases very effective.

Use of the welding machine

It turns out that a welding machine can not only connect metal surfaces. He also copes well with frozen pipes. It is enough to attach the welding wire to the ends of the section that is frozen (to one plus, to the other minus), turn on the device for 30 seconds, then wait 10 seconds and turn it on again.

In this case, the welding current should be small, in the region of 100 amperes; if this does not work, the current can be increased.

It is clear that the pipe mentioned here must be metal. After all, plastic does not conduct electricity.
This method, however, practically does not help if the pipe has a large diameter or the freezing area is too long.

HDPE pipes

This material is quite new in our market. HDPE is polyethylene low pressure. This material withstands high pressure (up to 10 atmospheres), is not subject to corrosion, and most importantly, is practically not subject to freezing.

HDPE is an excellent solution, especially for areas with a harsh climate.

What not to do

  • When pipes freeze, some try to solve this problem with metal wire or. However, this is unlikely to be useful, since the ice plug is very hard and strong, in addition, its length can be rather big.
  • No need to pour boiling water directly into the pipe. Instead, you should take a metal-plastic pipe with a smaller diameter and put it into the one that needs to be thawed. Boiling water is poured into this pipe, and cold water from the cork will flow into the gap between the inner and outer pipes. This water can be collected, heated and poured again, because there is often not enough water for repairs (the water supply is blocked by a cork).

This method helps if the failed section is straight.

If the pipe has bends, then a rigid and flexible oxygen hose should be pushed into it.

But taking an ordinary sprinkler is a bad idea, because it is too soft and becomes unusable from hot water - it becomes impossible to move it inside.

Are you familiar with the situation when, at a negative temperature outside, the water supply from the tap stops? Such a problem occurs in your home with the onset of a cold season, and you do not know how to quickly fix it? To fight you need to pick up effective method restoration 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 in the future. Let's talk about effective ways, allowing you to quickly restore the water supply on a cold winter day for sanitary purposes and cooking.

Our article contains a selection better ways which will help to cope with this trouble on their own. Methods for pipelines from various materials. So that you can better understand the nuances of warming, we have selected visual photos and thematic videos detailing recommendations for saving water pipes from ice captivity.

With a sharp onset of frost, supplemented strong winds, cases of freezing with the formation of ice plugs inside them are not uncommon.

Frozen water as a result of improper laying or operation of the pipeline will, at best, make it impossible to use the system, and at worst, force the breakthrough to be repaired.

The problem of pipe freezing is more relevant for owners of summer cottages and private sector houses, whose water supply inlets pass along the street

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

The most basic among them:

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

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

The pipe, located in the frozen ground, after passing warm streams, begins to cool down, and after a short period it acquires a low temperature. Small portions of water, as they advance, 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 place of freezing in an open area. Experienced craftsmen advise, when examining and probing the accessible part of the route, to focus on temperature sensations.

It is not difficult to determine the location of the ice plug in a plastic pipeline when probing: within the blocked area, when trying to slightly bend the pipe, a characteristic crunch is heard

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

It is noticed that concrete freezes faster than soil layers. Therefore, if the basement was unreliably insulated or ajar during severe frosts, it is quite natural that the pipeline lying in it froze.

If the freezing area cannot be determined, it is better to immediately abandon the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bbreaking through the ice jam by mechanical means

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

Effective solutions to the problem

The water supply can be defrosted by external thermal exposure, or by defrosting from the inside. Each 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 pipe rupture during the period of thawing 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 water faucet or a “reset” after the inlet valve in order to determine the effectiveness of the actions performed by the water flowing from it.

Method #1 - Using Hot Water

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

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

The area wrapped with a rag is poured with hot water in several approaches until the cloth gets wet and the ice under it 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 along the pipeline along with water.

This method is used only in enclosed spaces and with an open method of laying pipelines. And this technology is suitable only 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 building hair dryer

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

In order to create conditions for the movement of ice accumulation through the pipe, it is necessary to evenly distribute the flow of hot air, without forgetting to open all the valves first.

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

Enhance the effect while reducing heat loss, the construction of an improvised protective casing around the heated area helps. It will reflect heat, evenly distributing it 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

Russia is located in a harsh climatic region, therefore, in winter and early spring, there is a risk of defrosting of the water supply and sewerage system. This is especially true for owners of private houses, because. often systems are laid without carrying out the necessary calculations and measures for insulation and protection against freezing. In this article, we will talk about how to protect pipes from freezing and what to do if the problem could not be prevented.

