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no heat in home and pipes froze! southern indiana area

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posted on Jan, 7 2014 @ 02:03 AM
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Unless you can get some heat going in your home to warm the pipes, if they're outside at 25 F they won't thaw until the temps rise to 32. If they burst it will be a big mess and expense.

I don't know what to do but I wouldn't suggest running a heater outside. It says don't do that for good reason, electric shock or fire hazard from moisture.

What does the weather forecast say? If it looks like the temps are going up in a day or so, then you can wait it out. It will resolve itself I think. 32 or below is freezing level.

Good luck and hope you can get warm soon.



posted on Jan, 7 2014 @ 02:13 AM
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reply to post by sarra1833
 


Oh my goodness, use the toilet. You just need to pour some water in the tank, then flush. Unless of course the water in the tank has frozen?



posted on Jan, 7 2014 @ 02:14 AM
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reply to post by ladyteeny
 


I posted a link to something similar in my first post.
I wanted to try it, but I think I left my clay pots outside next to the house.
They are buried under snow now, if that's where they are!

If she just moved in a month ago, she probably doesn't have any.

Doubt any store would have garden stuff this time of year either.
For sure, I'll be keeping some in the house next year to try this!!!
WOQ



posted on Jan, 7 2014 @ 02:22 AM
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reply to post by violet
 


Hi!
Probably safer to pour the water right into the toilet bowl, instead of the tank.
It will still flush when enough water is put in.
That way you have more control over it in case the drain is frozen too.

Once you push that handle,
you have to be pretty fast to pull the ball back up if the drain is frozen,
before the whole thing overflows onto the floor!!!

WOQ



posted on Jan, 7 2014 @ 02:41 AM
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reply to post by sarra1833
 


Since I too live in a mobile home and just went through the trouble of getting my pipes all wrapped up for the cold weather,I'll try and answer this.

I paid for the materials but my brother did the work.The heat tape that goes on the pipes first will cost you 'about' $30. I say about because it will depend on how much pipe you have exposed underneath the home.You can just follow the directions on how to wrap it and keep it plugged in for anytime the weather will be below freezing.
Once it is on then you need to have the pipe insulation and tape to tape it on.There should also be a heating 'rod' that goes down into the main water supply that connects to your home.If that puppy should freeze,it will cost thousands to have it fixed.I don't know if you live in a mobile home park or not.MIne gave us the heat tape and heating rod for free,they do it for all residents to keep from having the water shut down for all.If you live in a park you may want to go to the management and ask them about it.

I know its hard when you are living paycheck to paycheck and something interrupts your pay. I myself have been put out of work due to a physical restriction so now I'm on disability. I do have insurance to pay for it from my job.Problem is I have yet to see a check even though I'm approved.So hang in there,I hope it all works out for you.



posted on Jan, 7 2014 @ 05:32 AM
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reply to post by sarra1833
 


This wont help you now, but it will be needed when you can afford it. I have lived in a mobile home before, and this is what works in extreme cold. Sometimes, the only thing that works.

You need to get into the crawl space underneath your house and wrap all your pipes with heat tape and plug it in.... you will want to purchase more insulation, you can get that pretty cheap, and staple gun insulation all underneath the house, from one end to the next.

After this, at night, you will need to purchase a torpedo heater, and on the coldest of nights you need to put it underneath the house, in the crawl space somewhere in the middle of your home and have it running... you wont need it every night, just on the really bad ones.

It will save your pipes, and save you money. Also, keep the bathroom faucet dripping, and the kitchen one too. Of course this is only for those really cold nights... but at night, when the temperature drops the lowest, that is the most dangerous time for freezing water lines.


edit on 7-1-2014 by OpinionatedB because: (no reason given)



posted on Jan, 7 2014 @ 08:46 AM
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mobile home....it has a skirt on it? If not, it needs one to block the wind.

Beyond that....your frozen pipes are under your house. Heat there, and I bet you thaw out. 100w bulbs can prevent freezing, but not cure it once its frozen.

Since i live in Texas, I likely can't give you advice, other than your pipes are under your house.



posted on Jan, 7 2014 @ 10:57 AM
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sarra1833
I have electricity. afaik there's no hardware store within walking distance here. how much does this electrical tape stuff cost? I never heard of it. Do I just wrap it around where the pipes are under the kitchen and bath room sinks?


I am from central Indiana, I got you man.

It is called 'heat tape' it looks like really thick tape with a couple of wires inside it, it is not actually tape, it is a long bendable plastic coated electric blanket basically.

This will not be enough, open all cabinet doors under sinks, after wrapping heat tape around your pipes wrap regular pink insulation around that and loosely wrap with duct tape. This is important, as the insulation needs the air trapped in it to insulate properly.

Do you live in a house or trailer?

House, put a heater in basement or crawl space, in a trailer put a heater under skirting.....CAUTION!!!!!!!! All heaters need to be monitored at all times for fire hazards.

CAUTION!!!!!!!!! After your pipes unfreeze you will likely have a leak, know where the water shut off is at now.

After the water works again, leave it running, not dripping, dripping works in the south, like north Texas, not Indiana, have just at about a solid stream running in all faucets, np the stream should break into drops about half way down to the drain, this will stop it refreezing.
Also put a pot of water in the oven, it will add humidity to the air and help keep the house warmer



posted on Jan, 7 2014 @ 11:01 AM
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reply to post by oblvion
 


Hit me back up if any issues, will be on several times today and all night, I have 35 years experience with these issues and how to resolve and repair them at a minimum effort and cost, though thoroughly and correctly.

