Why Do Water Pipes Burst in the Winter?
Burst water pipes can cause substantial structural damage and incur costly plumbing repairs. During the cold months of winter, it is important to understand why pipes burst in order to prevent it from happening. Does this Spark an idea?
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Outdoor Temperature
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According to the Institute for Business & Home Safety, water within a pipe can freeze when outdoor temperatures fall below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Pipes exposed to cold air due to lack of insulation or cracks in an outside wall can freeze at temperatures even above 20 degrees.
Properties of Water
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Remember that water expands to take up more volume as it freezes. Newly frozen water forms a blockage of ice that prevents water from being able to pass through that section of pipe. This ice blockage also causes an increase in water pressure within the pipe, simply by taking up more space. As more water freezes and expands, the pressure within the pipe becomes enormous. With no escape for the accumulating pressure, the pipe bursts.
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Types of Pipes
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The primary types of piping affected by freezing temperatures include hose bibs, sprinkler lines and swimming pool supply lines. Also affected are pipes in crawl spaces, attics, basements and garages, reports AgriLIFE Extension.
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References
- Photo Credit plumbing image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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kailord
Jan 11, 2011
Wrong. The expansion of the ice does not cause pressure on the water behind it--if that were the case, your faucet would do the same thing when it's turned off. What cracks the pipe is the expansion of the ice in a finite space. You only find a frozen pipe after the water has thawed.
