Help Needed FBG Plumbing Guys -- No water coming from just one shower (1 Viewer)

[3C's]

I may be really stupid, but I've lived in Minnesota and Chicago all of my life, never had a pipe freeze before. And the plumbing is on outside insulated walls.

Pipes freeze all the time. Different code in colder climates I'd assume. Probably well insulated.

 

[belljr]

can we get a pic of the op in the shower?

 

[Craig_MiamiFL]

lietarlly probably only need this

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-Tubular-Foam-Pipe-Insulation-Fits-1-in-Copper-or-3-4-in-Iron-Pipes-P12XB-6/202262337

 

[shuke]

I hate to hijack this thread, but it looks like some intelligent people in here. The cold water to my utility sink and washer in our laundry room is frozen, but I just do not know where. It is on the main floor. I went into the basement and tried to track the pipe from our main, but I am not sure what is what. The laundry room is on an outside wall, but wouldn't those pipes just run from the basement up to that room? I am not sure where they are frozen.

 

[kutta]

GB living in Phoenix.

Good luck to all you cold weather folks.

 

[3C's]

I hate to hijack this thread, but it looks like some intelligent people in here. The cold water to my utility sink and washer in our laundry room is frozen, but I just do not know where. It is on the main floor. I went into the basement and tried to track the pipe from our main, but I am not sure what is what. The laundry room is on an outside wall, but wouldn't those pipes just run from the basement up to that room? I am not sure where they are frozen.

Get someone in the laundry room to tap on the floor near the pipe while you're down in the basement to help locate.

 

[wilked]

I hate to hijack this thread, but it looks like some intelligent people in here. The cold water to my utility sink and washer in our laundry room is frozen, but I just do not know where. It is on the main floor. I went into the basement and tried to track the pipe from our main, but I am not sure what is what. The laundry room is on an outside wall, but wouldn't those pipes just run from the basement up to that room? I am not sure where they are frozen.

All lines have to eventually trace back to your water main, presumably in your basement...

You need to trace the line back so you can heat it. As others said, have someone bang on the floor, hit the pipe with a wrench, etc... You should be able to follow it back with some work.

 

[glock]

I hate to hijack this thread, but it looks like some intelligent people in here. The cold water to my utility sink and washer in our laundry room is frozen, but I just do not know where. It is on the main floor. I went into the basement and tried to track the pipe from our main, but I am not sure what is what. The laundry room is on an outside wall, but wouldn't those pipes just run from the basement up to that room? I am not sure where they are frozen.

Is there an outside faucet in that area?

That is part of my kitchen sink problem. Been blowing warm air up in there the last coupla days...

 

[belljr]

pm shuke....

on the serious note, if they go up an outside wall this could potentially happen, you do need to trace where the pipe is

 

[gmbacm]

since we are answering cold weather questions here is one.

With the cold temps we are noticing cold air coming in both the exhaust line over the stove, and exhaust line in the bathroom. Both are just those plastic flapper things on the outside which flap open when air is blowing out. Both close fine when air is not blowing out, but i assume we are noticing the cold air more coming in with the drop in temp. Can anything be done to help reduce the cold air coming in here? Stove line is a 5-6" pipe, bathroom is 2.5-3" or so.

 

[tri-man 47]

I hate to hijack this thread, but it looks like some intelligent people in here. The cold water to my utility sink and washer in our laundry room is frozen, but I just do not know where. It is on the main floor. I went into the basement and tried to track the pipe from our main, but I am not sure what is what. The laundry room is on an outside wall, but wouldn't those pipes just run from the basement up to that room? I am not sure where they are frozen.

Get someone in the laundry room to tap on the floor near the pipe while you're down in the basement to help locate.

...and/or use a tape measure to place where things match up between the floors.

This is a reminder, when the weather gets this extreme, to leave a slow drip in some of the faucets overnight!

 

[belljr]

since we are answering cold weather questions here is one.

