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DIY & Home Improvement

IrishAyes

(6,151 posts)

6. Along with everything else, since I can poke a broom handle all the way down the part of the drain

Reply to X_Digger (Reply #5)

Wed Dec 11, 2013, 12:46 AM

Dec 2013

pipe that I can see, I'm positive the ice ball is under the house. And we're going down to 0 degrees tonight. If worse comes to worse, I'll go the temporary route and use a tall plastic bin, then bail it out. At least I don't have to worry about burst pipes under the house. This has apparently been going on for years. It would cost a small fortune to insulate that shallow crawl space.

Before I bought this fixer house, the rear half did have the original brick foundation replaced with concrete. Hopefully in the next year or so I can do the same for the front half - not that it needs it exactly, but I'd feel better. The house was inspected about 4 years ago so I could get an FDA home improvement loan, and they didn't find any current foundation problems. I mention this because I wonder if it would benefit the problem with the pipes. My FDA loan payments are quite low, but I was afraid to load it anymore than I could help. Two things scare me: conservatives and debt.

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Any good green ideas on what to do about frozen drain pipe for washing machine? [View all] IrishAyes Dec 2013 OP

In this case, the heat tape is all that will do it Warpy Dec 2013 #1

I've resisted for years, but feel my resolve fading fast. IrishAyes Dec 2013 #3

I don't have any advice on the drain but wonder if you could explain beac Dec 2013 #2

Well, even with great insulation, if cabinet doors are shut, the interior will be colder than the IrishAyes Dec 2013 #4

We definitely aren't overheaters! beac Dec 2013 #8

Since you say you're new to colder climes, IrishAyes Dec 2013 #12

Yeah, heat tape seems to be most likely bet. X_Digger Dec 2013 #5

Along with everything else, since I can poke a broom handle all the way down the part of the drain IrishAyes Dec 2013 #6

Well, rather than trying to insulate the whole crawlspace, you could.. X_Digger Dec 2013 #7

That's a fantastic idea. Could you recommend someone desperate enough for $ to IrishAyes Dec 2013 #9

Well, you'd have to get someone up under there to do the heat tape, too. X_Digger Dec 2013 #10

I was about to write a potential apology if my comment might've sounded snippy. IrishAyes Dec 2013 #11

No worries! I hate crawlspaces too, hehe. X_Digger Dec 2013 #13

For some unfathomable reason, I've always managed to avoid deliberately being IrishAyes Dec 2013 #15

Another alternative, though probably slower, would be a submersible aquarium heater. X_Digger Dec 2013 #16

That would be safer than an immersion heater, wouldn't it? IrishAyes Dec 2013 #18

Yup, sure would. X_Digger Dec 2013 #19

You should only have to worry about the trap. jeff47 Dec 2013 #14

Thanks for all that great info. As you can imagine, I'm no expert. But I love to learn. IrishAyes Dec 2013 #17

One thing you can do temporarily jeff47 Dec 2013 #20

I'd heard of nontoxic 'natural' car antifreeze but didn't know RV antifreeze was nontoxic. IrishAyes Dec 2013 #21

Yep, it's propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol. (nt) jeff47 Dec 2013 #22