A gal named Bonnie (on another forum) brought to light a problem I have not seen anticipated or discussed. She notes that during the last prolonged NE power outage the VALVES AND WATER LINES FROZE damaging the system for both water company and commercial and residential customers and delaying the restoration of water service. I think we need to alert everyone to insulate and protect normally heated water pipes so this problem can be averted.

-- Ann Fisher (zyax55b@prodigy.com), November 08, 1998

Answers

With no heat source available, I think it will be impossible in practice to insulate exposed water pipes & valves sufficiently to avoid freezing. Unheated structures of all sorts will sooner or later reach the temperature of the outside environment. In Minnesota one winter the main valve supplying our farmhouse, buried 7 feet deep in clay soil, froze (and broke) after a long spell at -20 to -30 deg. F. We were told we should have left a tap running, it would have prevented the freezeup. If the water supply is kaput, that solution is moot.

The only sure solution is to drain all pipes and valves in the home or place of business. Street mains and house feeder lines can only be drained by the utility. With no flow, even deeply buried mains are at risk in severe winters.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), November 09, 1998.

while you're at it, don't forget toilet tank and bowl.

-- Jocelyne Slough (jonslough@tln.net), November 09, 1998.