How to Unfreeze a Water Hose
A frozen water hose can be a nuisance. Water trapped in a hose will freeze if the temperature dips low enough, leaving your water line with a icy clog trapped in it. Unfreezing a water hose, however, isn't difficult. You can use the same methods used for unfreezing water pipes on hoses--you just need to exercise caution, because the higher temperatures used on metal pipes can sometimes melt the rubber of a water hose. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Turn off the water supply for the hose you will be unfreezing. If this is a garden hose outside, for example, turn off the faucet bib where the hose is attached by rotating the knob clockwise.
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Determine the portion of the water hose that is frozen, by squeezing the hose until you feel the part of the line that doesn't bend back and feels cold to the touch. This is the part of the hose with the frozen water.
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3
Plug a hair dryer into a nearby outlet or run an extension cord for power. Start on the low setting. Hold the hair dryer about 2 to 3 inches away from the hose at the spot with the frozen water. Move the dryer back and forth across the frozen hose. Move up and down the hose as you work.
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4
Wrap the hose with electric pipe heat tape. This is, as the name implies, tape that you wrap around the hose. After wrapping the tape clockwise around the frozen part of the hose, plug the tape into a nearby outlet or run an extension cord. Allow the tape to heat the affected area until the ice thaws.
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Detach the frozen hose, if possible, and move it to a warmer location. Allow it to thaw there. This works best on smaller hoses, such as a washing machine supply hose. You can place the hose in a laundry tub or sink as the frozen water thaws.
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Tips & Warnings
Use GFCI grounded outlets when working with electric equipment outside and around water.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit garden hose image by Sirena Designs from Fotolia.com