If the temperature outside the window has dropped to zero, that is, to the freezing point of water, this does not mean that the water supply system will freeze. Not everyone knows, but in winter the water in the pipe freezes at a temperature of -7 degrees. Water pipes burst when freezing, because. when changing from liquid to solid state, the volume of water increases. This does not happen often, but it does happen, especially in metal systems that are not capable of stretching.

To prevent freezing of water in pipes and protect them from damage, it is necessary to take care of the heating system in advance or carry out a set of measures for thermal insulation of the pipeline.

Some measures to protect the pipeline in winter period, should be carried out at the stage of laying communications during the construction of a house. What needs to be done to reliably protect pipes from the cold during the laying process:

  1. Lay the water supply below the freezing level of the soil. In SNiP 2.02.01-83, you can find information on the freezing depth for a particular region and type of soil.
  2. Use polyethylene or polypropylene for underground water supply.
  3. . For convenience, heaters made of foil expanded polystyrene in the form of tubes are used, or any other available insulation or insulation methods.
  4. Install an electrical heating system. It is installed directly on the water supply under the heat-insulating layer. The system is guaranteed to prevent freezing or allow heating the water supply, if the heating is used cyclically and freezing has nevertheless occurred.

Thermal insulation using a heating cable — reliable way solve the problem of icing even in the most severe cold.

In private temporary residences, for example country houses, plumbing is rarely laid underground and is used mainly in the summer.

To prevent freezing of the structure located above the ground, in winter it is necessary to completely drain the water from it after each use. The second option, how you can not defrost the pipe on the street, is to leave the tap a little ajar so that the water moves. The water in the source (well, well) has a temperature of about +5 degrees. Moving, it gives off part of the heat for heating, so freezing of pipes in such a situation can only occur in severe frost, from -15.

How to defrost an open pipeline

In the case when the open water supply is frozen, it is not difficult to defrost the pipe, because. it has access.

Tip: you need to start work on heating the water supply immediately after freezing is detected, otherwise, the situation only worsens every hour, especially if the heaters used are of poor quality or are completely absent.

A heating cable is required to heat frozen plastic lines. Using it is extremely simple, just wrap the water pipe and connect the cable to the power source. This option requires additional costs for the purchase of a cable. It is possible to cast plastic pipes with hot water, but this option is effective only for small areas of freezing, or for mild frosts.

Heating of metal pipes can be carried out with the help of an open fire. Suitable portable gas-burner, a blowtorch or a small diesel gun designed to heat unheated rooms. It is possible to combine heating with a burner with the method of crushing ice. With a burner, you can heat the entire metal system except for cranes. Faucets have rubber (plastic) valves, which, if the temperature rises sharply, can deteriorate and the faucet will have to be changed.

Important: it is forbidden to heat frozen plastic pipes with an open fire, because. they can melt or even catch fire.

To warm the tap, it is not necessary to heat it with a burner, it is enough to wrap it with rags and pour boiling water over it. If after the first time the tap did not move away, the operation can be repeated.

To defrost open, you can use a building hair dryer. It is powerful enough, warms up well and is not able to melt the material.

Defrosting hidden plastic pipes

It is much more difficult to defrost water in a plastic pipe hidden underground due to the fact that there is no access to it. Heating options that are used for open water pipes will not work.

You can quickly defrost a water supply pipe only by heating it from the inside. There are several ways to do this.

  1. Outflow of hot water.
  2. Heating with a steam generator.
  3. Warming up electric apparatus for defrosting pipes.
  4. Defrost water pipes with a homemade boiler.

Depending on the situation, the availability of tools and other circumstances, various devices can be used for each of the methods. For example, in order to pour hot water, you can use a thin hose that goes inside the water supply, or you can simply pour hot water from a pear.

To defrost HDPE pipes in the ground, you can use a cable heating system, but only if it was installed at the stage of laying the water supply. If cable heating elements are not installed, then this method is too laborious and not always possible.

Now consider the heating options that can be used if the HDPE pipe located underground is frozen.