Good luck man, I moved to Texas to escape the Indiana winters after 35 years, haven't regretted it once this winter, best move I ever made, pun intended.



posted on Jan, 7 2014 @ 11:11 AM
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sarra1833

Jim Scott
reply to post by sarra1833
 
In your mobile home, single-wide, you need to first make a solid wall around where the skirt area is located, then put one of the space heaters under the mobile home to pull the temperature down below freezing. Concentrate the heat around where the exposed pipes are located. Trap the heat in that area if possible. You may get a little messy, but you will prevent a big problem later with broken pipes.




Heh, I'd not even know where or how to begin. I have no extention cords or anything like that.
God this is horrifying. I have like 30 dollars to my name....


Ok, I got you brow, take all the extra blankets you have, put them up like curtain over any rooms without water pipes to cut them off and insulate the critical areas.

For instance, if the bathroom and kitchen are attached to the living room, cut off the hallway leading to the bedrooms, and camp out in the living room, your combined body heat in a smaller area will help a lot.

Get plastic, be they roll plastic or trash bags or white Walmart bags.

Tape these over all the isolated areas windows to stop the drafts that are sapping your finite heat.

Will reply further after I read more about your homes set up, please explain the lay out in further detail, do you have a dryer?



posted on Jan, 7 2014 @ 11:44 AM
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reply to post by oblvion
 


My apologies, I assumed you were a guy from your avi. Nice pic though, love that guy.

No dryer, no hair dryer, only two electric heaters and an electric oven.

My lord sister, you sound like my momma when I was a kid and had to fix this stuff.

Your problem is definitely one of heat resource management.

Positively move the kiddos into the living room and use blankets to seal off the hallway.

Put one heater in the bathroom, down the cold hallway where the bathroom is at ( I spent my entire childhood in single wide trailers, I am positive this is where the bathroom is after reading all your replies). Use at least one blanket on the outside of the door, pin it up with tacks, nails will work just fine, over the outside of the door to help insulate it.

Take a towel and role it long ways, place it on the outside of the bathroom door on the floor to stop the cold air running under the 1.5 inch gap below the door, this way it stays in place and you don't have to keep fixing it while precious heat escapes.

Make sure the cabinet doors are open!!!


Now the kitchen is gonna be attached to the living room, your oven and the other heater will easily heat this space with your combined body heat helping.

Take another towel rolled and place it the base of the front door, they always have drafts in trailers, so put a blanket up to cover the front door also, as I am sure it is leaking warm air all the way around it more than likely.

These things will help extremely well.

We did it back in a really bad winter in the 80s with nothing but a kerosene heater in the bathroom, and our gas stove as the power was out a week.

Now go outside, walk all the way around the trailer and look for holes in the skirting, these must be blocked, either with plastic, trash bags, plywood or anything that will keep heat in and cold out.

Please give us an update when you can, I know your busy, but the more info we have, the more we can tell you about what to do to correct the situation as fast as possible before the pipes bust.



posted on Jan, 7 2014 @ 11:50 AM
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bjax9er
Propane torch.
Carful not to heat the joints in the piping.

Then get a forced air propane or kerosene heater. Crack a few windows, and do not, I repeat, DO NOT GO TO SLEEP WITH GAS FIRED SPACE HEATERS RUNNING.
$$$$$$$$$$$$


She mentioned plastic pipes.
I knew someone who lived in a mobile with his mom, and knew that they had copper pipes.
A few years after he moved out, all her pipes froze.
Gravity fed water.
He went under the mobile, in the dark to thaw her pipes with a torch, only to discover she had changed the pipes to plastic.......

Sara, the cost of keeping those electric heaters and the stove on $$$$$$$$
Expect a huge electric bill



posted on Jan, 7 2014 @ 12:16 PM
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Damn oblivion....great replies



posted on Jan, 7 2014 @ 02:38 PM
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bigfatfurrytexan
Damn oblivion....great replies


I lived it the first 20 years of my life, it is easy once one has earned the experience, just like making toast, one just knows.

Block areas that you " don't" need, keep as much heat as possible in areas you do.

Work the problem, don't let it work you.

Just wish op would reply to let me know what's going on, I have many more things that could matter, I just don't know her exact needs at present, I only have answers from others questions to build off of.

Plz OP, swear it, tell me what's happening, and what your needs are, so I can help, this IS life threatening weather, I am worried.

If I was still in Indiana, I would come over and do all this for you in like an hour.

BTW BFFT, thanks for the compliment.

I am seriously just concerned here though.

30 below is death in like 20 minutes if the power goes out, which is why we ALWAYS had a wood stove fire place of gas oven......just to be sure.

I been cutting trees and splitting wood since I could walk for this reason, as well as hunting, and learning how to keep warm.

Life sucked a lot as a kid, so it didn't have to as an adult, or for my kids.



posted on Jan, 7 2014 @ 03:17 PM
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I suggest you call a local church or the Salvation Army and explain your predicament. It is entirely possible that a plumber/handyman who lives near you can come and assist you in your need. People in my church do stuff like that all the time for people who call us with a need. Especially with regards to this crazy cold weather, churches have been put on alert to help their freezing neighbors. Seriously. Even if you're not religious.

Someone may have a spare heater in their garage they can loan you. Someone may have the money you need to make your deposit and turn the furnace on. If they don't know about the need they cannot meet it.

You could call a local shelter (or again, a church) and they might be able to help you find temporary lodging. It scares me that your only source of heat is electric; what if the power goes out? You are in a life threatening situation. You might need to get out of there for a few weeks.

If it bothers you to ask for help, work out a barter with someone. I guarantee you someone will help you. You just have to ask.
edit on 7-1-2014 by OuttaHere because: (no reason given)



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