With the cold temps we are noticing cold air coming in both the exhaust line over the stove, and exhaust line in the bathroom. Both are just those plastic flapper things on the outside which flap open when air is blowing out. Both close fine when air is not blowing out, but i assume we are noticing the cold air more coming in with the drop in temp. Can anything be done to help reduce the cold air coming in here? Stove line is a 5-6" pipe, bathroom is 2.5-3" or so.

other than running them not that i know of.my wife was complaining how the house felt so cold, we just installed a new thermostat. i said its never been -20 wind chill here, i think thats our problem

 

[3C's]

since we are answering cold weather questions here is one.

With the cold temps we are noticing cold air coming in both the exhaust line over the stove, and exhaust line in the bathroom. Both are just those plastic flapper things on the outside which flap open when air is blowing out. Both close fine when air is not blowing out, but i assume we are noticing the cold air more coming in with the drop in temp. Can anything be done to help reduce the cold air coming in here? Stove line is a 5-6" pipe, bathroom is 2.5-3" or so.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Speedi-Products-6-in-Galvanized-Back-Draft-Prevention-Damper-AC-BD-06/202907125#

 

[Apple Jack]

The sump pump has been running constantly for about six hours now. Should I be worried?

 

[mr roboto]

The sump pump has been running constantly for about six hours now. Should I be worried?

Where do you live? Has it run this frequently before? Where does it empty?

 

[Apple Jack]

The sump pump has been running constantly for about six hours now. Should I be worried?

Where do you live? Has it run this frequently before? Where does it empty?

Where I live has been below freezing for a couple days, which is very unusual. It's a new house, but hasn't done this in the year or so I've been here. I couldn't find where it empties, so I'm wondering if it's not drained somewhere below ground.

 

[TxBuckeye]

since we are answering cold weather questions here is one.

With the cold temps we are noticing cold air coming in both the exhaust line over the stove, and exhaust line in the bathroom. Both are just those plastic flapper things on the outside which flap open when air is blowing out. Both close fine when air is not blowing out, but i assume we are noticing the cold air more coming in with the drop in temp. Can anything be done to help reduce the cold air coming in here? Stove line is a 5-6" pipe, bathroom is 2.5-3" or so.

Fighting this same issue in our new house. Standing by the stove was like being near an open window. I went out and noticed the flapper wasn't closing. It is a cheap one the builder used and it only closes to where it is open and inch or two. I put duct tape on it to hold it closed. Helped some but, even then, it's a cheap piece of crap. Will be on my 21 day list, for when the construction manager comes back out. If they have to replace it, I plan to go to HD or Lowe's and get a better quality one and have them install that instead. Had to do this in my last house too. Damn builders always gotta use the cheapest POS they can find.

 

[mr roboto]

Does the ground freeze there? Usually sump pumps run when ground water trickles into the tile outside the foundation. If the pump is running constantly, it means your basement is surrounded by water. If the ground is frozen, that shouldn't happen. But if you had rain or snow lately that seeped into the ground, that's probably where it's coming from.

I had a house where the sump pump emptied right next to the house. So it would just trickle back into the ground, get picked up by the drain tile, sump pump, rinse and repeat. I finally ran the line far away from the house and it runs a lot less.

Now pumps are controlled by floats - there's a bobber type thing on the pump, when it gets high enough, it trips the pump. Once the water level drops, it shuts off. Your pump may be stuck in the on position even if the water level isn't high. You should go down to the pit and see if...

1. Water is constantly coming into the pit

2. Does the pump turn off when the water level drops?

3. Is the pump actually pumping the water out?

To find the answer to #3 you need to know where it expels.

 

[Apple Jack]

No, everything here is frozen and has been for 48 hours. We've contacted the contractor. I unplugged it for now and will plug it back in when the thaw starts tomorrow. I'm worried about frying the motor. There's no precipitation forecasted for tonight. Just seems more than coincidental that this is happening for the first time during this deep freeze.

 

[mr roboto]

Can u see in the pit. If there's no water, it's fine to unplug. If there is water, I'd be nervous unplugging it.