Warming up with a steam generator

Based on the name, it can be understood that the steam generator is designed to generate steam. It sounds complicated, but it's actually much simpler. But not everyone has a steam generator. In everyday life, in the country, you can use a pressure cooker instead. Defrost a pipe with a pressure cooker is no more difficult than casting with hot water. To carry out the work you will need:

  • pressure cooker;
  • hose diameter smaller than polyethylene pipe plumbing;
  • mobile electric or gas stove.

The process itself is similar to the ebb of a water pipe with hot water, only steam is used instead. Water is poured into the pressure cooker and heated to a boil. One end of the hose is hermetically connected to the valve for releasing excess steam in the lid of the pressure cooker, the other is pushed into the line. Thus, the steam from the pressure cooker enters the hose and further into the pipeline to the place of freezing. The temperature of the steam is higher than the temperature of hot water, so using a pressure cooker is more effective and allows you to heat up faster.

Another option to replace the steam generator is to use a Karher steam cleaner. The power of the steam cleaner is enough to cope with defrosting.

ice crushing

If the underground water supply is made of iron or copper, then you can use special device- apparatus for defrosting pipes. You can find out which model of the device to use for a specific pipe diameter by reading the instructions of the device manufacturer. The most popular devices in Russia are "Dragon" and their analogues.

The essence of the method is that the power cables of the device are connected to the main line and voltage is applied to them, due to which the pipe walls heat up and the ice jam thaws. This method can be combined with the crushing method.

Its essence lies in tapping a metal line in order to cause ice to peel off inner walls or its destruction. Crushed pieces of ice, under the pressure of water in the system, can come out. Using this method, you need to take care of the unhindered passage of pieces of ice along the entire length of the water supply. This means that the outlet valve, tees and other structural elements with a smaller diameter must be dismantled.

In appearance, everything is simple, but in reality it does not always work out, because. the device has restrictions on the distance of connecting the electrodes. If on the exit side water pipe connecting an electrode is not a problem, then installing a second one, at a certain distance from the first one, is not always possible, due to the fact that the system is closed and the water has frozen in the pipe underground. Sometimes such nuances make it impossible to use the device for heating a closed water supply system.

Defrosting with a boiler

At one end of a rigid two-core wire, several centimeters of cores are exposed and wrapped around the wire so that the bare contacts do not touch each other, and the distance between them does not exceed 1.5-2 cm. A plug is installed on the second end of the wire for connecting to a household outlet . Further, the structure is pushed inside the pipeline and connected to the network 220. Passing current, the water between the wire contacts heats up, and the water supply system gradually thaws.

Important: the method is suitable for use in closed system from plastic pipes, it is strictly forbidden to use in metal structures, because. the pipe wall is closed contacts.

Defrosting pipes with hot water

With little length frozen water pipe, it is convenient to pour hot water from a bucket or a rubber medical heating pad, often called Esmarch's mug. This is a simple method that requires a minimum of accessories. It is often used for self-elimination icing pipes in the country. For heating, you will need a piece of thin hose no less than the length of a frozen main and a funnel, for the convenience of filling the hose with hot water.


The hose is inserted into the water pipe until it stops, that is, to the freezing point. Next, hot water is poured into the hose. Hot water, passing through the hose, enters directly to the place of freezing and gradually melts the ice. As it melts, it is necessary to move the hose inside the water supply and add hot water, because. it will gradually go away and cool down.

Elimination of ice blockage in the sewer

A sewer system that is made with the wrong slope, or from pipes of small diameter and laid without insulation, is at risk of defrosting. You can warm up the drain pipe in a private house, in the event of an ice plug, using the same methods that are used to defrost hidden water pipes.

Important: to remove ice in it is not enough to pour hot water into the toilet, because. this is ineffective, it is necessary to organize the supply of hot water directly to the place of the ice plug, which means you need to use a hose.

If the sewerage system is long enough, then to deliver the hose to the freezing point, it can be tied to a plumbing cable.

When defrosting, there are several nuances.

  1. The cause of freezing may be a blockage that has reduced the throughput of the system. In this case, defrosting must be carried out in conjunction with cleaning, otherwise the problem will recur.
  2. AT sewer system can defrost a septic tank or otherwise a drain hole. In this case, the outlet for water and feces is blocked, the pipes gradually fill up and freeze. To eliminate the cause, you must first warm or clean the ice in the drain pit and only then proceed to work on heating the sewer drain.

