Dripping Faucets

[SARGE67]

We live in a brick house with pier and beam and I've gone to great lengths to place those foam insulating wraps on outdoor faucets. Plus had cutoffs installed down below each one which I then stuff thick insulation in the box and cutoff the faucet. Our washing machine is in the garage that faces due north and usually 10 degrees less than outdoor temp. I have the two risers wrapped plus the two hoses going to the machine. We drip all faucets indoors, sinks and bathtub both hot and cold sides when it's this cold and been successful during the Texas freezes past few years. But my question is, the hot water heater, washing machine and even toilet have no way to "drip", is it something to even be concerned about since been good all these years ? Am considering having all the copper lines replaced and insulated under the house and walls and forget about it. House built in 1950s.

 

[glenbo]

As you said, it's been good all these years, so why would you think it'll be different this year?

 

[BRD@66]

Also pier & beam, I drip a hot faucet & a cold faucet - both located as far from water meter as possible. Outdoor faucets covered. We suffered a 6 degree low in Feb 2021, with no ill effects. Knock wood.
ETA: For this spell, we're dripping faucets 24 hrs/day.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

As you said, it's been good all these years, so why would you think it'll be different this year?

For us, it's going to be colder, longer than we've experienced.

 

[2ManyGuns]

I go throughout the house and periodically turn on the taps at all the sinks and tub, hot and cold. Old house, galvanized pipes. the water heater is in the detached garage/laundry, water heater at the North wall, I placed a heat lamp in the laundry room to keep the ambient temp above freezing.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Damn global warming.....

 

[billtool]

I believe the proper term is "climate change".

 

[Army 1911]

I thought a dripping faucet was a STD symptom.

 

[Fishkiller]

We have slab on grade with three faucets. The one out back I put a shop light under a bucket. The other two I put those foam covers. Then I open doors on sink cabinets. That seems to do the trick as long as heat stays on

 

[Bozz10mm]

Whatever precautions you took in February 2021 should be sufficient.

 

[glenbo]

For outdoor pipes I use pool noodles. It's a closed cell foam and lasts a long time. I worked well in 2021, we had nothing burst.

 

[contender buff]

Pool noodles are your friend , cheap & and seam to last forever.

 

[oldag]

I would recommend leaving the faucets running at more than just a drip. A small stream will move enough water to keep the warmer water (from where the pipes are underground) moving through the pipes. Some folks just leave the faucet with a drip... drip... drip...

That does not move enough water through the pipes to make a difference.

 

[Tnhawk]

Pool noodles are your friend , cheap & and seam to last forever.

You must not have any dogs.

 

[striker55]

Yes opening cabinets by faucets help. I lived upstate NY for years it's amazing what little bit helps. I had a full basement, sometimes just leaving the lights on helped. Another thing we did was throw snow against the outside wall, kinda like an igloo. Not happening in TX just wanted to throw that in.

 

[deemus]

towels wrapped around outside faucets, then covered w foam boxes.

I only have one other faucet on an outside wall. I’ve left them dripping, and several times a day run the water on both faucets.

Also do laundry and dishwasher as needed which I think also helps.

 

[TexasRedneck]

One other thing....stuff your water meter box with foam or rags - when it gets this cold, that little extra insulation helps protect the exposed meter from freezing.

Also, there's a relatively new product called a "Freeze Miser" that you screw onto outside faucets that automatically drips water as needed to preclude freezing the faucet - works well, and doesn't use nearly as much water (it also keeps you from forgetting to turn them off as it warms back up).

 

[Lonesome Dove]

Per title is this near Dripping Springs?

 

[Bozz10mm]

Dripping Faucets is pretty close to Dripping Springs.

 

[tedwitt]

I have a 3 bedroom 2 bath with detached garage. I have a faucet in front, I have a board cut to angle in front of the faucet with a heat light on it, in back I have an insulated 3 sided box that I can stand in front of and around my plumbing and faucet with a heat light plus another leaning board with a heat light aimed at the rest of the plumbing. Knock on wood, so far so good. In 2021 my plumbing in back froze and burst.

The news said in 2023 the temp in Houston never got to freezing, I'm 30 miles north and ours got to I think 29 degrees. About the same as y'all in Montgomery did.