A couple questions because my plumbing froze and busted? and water heater?
July 8th, 2010
I just moved to a cold area and hadn’t before. My plumbing busted and water poured all over. I was able to turn off the water switch.
When I turn off the water do I have to turn off my electric water heater?
When the water in my pipes freezes does the water in the water heater freeze as well? If so does that cause significant damage? (my w/heater is fairly new)
do you think the pipes finally busted because the water began to melt?
The pipes burst as the cold settles in. The water shows up as they thaw and start to leak. There is a good chance the hot water heater is ok. It would have been full of hot water and they are very well insulated.
Good idea to turn off the water heater since it could burn up if it gets emptied due to leaks. If you are confident that the water has not or will not drain due to any busted pipes then leave it on. If you have a section of pipe that tends to freeze, you may want to insulate that section or keep the water running in that pipe (leave the faucet “on” just a trickle). You may want to use a space heater in the area (room) that tends to freeze. You can also drain the pipes if you are going to be gone for an extended period. Your water heater would be the last to freeze since it’s warm and insulated Hope you warm up soon.
FYI… the water won’t leak out of the busted pipes when the water is frozen. Once it begins to melt, the water will leak out of the cracks and holes created by the ice.
Shut off the hot water tank. If the heating elements are exposed, they will be destroyed if the power is still on. The water in the tank most likely did not freeze, but it might have. The ice will expand at about 28 F it is the most volume. At this point, it will break pipes, they will begin to leak when the ice melts and becomes water. You should also drain the water tank to prevent it from freezing. Turn off the power to the tank.
if your tank has water in it leave it run! but never fire up an empty tank,u can burn out the heat element! u can leave your water running a little to keep it from freezing! insulate or use a light to keep lines open!