 

[shuke]

The sump pump has been running constantly for about six hours now. Should I be worried?

Where do you live? Has it run this frequently before? Where does it empty?

Where I live has been below freezing for a couple days, which is very unusual. It's a new house, but hasn't done this in the year or so I've been here. I couldn't find where it empties, so I'm wondering if it's not drained somewhere below ground.

You mean non-stop or just a lot? If non-stop, the float might be stuck.

You don't know where it empties? Where does the pipe go?

 

[Apple Jack]

I tried to get the lid off but the three pipes seem to be sealed to it. It's not my house, so I didn't want to monkey with that unless it was an emergency. All the plumbers around here are booked dealing with all the burst pipes, so we were kind of in a holding pattern. We left it unplugged overnight. Then the rain came this morning. Using a flashlight through the little hole in the lid I could see it's reflection in the water. Seemed like water was not coming in at all. It was low and there was no rippling despite the fact that it had been raining for awhile. I'd plug the pump back in and just the same steady humming with no apparent activity either in the sump or where the contractor said the discharge pipe is. I decided for the hell of it to tap on the pvc pipes with a hammer and just like that water came rushing into the reservoir, I could hear it going out the discharge pipe and then the pump shut off on it's own for the first time in days followed by the appropriate tapping of the check valve. It appears all has returned to normal. Based on what I've read online from others, it sounds like either it was air-locked, or maybe a combination of blocked intake pipe and stuck floater.

I wasn't aware of how high the water level gets in the reservoir before the pump kicks on. Scared the hell out of me when it started functioning again. Is that common?

 

[shuke]

I tried to get the lid off but the three pipes seem to be sealed to it. It's not my house, so I didn't want to monkey with that unless it was an emergency. All the plumbers around here are booked dealing with all the burst pipes, so we were kind of in a holding pattern. We left it unplugged overnight. Then the rain came this morning. Using a flashlight through the little hole in the lid I could see it's reflection in the water. Seemed like water was not coming in at all. It was low and there was no rippling despite the fact that it had been raining for awhile. I'd plug the pump back in and just the same steady humming with no apparent activity either in the sump or where the contractor said the discharge pipe is. I decided for the hell of it to tap on the pvc pipes with a hammer and just like that water came rushing into the reservoir, I could hear it going out the discharge pipe and then the pump shut off on it's own for the first time in days followed by the appropriate tapping of the check valve. It appears all has returned to normal. Based on what I've read online from others, it sounds like either it was air-locked, or maybe a combination of blocked intake pipe and stuck floater.

I wasn't aware of how high the water level gets in the reservoir before the pump kicks on. Scared the hell out of me when it started functioning again. Is that common?

You can adjust the float, but the lower you set it the more often the pump will run.

 

[Apple Jack]

I tried to get the lid off but the three pipes seem to be sealed to it. It's not my house, so I didn't want to monkey with that unless it was an emergency. All the plumbers around here are booked dealing with all the burst pipes, so we were kind of in a holding pattern. We left it unplugged overnight. Then the rain came this morning. Using a flashlight through the little hole in the lid I could see it's reflection in the water. Seemed like water was not coming in at all. It was low and there was no rippling despite the fact that it had been raining for awhile. I'd plug the pump back in and just the same steady humming with no apparent activity either in the sump or where the contractor said the discharge pipe is. I decided for the hell of it to tap on the pvc pipes with a hammer and just like that water came rushing into the reservoir, I could hear it going out the discharge pipe and then the pump shut off on it's own for the first time in days followed by the appropriate tapping of the check valve. It appears all has returned to normal. Based on what I've read online from others, it sounds like either it was air-locked, or maybe a combination of blocked intake pipe and stuck floater.

I wasn't aware of how high the water level gets in the reservoir before the pump kicks on. Scared the hell out of me when it started functioning again. Is that common?

You can adjust the float, but the lower you set it the more often the pump will run.

Yeah, I figured, just seems to be flirting with the top when it kicks on. So be it. Thanks for the thoughts.