Leaving taps dripping, to prevent pipes from freezing?

[Phil473]

In brief;

-Will leaving a tap dripping help prevent freezing and/or a pipe bursting?

- I'm leaving the hot water tap dripping in order to prevent pipes freezing, as its just a drip the boiler is not coming on. Should this be ok for boiler and pipework?

- Also, if I were to turn the water off from the mains how would I drain the hot water taps, without the boiler coming on? Would just keeping a hot water tap dripping until it drained be fine?

More detail;

Current boiler is on the way out and wont be replaced for a couple of weeks. I'm getting a flow temparture of around 40C only which keeps the house at around 12C. So as an added precaution to prevent freezing, I'm leaving a couple of cold taps and one hot water tap dripping overnight.

Here in the South East we have about a week at around feezing coming up. So I may turn the water off at the mains and drain the cold taps overnight. As I've asked above, would leaving the hot water tap dripping so that it eventually empties without the boiler coming on, be ok?

The advice coming from the US is that a dripping tap will relieve the pressure of a frozen pipe, thus helping to prevent them from bursting. That combined with the water moving slightly, should help.

The counter argument from British Gas, is that a dripping tap could cause a drain to freeze, causing an overflow. That doesn't really make much sense to me. Surely if the drain was prone to freezing from a dripping tap, you'd have some serious problems.

https://www.britishgas.co.uk/the-source/beat-the-weather/prevent-frozen-pipes.html

Whole load of US vids on youtube regarding dripping taps, during a freeze.

Advice appreciated,

Thank you.

 

[jj4091]

The only sure way of preventing freezing is to turn off water at the main stopcock. Open all taps and leave them open. drain down central heasting boiler and any hot water and header tanks.

 

[Old Salt]

LOL, as above or leave the heating on.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

LOL, as above or leave the heating on.

Modern boilers, if left with power on, take care of themselves.. It doesn't prevent remote pipework freezing.

 

[endecotp]

Will leaving a tap dripping help prevent freezing and/or a pipe bursting?

No.

The counter argument from British Gas, is that a dripping tap could cause a drain to freeze, causing an overflow.

Fresh water pipes are inside the house; drain pipes (often) go outside. Outside will be colder than inside. So it does happen that a dripping tap results in the drain freezing where it exits through the wall.

Whole load of US vids on youtube regarding dripping taps, during a freeze.

Honestly, I think we’ve passed the point where random YouTube videos can be considered a useful source of truthful advice.

 

[Old Salt]

Modern boilers, if left with power on, take care of themselves.. It doesn't prevent remote pipework freezing.

But the heat in the house will stop internal pipes freezing whilst those outside i.e. drains can look after themselves.

 

[Phil473]

Going to switch off the water, from external stopcock last thing at night.

Draining cold water pipes is straightforward, how can I drain hot water pipes? Just open a hot tap very slightly so the boiler doesn't fire, and let the tap drain?

 

[Phil473]

But the heat in the house will stop internal pipes freezing whilst those outside i.e. drains can look after themselves.

House is around 12C as mentioned, that will probably keep internal pipes ok. I have a couple of pipes in an attached garage, will most probably be above freezing in there.

And then a couple of external taps that have frost covers on, but no isolation.

So I'm probably going overboard by turning off the mains supply, but better safe than sorry.

 

[CountryFan]

What’s wrong with the boiler? Do you have heating and or hot water?

 

[Phil473]

What’s wrong with the boiler? Do you have heating and or hot water?

Most probably the fuse in the heat exchanger; as the fuse itself is no longer available, and the exchanger itself will have to be replaced its not worth the repair bill.

I'm getting a flow temp of 40C, which keeps the house at 12C. Hot water causes an error code. New boiler due in couple of weeks, just need to get by until then.

 

[Phil473]

No.



Fresh water pipes are inside the house; drain pipes (often) go outside. Outside will be colder than inside. So it does happen that a dripping tap results in the drain freezing where it exits through the wall.



Honestly, I think we’ve passed the point where random YouTube videos can be considered a useful source of truthful advice.

The article claims that a dripping tap will save the pipes bursting, as it relives pressure on the system. Why do you think that is wrong? If the Americans and Canadians are indeed wrong about this, I'd be interested to know why.

https://washingtonterracecity.com/vertical/sites/%7B9D63E994-3168-4A6B-BFBB-6BA2F03103EB%7D/uploads/freezing_pipes.pdf

 

[foxhole]

Just wrap an old towel around any external taps .

 

[denso13]

The article claims that a dripping tap will save the pipes bursting, as it relives pressure on the system. Why do you think that is wrong? If the Americans and Canadians are indeed wrong about this, I'd be interested to know why.

https://washingtonterracecity.com/vertical/sites/%7B9D63E994-3168-4A6B-BFBB-6BA2F03103EB%7D/uploads/freezing_pipes.pdf

It's a nonsense article. Pipes burst when they freeze, not when they thaw. They can't even get the basics right.

 

[Old Salt]

House is around 12C as mentioned, that will probably keep internal pipes ok. I have a couple of pipes in an attached garage, will most probably be above freezing in there.

And then a couple of external taps that have frost covers on, but no isolation.

So I'm probably going overboard by turning off the mains supply, but better safe than sorry.

I live on the Hampshire coast and the temp in my unheated garage rarely drops below 5 degrees. My outside tap has a frost cover but I dont lay awake at night wondering if its going to be okay. If you are in the house dont worry about it, surely you are not going to drain hot, cold and boiler every night until your new boiler is fitted?