Defrost pipes in different ways: find out how to return the

With the onset of cold weather, the defrosting of sewage pipes or plumbing becomes an urgent problem. Of course, many will say that it was necessary to think in advance, and they will be right, but when the problem is already there, it is urgently needed. In addition, as a result of a sudden shutdown of the heating, even a well-protected system can grab.

Why does this happen

In new buildings, this problem usually arises due to improper installation of structures or unfair insulation of the drain system. Any person at least superficially familiar with the laws of laying pipes will say that the pipe should be buried below the freezing point.

But this is not always possible, especially for the Northern regions.

In this case, the pipe should be insulated, making around it a cocoon of foam crumbs, expanded clay or similar material.

Tip: if there is a likelihood of freezing of the drain or water supply, then in addition to external passive insulation, 1 or 2 special insulated electrical cables should be fixed on the pipe. The price for electricity in any case will be less than the price for repairing a frost-torn pipeline.

• Another common cause may not be an adequate angle of inclination of the drain system.. Sewerage refers to non-pressure pipelines, therefore, the fluid moves by gravity. The GOST standards and instructions state that the fan system, with a pipe section of 100 mm or more, should lie under a slope of 20 mm by 1 p / m.
• It is also a common mistake to use small diameter pipes.. Experienced masters know that the larger the section of the pipe, the lower the probability of freezing or blockage. For private houses, the very minimum that can be used for risers and outlets is 100 - 110 mm. Another diameter may decrease if the system is not cleaned for a long time and it is overgrown.
• And finally, a banal sewer blockage can easily provoke the formation of an ice block. To reduce the likelihood of clogging can only regular, at least once a quarter, preventive cleaning of pipes.

Common Defrosting Techniques

The defrosting of sewer pipes can be carried out both with the help of professional equipment, and with your own hands, according to popular recipes, and we will try to acquaint you with both directions.

External influence

This method is based on heating the pipe with a jet of hot air or open fire. To tell the truth, you are very lucky if you grab the pipe in an open, accessible place for heating. The metal can be heated by a gas torch or a blowtorch. The plastic is more delicate, it is warmed by a hairdryer.

If the ice block is in the underground part of the pipeline, then it is better to try to warm it with other methods. The frozen ground is strong enough and it will be problematic to peck it, plus, if the system is plastic, you can miss it in time and damage it when digging.

Use of special equipment

The device for defrosting pipes has been used for a long time. The installation works on the principle of heating elements, but instead of the heating element, the frozen part of the structure is used. You only need to clearly determine where the ice block is. Then on both sides of it connect the terminals of the unit and voltage is applied.

Industrial plants come in different capacities, but in the standard version, the unit is able to heat about 1 m of a pipe with a cross section of 150 mm at a time. The same can be done with the help of a welding machine, the principle of their work is similar.

The only limitation here is that this method only works for metal pipelines. Plastic is a dielectric and cannot be included in the circuit as a resistance.

Plastic systems can be heated using a steam generator. This is a special unit that supplies hot steam or hot water to a flexible hose. At the end of the flexible hose, a special head is fixed, one hole of which is directed forward, while the others look back at an angle of 30? relative to the line of motion.

Methods of internal exposure

The easiest way out is to pour boiling water into the system, but it can only be used if the distance to the ice block is no more than 2 m. At large distances, it will simply cool until it gets to the ice.

So that the water does not cool, you can do otherwise, build an improvised pipeline through which to feed the hot liquid to defrost the pipes (salt water). At home, this is quite simple.

You will need an Esmarkh mug, for those who are not familiar - this is a great enema. The thin tube, here is well suited for the simplest hydro level working on the principle of communicating vessels and the hot water itself with a high salt concentration. Special liquids for these purposes are not available, therefore only salt water is used.

One edge of the tube is attached to the steel wire and sent directly to the freezing hearth, the other end of the hose is connected to the Esmarch circle. After the device has reached the desired point, salt boiling water is supplied.

Important: when it comes to defrosting sewage, all the heating elements start up from the bottom of the pipeline. In private homes it will be a sewer septic tank or drainage pit. Thus, the liquid during the melting of the ice will flow by gravity.

Another popular folk method is thawing with the help of electric heating elements.

Making a fixture is not difficult:

• On the small plate, which freely enters the pipe, the bent heating element is fastened.
• Connection terminals must be well insulated.
• After that, the plate with the heating element is fed with steel wire to the place of icing and the voltage is turned on.

Tip: some craftsmen advise, in order not to grab the pipes, to open a thin stream of water. It will not save the plumbing system, as it freezes from the walls to the center. But, but there is an opportunity to freeze the sewage system, a thin stream will freeze faster in a problematic place and frost may form overnight.

The video in this article shows some subtleties of the process.

Conclusion

In the case of popular methods, be very careful, because pouring boiling water, the maximum that threatens you is to scald your fingers. Much more serious when defrosting pipes is carried out with the help of electricity.

As you know, water is a good conductor and in this case can be very dangerous. If you are not familiar with electrical engineering, then do not risk, call the experts.