How to defrost metal pipes in the ground

You can defrost metal water pipes that are underground using the same methods that are used when you need to warm a HDPE pipe in the ground. If there is access to the pipe every 10 meters, for example, wells are installed, then it is effective to warm up using a pipe defrosting apparatus.

Ice in the underground pipe begins to form at minus 5 degrees, which happens closer to spring, so you need to be extremely careful during this period, especially if the underground metal pipes are new and winter for the first time.

How not to defrost plastic pipes

Similar to metal pipes, plastic pipes are defrosted at a temperature of -5, but it is impossible to warm them up by all available methods. For example, it is forbidden to warm frozen plastic pipes with an open flame.

Plastic is a combustible material and can catch fire in a few minutes. Also, for plastic communications, the method of crushing and heating with the help of an apparatus is not used. The appliance will not work because polypropylene pipe does not conduct electricity. At low temperatures, some types of plastic lose their flexibility properties.

If you hit the frozen plastic system hammer or other impact tool, the walls may not withstand and burst. As a result, part of the plumbing will have to be changed. Metal-plastic pipes burst even more easily, so crushing does not apply to them either.

In conclusion of the article, I would like to note that in order to avoid problems with sewerage and water pipes, one should not neglect the requirements of regulatory documents, for example, SNiP SNiP 2.04.01-85 *. If freezing could not be avoided, then after the system is restored to working capacity, it is necessary to analyze the causes that can be eliminated in the warm season. Otherwise, the situation will repeat itself. It will not always be possible to get rid of only by thawing the water supply, because. integrity may be violated and the system will have to be changed in winter, or a temporary highway should be laid, which will require additional investments.

On video original way defrosting pipes with hot water from flow heater"Atmor":

It is carried out with violations, that in winter time leads to freezing of pipes and inability to use water.

Leads to disruptions in the water supply:

  • the location of the pipeline outside the house above the ground or above the level of freezing in the ground;
  • lack of insulation of the water supply;
  • errors in the installation of the water supply system.
Note! Before defrosting a water pipe, you need to take into account what material it is made of and where exactly the frozen area is located: indoors or outdoors. Depending on this, the methods of defrosting the pipe and, accordingly, the tools used will vary.

plastic plumbing

To defrost a water pipe from plastic pipes, you must proceed with extreme caution. Methods for thawing pipes may vary depending on the location of the frozen section.

Note! The defrosting of the ice plug must be started from the side of the tap.

The section of the water supply located directly in the building can be defrosted as follows:


Note! Warming up must first be started with cold water, to avoid cracking the plastic pipe.

When defrosting the water supply at home, it is necessary to exclude damage to the system due to steam arising in the pipe during the defrosting process. To do this, you need to open the tap and watch when water flows out of it.

Defrosting plastic pipes outside the home depends on where they are laid - above ground or in the ground. In the latter case, you need to give them full access. Defrosting can be carried out in the same way as indoors - using hot water and electrical appliances.

A special heating cable can be used to thaw pipes from the outside. To do this, you need to wrap it with foil, wind the heating cable on top and cover it with insulation - this will take quite a long time.

If the frozen area is located inconveniently, it is recommended to depressurize the water supply and thaw it by injecting it with hot water. To do this, you may need an Esmarch mug. Simultaneously with the supply of hot water to the pipe, it is necessary to use a steel bar to insert it into the water supply and break through the ice plug.

metal pipes

There are a few more ways to defrost a metal water pipe. Indoors, you can use the same methods as for plastic pipes:

  1. Defrosting with rags and hot water;
  2. Defrosting with a building hair dryer;
  3. Defrosting with electrical appliances.

Outside, you can use not only all of the above methods, including a heating cable, but also special devices - a propane burner or a defrost apparatus.

When using a propane torch, precautions must be taken to prevent the occurrence of a fire. For example, when processing a frozen section of a water pipe on one side, it is necessary to put a metal plate on the reverse side.

For metal pipes, it is suitable to use an apparatus with which a current is supplied that can break through and remove the ice plug.

Note! Each of the methods for defrosting a water pipe is quite laborious, therefore, even during installation, you need to take care of the timely insulation of the water pipe both indoors and out.

Video

Instructions for defrosting a water pipe with hot water, see below: